Heater Failure

Well, I learned a lesson in complacency this morning...

Since, my tanks are now fairly mature and tootling along quite merrily (apart from the Bettas ), I've become a bit complacent about checking them. But this morning, for whatever reason, I did - just a cursory glance to see that the filters and heaters were working in all of them.

To my surprise I noticed that the temperature of the 165L tank was only 23C even though the heater was set to 26C. I put the submersible digital thermometer into the tank to double check and it registered 23.2C. I tried twiddling the temperature adjustment knob on the heater but nothing happened. It appeared to be broken...cue panic!

I have a spare heater but that's only suitable for aquariums up to 60L but I stuck it in anyway as a temporary measure. Then I rang the guy in the local pet shop where I bought the tanks. Now if this isn't another lesson in the benefits of supporting the small local businessman. Even though I didn't have a receipt and couldn't remember when I'd bought the heater (I reckon about six months ago), he immediately offered me a free replacement and told me he'd send the dud one back to the manufacturer's.

Now it was a bit of a palaver getting the old one out as I had to siphon out two buckets of water before I was able to gingerly push the tank and stand forward a few cm to enable me to manoeuvre out the plug from the back of the cabinet. But I'm happy to say that the new heater is now installed and working fine and all is well again in my fishy world.

The moral of the story is to check the filters and heaters on a daily basis so that you pick up problems like this quickly.

I laugh at Dave cos he checks temperatures everytime he walks past, wont be so hasty to now lol!

There you go - better to be over-cautious then under-cautious as I found.

sshhhhhhh, dont tell HIM that! lol

Oh God no, never let a man know you think he's right - you'll never hear the end of it...:lol:

It's sods law that if you take your eye off the ball for a minute, that's when something will happen.

Thanks for the reminder Mary

Thats true charley, I thought my tank was A OK, and firgot about the filter impellors - then they stopped working and I didnt notice! No harm done, but I make sure I keep a better check on things now.

It's always good to check things! Glad you got that sorted out mary

Matty wrote:

It's always good to check things! Glad you got that sorted out mary

Thanks Matty. I'm happy to report that the tank temp. is now a comfortable 25.6C.

My digital thermometer i got for £8 from aquatics online has an alarm, you just set your lowest & highest temp and if it goes above or below it bleeps

Show off.

you shouldn't of mentioned buying a heater the other day

I know! I tempted fate...

munchycarrot wrote:

My digital thermometer i got for £8 from aquatics online has an alarm, you just set your lowest & highest temp and if it goes above or below it bleeps

I'm getting me one of them

Matty wrote:

munchycarrot wrote:

My digital thermometer i got for £8 from aquatics online has an alarm, you just set your lowest & highest temp and if it goes above or below it bleeps

I'm getting me one of them

Boys and their toys... :lol:

Can you give us the make MC, I've had a look on there annd cant see one that has an alarm? Thanks

http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/thermometers.asp

Second one down

That looks good, wouldn't mind getting one of them myself

Only 8 quid