tank temperature this morning

[seth the wine guy]

I have a Ranco on my QT. It's money.

 

[skriz]

Ranco is the best temp controller, hands down.

 

[umbrellacorp]

i have to put the top on and turn the heater up one setting every night to keep the tank at the same temp.

 

[90galguy]

Received my Ranco controller this afternoon and have it wired up and controlling my Eheim 200w heater. Plan on adding an additional heater the beginning of next week. I don't have any livestock as of yet, so nothing to worry about on that front. I just want to be prepared if we're lucky enough to have some inhabitants by Christmas!

 

[jbadd99]

Hnguyen;711727 wrote:
This one is a little more expensive but it's nice.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/jbj-titanium-heaters-with-true-temp-digital-controller">http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/jbj-titanium-heaters-with-true-temp-digital-controller</a>

There's many brands out there that has something similar but I have faith in JBJ.[/QUOTE]

Good thing you didn't waste your money on this. I bought an 800w with the JBJ controller for my 120. The temp sensor failed within the first year. $25 to replace that. Six months later the controller is fried all together. My controller reads 69 degrees and my heater turns on when my glass thermometer reads 81. I think I'll be looking at the Ranco controller myself.

 

[90galguy]

Got a question on my Ranco controller. I have the temp set at 76 with a 1 degree differential. This morning I checked the setup and it's showing 73 and my Eheim heater is not on. Do I need to set the Eheim temp controller on a specific setting to allow the controller to control it correctly?

 

[kilo32]

90galguy;712085 wrote: Got a question on my Ranco controller. I have the temp set at 76 with a 1 degree differential. This morning I checked the setup and it's showing 73 and my Eheim heater is not on. Do I need to set the Eheim temp controller on a specific setting to allow the controller to control it correctly?

I think you need to set the heater at just 1 or 2 degrees higher than the Ranco controller. That way the heater will be in the ON position whenever the Ranco decides to send juice to it. You don't want to set it any higher than that so that in the unlikely event that the Ranco fails to turn off at the proper temp the internal thermostat of the heater will turn off just the 1 or 2 degrees higher that you set it at thus avoiding an overheating situation.

 

[seth the wine guy]

90galguy;712085 wrote: Got a question on my Ranco controller. I have the temp set at 76 with a 1 degree differential. This morning I checked the setup and it's showing 73 and my Eheim heater is not on. Do I need to set the Eheim temp controller on a specific setting to allow the controller to control it correctly?

Ranco is made to control a chiller OR heater. So make sure the Ranco is set to come on when the temp is too LOW and not high.

 

[90galguy]

Seth The Wine Guy;712097 wrote: Ranco is made to control a chiller OR heater. So make sure the Ranco is set to come on when the temp is too LOW and not high.

I have it set using the "H" heat control. I believe that's all I need to do to control a heater correct?

 

[90galguy]

I've turned up the control on the heater as far as it will go and the temps up to 74. I'll see if it cuts off when it reads 76.

Another concern is that the JW thermometer I have on the DT tank is showing 78 and the Ranco is showing it at 74. I have the controller probe in the sump. could there be that much of a temp change between the two locations? Should I be running the temp probe up to the DT or can I keep it in the sump?

 

[seth the wine guy]

I think there are a ton of variables that could be giving you the 4 degree temp differential. When you put both probes in the same spot together do they measure the same temp?

But, like so many things with this hobby, consistency of the number is more important than the number itself. If the temp of the sump is stable, it's safe to say the temp of the DT is stable. So, I think either location is fine for the probe.