heater?

On 2005-05-03, sophiefishstuff
wrote:
If the weather is warmer (and I have to say it is not for many days a
year that the ambient temp. is close what I want the tank to be) won't
the heater just switch itself off?

I'm too newbie to properly answer the question about the 8C temperature
difference, but he was referring to what happens when (it's my
understanding that it's a "when" and not an "if") the heater fails. If
it's a standard analog heater, it will probably get stuck in the on
position, and a smaller heater will likely cause less damage to your
fish. If, on the other hand, it's a digital heater, it will probably
fail in the off position, causing a somewhat less dangerous (but still
serious) situation.

NetMax has a great explanation on his site he
http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/heaters/heaters.shtml

--
"Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive,
difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind -
boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." -- Gene Spafford, 1992

In message iHOde.9631$fI.6272@fed1read05, Bill
writes
On 2005-05-03, sophiefishstuff
wrote:
If the weather is warmer (and I have to say it is not for many days a
year that the ambient temp. is close what I want the tank to be) won't
the heater just switch itself off?

I'm too newbie to properly answer the question about the 8C temperature
difference, but he was referring to what happens when (it's my
understanding that it's a "when" and not an "if") the heater fails.

actually, I'd understood him to be referring to exactly the opposite -
that it was too many watts for *normal usage*... I understand the
problem with the heater getting stuck on...

snick

NetMax has a great explanation on his site he
http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/heaters/heaters.shtml

I think Netmax though this wattage would be fine!
--
sophie
increasingly bemused...

www.freewebs.com/fishstuff
(under construction. ish.)

On 2005-05-03, sophiefishstuff
wrote:
actually, I'd understood him to be referring to exactly the opposite -
that it was too many watts for *normal usage*... I understand the
problem with the heater getting stuck on...

My mistake. I missed the part where he said that he wasn't talking
about a malfunction.

I think Netmax though this wattage would be fine!

Indeed he did. I wasn't trying to indicate that he said otherwise.

In any case, I found http://gpas.org/pub/flash/2002/june02/bobk.htm
while I was Googling. It says, in part, that "[w]hen an oversized
heater is used, it will cycle on and off more often causing an early
failure."

In any case, I'd be more likely to round down to 150W from the 175W that
"five watts per gallon" gives you than round up to 200W. I do have a
100W heater on the 20G tank (came with the kit), a 50W heater on the 10G
(didn't feel comfortable with only 2.5Wpg), and 25W heaters on my and my
wife's 5G betta tanks (couldn't find adjustable heaters of less than
25W). I'm personally planning on shooting for the three-to-four watt
range with larger tanks we'll soon be getting, but I live in Phoenix, so
not having enough heating doesn't seem like it will be an issue. Also,
my first summer with fish is approaching, and this is affecting my
outlook. It probably doesn't get nearly as warm (and probably gets much
colder) where you live, wherever that is. ;-)

If you already have the 200-watt heater, I guess it would be silly to go
out and buy a new one, all things considered.

In any case, I had completely missed the statement that he wasn't
referring to failure, so just disregard me. :-)

--
"Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive,
difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind -
boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." -- Gene Spafford, 1992