Water temp

Jacojs

Jacojs

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Hi guys.

SO last night I sat next to my cycling tank and glanced at the temperature, it was 29.9! No lights on, only return pump, heater and 2xRW4's running.

Could my return pump be heating the water?? Its a sicce silent, I remember when I got the equipment I ran the return pump, the skimmer pump and the reactor pump in a 25 litre bucket of water and vinegar solution (second hand stuff) and the water in the bucket was very very warm!

The temp went down by a few 0.2 degrees or so when I left the cabinet door open for a while. I put a big home fan on full pointed at the sump and turned the heater down to almost the 22 mark, this morning at 5:00 the temp with the cabinet door open and fan still blowing on full was at 26.something.

Something must be generating heat! Thoughts and help please?
 
You will have to troubleshoot to see were the heat is coming from. Maybe switch of the heater and take temp reading. I doubt its the rw4 creating heat. Might be the return pump aswell. If you have a small tank you will always have temp issues during summer. Look at adding a stc controller with fans and heaters. They work like a bomp but you need a decent size ATU. Your other option of cource is a chiller. But if i were you I would unplug heater and see what happens. And then you can work from there. If it is maybe the return look to invest in a DC return. They work wonders.
 
Thanks Dexter. My 54Litre tropical was sitting at 28 so Def something cooking my marine tank.
 
what size return pump is that Sicci Silent?
 
Anyone using the red devil dc pumps? Can't find much reviews online? Or are there others anyone can suggest?
 
What lights do you use and how far above the water? Open or closed up canopy?

The 700L/h pump should not be the culprit on its own.

Maybe the combined effect of all your equipment plus the closed up sump area and our recent heat wave, all together pushed your temp up to 29.
 
No lights on at the moment as I'm cycling still. Self built "closed" removable canopy but not sealed. Made with insect screen. I agree it is hot but surely my 54 litre tank should run warmer than the 150 litre?
 
Dexter I am looking at getting the STC controller. Can anyone tell me, do you actually cut the 2 prong plug off the heater and connect the wires straight to the controller?
 
Jacojs said:
Can anyone tell me, do you actually cut the 2 prong plug off the heater and connect the wires straight to the controller?
Click to expand...

yes.
Or you use extension cord end point / coupling. So that you can plug your heater in and out. I did this on both the hot and cold outlets. So the 12v transformer for the fans just plug in. The same with multiple heaters. The STC can run a lot of amp per channel. This cost more to set up. But at the end its a lot easier to use.
 
So I can cut off the male plug of this and hardwire one to the heating side and another one to the cooling side of the STC 1000!? Where would the earth go because if I remeber correctly the STC only accepts live and neutral, do you just not connect the earth?


1886733_121018105704_8_way_multi-plug_with_surge_protection.jpg


Jacojs said:
Anyone using the red devil dc pumps? Can't find much reviews online? Or are there others anyone can suggest?
Click to expand...

Nobody using these pumps?
 
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Jacojs said:
Nobody using these pumps?
Click to expand...

Hey @Jacojs i got the dc 3000 from reef aquatics about a month ago. Its super quiet, powerful and uses alot less electricity than the other options out there.
So I think its worth the money. Mine is used as the return pump on a 130l tank.
 
I used 2 but then realized its not necessary. Now its only running at about three or four bars. Thats enough to keep the water level steady for my overflow box.
My wavemaker makes enough flow in the tank.
 
Jacojs said:
So I can cut off the male plug of this and hardwire one to the heating side and another one to the cooling side of the STC 1000!? Where would the earth go because if I remeber correctly the STC only accepts live and neutral, do you just not connect the earth?
Click to expand...

Your earth wire/s should be connected to your earth probe inside your sump.
This is the most important wire of all so it should be connected.
Some pumps and heaters doesn't have a earth point this is why the earth probe is critical.
You can connect any socket adapter to the stc just make sure it doesn't exceed the rated amps with all the multiple sockets on the adapter, the relay rated amps is 10A.
STC-1000WiringDiag.jpg

STC-1000WiringDiag.jpg
 
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Thanks a lot for the diagram Willie. I don't have an earth probe in my sump or anywhere for that matter. This is a huge debate all over the Internet some say you HAVE to have it and others say it's better not to have one. I honestly do not know which way to go with this. This is probably opening a new discussion but someone tell me why and someone tell me why not. I know about Herkie and that is very sad, that something he loved so much had to take his life. But I also remember that there was still current running through him even though the main switch tripped? Was there a reason found for that?
 
The probe will safe your life IF your house have a COC (certificate of compliance) which it must have.
SANS 10142 states that ALL domestic socket outlets need to be connected to your earth leakage unit which will trip if the current exceeds 25 Mili Amps.
I am not sure what happened regards to Herkie but you can always test the unit by pressing the test button and see if the power is interrupted to your tank.
Anybody debating that a earthing probe has a negative affect on your tank is using the incorrect type or method by install.
Remember a earthing probe is the ONLY line of defense before electrocution.
 
For an earth probe, to cause electrolysis and all that other crap that would stuff up your system as described by the doomsayers. It would need more volts then your earth leakage would allow. The mains should trip before the electrolysis is a problem. Very little voltage leak from induction should not trip the main. But anything starting to get serious must trip he main. Believe me, its a lot better to have the main trip quarter past midnight than you electrocuting yourself first thing in the morning feeding the fish.

If you want a probe, I got a stainless steel welding rod for you. Say R10. Just PM me if interested.
 
Hi everyone.

I unplugged my heater and the water temperature stays at 27.8 to 28.9 range. So it has to be the return pump. But why?
 
Jacojs said:
Hi everyone.

I unplugged my heater and the water temperature stays at 27.8 to 28.9 range. So it has to be the return pump. But why?
Click to expand...
Sorry forgot to mention. It has been running without the heater for 2 days now.
 
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