Regulating tank temperature?? HELP!!

[jodisgermanshepherd]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a sand substrate. 2 heaters; one eheim and one aqueon. This tank is in my office where it stays warm during the day. At night when I leave the heat of the office is turned down. And the water drops in temp. the 2 heaters can’t keep the water temperature regulated. I’ve lost 2 bettas now due to the fluctuating temps. Don’t know if I should wrap the tank at night. The tank also sits on top of a metal filing cabinet. I do keep the lid on it. Should I get a bigger heater?? Any suggestions would be really helpful. I don’t want to invest in another fish. Oh all my water parameters are perfect.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello. When choosing a heater, you need five watts for every gallon of tank water. So, 50 watts should be fine. A bit larger heater won't hurt. Set the heater at roughly 80 degrees. Other than this, you need to remove and replace half the tank water twice weekly, that's pretty much it. Make sure not to feed every day, fish stomachs are tiny and they need to be a little hungry to be active and healthy. Feeding every other day is plenty. Just a small variety. It doesn't get much simpler than this.

10

 

[MaloK]

That looks like a Fluval Spec... So it should be 2.6 or 5 or 16 gallons.

Good rule of thumb is at least 5 watts per gallons, maybe 7.5 in your case. Install you current heater vertically near the input of your filter. It will have a better sense of the current temp in the tank and will be able to do a better job.

I don't think there should be any swing with a 50W heater even if the temperature drops drastically during the night. Are you sure that the tank does not get it's power cut during night ?

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

Yes, i Am positive the electricity continues to work over night. It is a concrete building, concrete floors, metal exterior. So it does get cold in the office. Even when I set the thermostat to 63 when I leave for the night. I am going to try your suggestions of vertical by the heater. I loved my last beta and was very sad to see him succumb to the weather in his tank. I believe the tank is 5 gallons but will double check when I get into the office. Thanks for your reply!!

 

[Colin_T]

What size are the heaters in the aquarium?
What temperatures are the heaters set at?
What is the water temperature during the day when you leave and first thing in the morning?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
Is there a coverglass on the tank?
Is there a sheet of polystyrene foam under the base of the tank?

------------------

You can put a 1-2 inch thick sheet of polystyrene foam on the base, back and sides of the tank to help insulate it. You can put a piece on the front of the tank when you leave too.

A coverglass will also go a long way to trapping heat in the tank. Try to get a coverglass that is 4 or 5mm thick.

 

[sharkweek178]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a sand substrate. 2 heaters; one eheim and one aqueon. This tank is in my office where it stays warm during the day. At night when I leave the heat of the office is turned down. And the water drops in temp. the 2 heaters can’t keep the water temperature regulated. I’ve lost 2 bettas now due to the fluctuating temps. Don’t know if I should wrap the tank at night. The tank also sits on top of a metal filing cabinet. I do keep the lid on it. Should I get a bigger heater?? Any suggestions would be really helpful. I don’t want to invest in another fish. Oh all my water parameters are perfect.

You should keep the lid on for a couple of very important reasons. One, it helps maintain the tank temperature. And two, bettas can be jumpers.

 

[sharkweek178]

Also, try placing a heater near the filter outflow. That will help distribute the heat better.

 

[Naughts]

Small heaters are less reliable. One 100w heater would be better than two 50 or 25watts.

You should keep the lid on for a couple of very important reasons. One, it helps maintain the tank temperature. And two, bettas can be jumpers.

And 3, betta breathe atmospheric air that should be warm. Lids keep the surface air warmer.

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

Hello. When choosing a heater, you need five watts for every gallon of tank water. So, 50 watts should be fine. A bit larger heater won't hurt. Set the heater at roughly 80 degrees. Other than this, you need to remove and replace half the tank water twice weekly, that's pretty much it. Make sure not to feed every day, fish stomachs are tiny and they need to be a little hungry to be active and healthy. Feeding every other day is plenty. Just a small variety. It doesn't get much simpler than this.

10

I have 2 heaters in the tank. I did put them vertical instead of horizontal. my aqueon heater is a 50 watt. My penn-plax is a 75w, I moved them to opposite ends of the tank. I have the Penn-Plax one set at 76 degrees and the Aqueon is set at 79. I do a 20% water change every week my parameters are never off always spot on.

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

That looks like a Fluval Spec... So it should be 2.6 or 5 or 16 gallons.

Good rule of thumb is at least 5 watts per gallons, maybe 7.5 in your case. Install you current heater vertically near the input of your filter. It will have a better sense of the current temp in the tank and will be able to do a better job.

I don't think there should be any swing with a 50W heater even if the temperature drops drastically during the night. Are you sure that the tank does not get it's power cut during night ?

It is a 5 gallon. I followed your suggestions of moving one heater closer to the filter side. and the other on opposite end. one is a 50w and the other is a 75w. Thank you.

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

What size are the heaters in the aquarium?
What temperatures are the heaters set at?
What is the water temperature during the day when you leave and first thing in the morning?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
Is there a coverglass on the tank?
Is there a sheet of polystyrene foam under the base of the tank?

------------------

You can put a 1-2 inch thick sheet of polystyrene foam on the base, back and sides of the tank to help insulate it. You can put a piece on the front of the tank when you leave too.

A coverglass will also go a long way to trapping heat in the tank. Try to get a coverglass that is 4 or 5mm thick.

#1: The heaters are a 50w & 75w.
#2: Temp set 76 & 78 degrees
#3: when I leave at night the temp is usually is about 78 in the tank/ When I arrive in the morning it may 68 or 72
#4: tank size is 20.5"L x 11.6"H x 7.5"W 5Gallon
#5: Yes there is a tank cover with a hole in the center for the light to go through. I just started using the cover regularly the last couple weeks.
#6: No polystyrene it was place directly on the metal. I today put a thick small ikea rug underneath it.

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

You should keep the lid on for a couple of very important reasons. One, it helps maintain the tank temperature. And two, bettas can be jumpers.

I am now leaving the lid on it.

 

[jodisgermanshepherd]

What size are the heaters in the aquarium?
What temperatures are the heaters set at?
What is the water temperature during the day when you leave and first thing in the morning?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
Is there a coverglass on the tank?
Is there a sheet of polystyrene foam under the base of the tank?

------------------

You can put a 1-2 inch thick sheet of polystyrene foam on the base, back and sides of the tank to help insulate it. You can put a piece on the front of the tank when you leave too.

A coverglass will also go a long way to trapping heat in the tank. Try to get a coverglass that is 4 or 5mm thick.

Would you just get a custom cut piece of plastic for the top. I do not think the lid that came with the tank is near that thick.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I do not agree with the advice here on heater placement. ALmost every in tank heater I have is place horizontally near the bottom of the tank. There are multiple reasons for this.

1. It is easier to hide so less ugly.
2. The heat is emitted the entire bottom half of the heater. When placed vertically it creates a narrow column of rising heated water. When placed as I describe you have several inches of heater sending up a small wall of heated water.
3. Since heat and heated water rise, it pulls other water upwards. You get more pull from a heater which is [placed horizontally bear the bottom where the coldest water in a tank naturally is. So you are heating more of the coldest water and moving even more water from the bottom to the surface.
4. Circulation helps even out the water so there are noyt so many quiet areas and things like dechlor and meds get distributed not to mention warmer water and oxygen.

The kld will help hold in the heat some.

Is there any chance that the power to the tank is off at night when nobody is there? I can heat a 10 gal. with a pair of 100w heaters placed apart in the tank even if the external temp. is under 60F. I could do it with a single 150w but I like using multiple heaters for a number of reasons. I have found that using an additional heater controller is a big help but they are not cheap.

A lot of folks will say bettas need warmish water. Depending on which site one visits, you will see the range from about 75 to 82. So, you need to insure your fish are in that range. I would start by raising the temp on the heaters. But I am wondering if they are both working correctly. The one set to 79 likely is since your tank hits that temp during the day. But if you need lore heat over night and are not getting it, I wonder about the second heater. Is there any chance it isn't working?

When you go to work tomorrow, if the temp is low put your hand into the tank near the lower half of the 50w and see if you can tell it is heating. You may as well check the bigger one, JIK.

When I do my outdoor summer tanks the overnight temps early and late in the season are the challenge. I keep fish which want water between 80 and 86 F most of the time. But during the start and end of the season I am seeing temps in the mid 50s over night. To battle that I need to use 15 wpg or more for bigger tanks (40 to 50 gal.).

 

[MaloK]

It is a 5 gallon. I followed your suggestions of moving one heater closer to the filter side. and the other on opposite end. one is a 50w and the other is a 75w. Thank you.

25 watt per gallons should cut it... How cold is the room in the morning ?