[NeonFlux]

Hello all,

I'm having a issue trying to heat up my 250 gallon as of late.. I'm trying to get my aquarium to about 88 F. Why? Ich. :icon_roll Yeaahhh... ich happens to all of us once in a while, eh? It somehow managed to affect one of my fish, and now it is probably going through it's life cycle in the tank to affect others.. so now I'm going to have to try and eradicate all of them using heat..

Alright, so I'm using Jager's 300 watt heater for 264 gallons. I have a 250 gallons tank, so it's the perfect heater. But sadly, it doesn't appear to work well enough for some reason.. It's inside a filled up sump chamber area near a water pump, not all the way, but enough that the water level goes high enough that it submerges most all of the heater except the knob.. I'm guessing maybe my water pump near my heater is causing heating problems? Or maybe just having it in the sump is not effective to heat? Perhaps I should place them inside the tank instead of hiding it and using it in the sump? The heater is not old at all, it's just about two years old and it lights up when it is working. It does work to heat the tank up, just a little, but it's just simply not enough. I'm trying two jager heaters right now, but I can only get up to about 76 F.

Any thoughts and ideas on how to combat the heating issue I'm having, guys? Thanks a lot folks for deciding to help me out on this one. Appreciate it!

-William

 

[CrypticLifeStyle]

IMO a 300w isn't enough for that tank, i had 2x 300w on my 180 using a sump, and that worked. The ambient temp around the tank effects things as well. Whats the wattage of the other heater?

 

[NeonFlux]

300 watts. It's another Jager heater. Maybe I need three? Yikes.

 

[OVT]

The rule of thumb: tank size x 5w.
So, for 250g x 5w = 1,250w total to increase tank's temp to ambient + ~15 ℉.

v3

 

[NeonFlux]

Whoa, holy cow!! So I need another two then to get to about 1,200w, close to 1,250w. Wow, no wonder the tank can't heat up much at all... Looks like two just isn't going to get the job done to get things really warm..

Alright, so I suppose I'll have to get another two.. Cha-ching! Gonna lose money soon... But oh well, it's worth it in order to help my fish.

Thanks, OVT for your input! I would've given you a 'like' if this forum had the option.

 

[CrypticLifeStyle]

Never heard that rule of thumb before new to me, but i'm in New England your in LA.
My 180 was in the basement, probably always in the high or mid 60's, low 60's in winter, and using 2x 300w ebo's i never had a issue keeping the tank around 76f/78f.

I didn't keep the heaters in the sump though i kept them in each corner of the tank, or each mid half of the tank. The sump wasn't open air topped either.

What is your room temp? Being a ex irvine, and foothill ranch resident i don't remember it being that cold haha

Anyways good luck...