High Tide Aquatics

Heater/Probe Location while flow pump is off during Feeding?

SpaceCased

SpaceCased

Supporting Member
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Hello.

I have a inkbird 308 wifi temp controller on my tank. I have the Heater element and my UV light in the same chamber of my sump but the temp probe itself is in another. The thought process on this was if it was in the same chamber than the probe they would be fighting each other when heating up. During feeding i have my flow pumps turn off for 15 minutes to allow for food to be eaten and not end up in filter floss. With this configuration I am actually a little worried that my heater element could run at at feeding time because of the temp probe being elsewhere and flow not occurring.

Is this the correct config or should i be doing something else?
Should i be worried about my temp rod heating up too much during feeding. Im mainly worried about it damaging the UV. Is this worrying excessive?
Would a timer on the inkbird be an ok solution to turn off during feeding? I would think cycling the inkbird like that all the time would be a dumb idea.

Thoughts?
 
What's your water volume and size of heater?

I think you're fine, the temperature shouldn't change that drastically in 15 minutes to cause the temperature probe to turn on the heater. Also, even if the heater was on for 15 minutes during feeding it wouldn't drastically alter your tank's temperature in that amount of time.
 
This is for a simple BioCube setup. Where the sump has 3 chambers. I have a 200w heater and 10w UV in chamber 1 where water is intaking but my temp probe in chamber 3 where the outtake pump is. The first chamber has vents to the main tank so I think the heated water would just bleed into the main tank. But it's a pretty small chamber and could see it getting heated up pretty quickly. Hence me asking
 
Biocube- I think those are all relatively small right? Number of gallons would be helpful. A 200w heater is a lot for an AIO nano tank- and could actually cause a problem in the tiny back chamber.

In general, yes you want your temp probe upstream of the heater in the sump area so it doesn’t just turn it off right away.

One option would be to have the same switch you use to turn off your return also turn off your heater for the 15 min feeding.
 
My biocube32 heaters are only 50-100 watts

Especially if you have the stock lid for it and lights that close to water no issues keeping the temperature stable. Factors you would have to consider without the stock lid they are sealed up very well so you heater could definitely be a little oversized
 
Presumably your heater has its own temperature setting right? Let’s say you have your Inkbird set to 77-78*, you need the heater to be set at or above 78* so that it will actually turn on, but don’t set it above 79*

Therefore, even if the temp probe fails or is reading a lower temperature in its chamber than where the heater is, the heater should shut itself off at 79*
 
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