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What do you guys use to heat your tank? I'm having trouble getting my tank warm and keeping it there. I don't want my little guys to be uncomfortable. Any suggestions are great.
Heating
- Thread starter ashbelys
- Start date
What kind of setup? Can you post a few pix?
I use a ceramic heat emitter on one end, and a PowerSun on the other. Temps stay pretty close to ideal. PowerSun is on during the day, then in the evening I switch it off, and turn the CHE on.
Here are my numbers...
Basking 100-105°
Ambient 80°
Warm, moist hide 90°
Relative Humidity 78-90%
I use a ceramic heat emitter on one end, and a PowerSun on the other. Temps stay pretty close to ideal. PowerSun is on during the day, then in the evening I switch it off, and turn the CHE on.
Here are my numbers...
Basking 100-105°
Ambient 80°
Warm, moist hide 90°
Relative Humidity 78-90%
There are submersible heaters that have a plastic? Protector around it or you can buy the protected separate. Just like you would heat a fish tank. But you do need a basking spot they can get out of the water and bask under.
Hehehe, you did what I do a lot. Not read the category the question was posted under. In this case, water turtle
SenjiSandy said:
Hehehe, you did what I do a lot. Not read the category the question was posted under. In this case, water turtle
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I do have a fish tank heater in the water and it's for a water capacity a lot greater than what I have so it shouldn't be struggling. I also have a ceramic heat emitter and it's barely warm, it sucks. I did have a regular flood light bulb for the basking area but I switched it out for the CHE thinking it would be better and the CHE doesn't give off light so I can have it on at night too, so they will be warm all the time but it's made the tank colder. The water is only 72 and the basking area isn't much more and my guys are hatchlings so they need it to be warmer than that. I just don't know what to do.
Do you have anything moving the water, like a water pump or filter? If not, that's probably why your tank heater is not working good. It's warming the water around it, but that water is not being moved. If you have a filter or water pump, place the heater near it. If you don't have either, get either a filter or an air pump.
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I have a filter and it is right beside the heater.
Then I would say your heater has to be defective. There shouldn't be a problem with a regular aquarium heater, heating it to the temps you want. Unless, your thermometer is not working right and it's reading the temps low, when they really aren't.
My guess is either the thermometer is defective, or a defective/inappropriately used heater. Many are not completely submersible, but some are, so verify you are using yours correctly. If it is a submersible, make sure it is completely submerged...if not, there is a minimum water line. Make sure that line stays covered, but the heater isn't 100% submerged.
What kindof thermometer are you using?
On a side note, it can be really dangerous to use a heater too large for your tank. You may also have problems submerging it to the appropriate level because of it's size/lower water level. I would get one appropriately rated for your setup, or you might unintentionally make some turtle soup.
What kindof thermometer are you using?
On a side note, it can be really dangerous to use a heater too large for your tank. You may also have problems submerging it to the appropriate level because of it's size/lower water level. I would get one appropriately rated for your setup, or you might unintentionally make some turtle soup.
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It's for up to 5 gallons and I have about 2 gallons in my tank. I read the directions before I put it in to make sure I was doing it right so it is installed correctly. Maybe it's just defective.
Also, I have one of those cheap stick on thermometers but the water feels cold to the touch as well.
Also, I have one of those cheap stick on thermometers but the water feels cold to the touch as well.
Like the strip ones? Those arent very good. I use the glass ones with suction cups in my fish tanks, but turtles would probably knock those around, so idk. :/
Does your heater have a knob for adjusting temp? If not, they usually run at 76 (+/-2°)...between a thermometer that is probably slightly inaccurate, and that it doesn't hold a precise temp, I wouldn't be surprised if you were really running around 74. They cost more, but I would get one with a knob. You can directly control your temps that way.
Does your heater have a knob for adjusting temp? If not, they usually run at 76 (+/-2°)...between a thermometer that is probably slightly inaccurate, and that it doesn't hold a precise temp, I wouldn't be surprised if you were really running around 74. They cost more, but I would get one with a knob. You can directly control your temps that way.
The best one to get and more accurate, I don't remember the name, so I will try to discribe. It has the control unit separate from the heater. The heater goes in the tank, the control is its own box that sits outside the tank. It is a titanium heater, so it can't be broken. It's similar to this, but my was not quite that expensive http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+23654&pcatid=23654
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It doesn't have a knob or anything, just sticks in the tank at the bottom. My tank was staying around 82 which is what I want, but in the last week it's gone down. With the water heater and heat lamp, it was perfect so I'm thinking maybe something isn't working right. I'll probably just get a better one. I didn't realize how expensive little tiny turtles were going to be.
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They are almost always basking. Basking temp is around 85 now, but I was down to about 78 when I put the ceramic heater in. I changed it out for a regular light bulb bc the ceramic heater wasn't heating up enough
