More Temp fluctuating

[gators111]

Lewjo --- I don't know which controller you bought, but I have an Inkbird and they can be calibrated/adjusted to the correct temp. You can also set the buffer for when the heater is turned on. Mine is +/- 1 degree. As for those digital thermometers, the little oval black ones are pretty much junk. I've had about a half dozen, none of them correct, and some off by 10 degrees. I use my ph meter's temp to calibrate mine, but many on here have a laser temp gun. Either way, nothing is going to keep a tank at a rock steady 83 degrees. Especially, not in a 29 gallon tank. I've got a 90 with a 30 sump and it fluctuates between 83.7 and 84.2 degrees and thats with 2 300 watt heaters in FLA. So don't stress over that small of a fluctuation. In fact, temp fluctuations can induce spawning. Also, I hope you're not keeping discus in a 29 gallon tank, unless it's a breeding tank.

[Lewjo11]

Yes the 29G is for breeding. Yesterday I moved my spawners to my 90g till I get this fluctuating fixed.. confirmed with out touching it 81degree morning and 86 at night.. too much. My 90G with just one 300 watt is always 83.2..3 morning and 83.4 now... perfect. And yes it off a crappy digtal cheapo ... lol 🤣...

I will receive my inkbird controller tomorrow. I will keep my 200 watt in the 29 gal. And hopefully it keeps it to a .5 varieants.

Although my gut feeling is the heater maybe busted since it fluctuating 5 degrees a day.

[Lewjo11]

I'm curious how accurate are these Lazer temperature guns? So I just point it at the tank and it can actually read the tank temperature through the glass.

[LizStreithorst]

I've used one. I wasn't impressed.

[pitdogg2]

I've used one. I wasn't impressed.

I'm with Liz on this. I'm more old school I've used the digital coral life thermometer with the probe that goes in the water and a good accurate old school thermometer to back it up.

[bluelagoon]

In the Amazon River,the water where they originate,temp can max out at 31c to a min of 21c.When they swim to shallow to deep water they experience temp fluctuations all the time.I wouldn't worry too much as long as you can maintain a temp between 82-86f.

[Paul Sabucchi]

I suppose that you get what you pay for, was looking into these ir thermometers, the cheap ones can easily be 5°C out. Apparently Fluke 62 Max is a good one but spending $150 on a thermometer seems a bit extravagant. Over the last 18 months where I have an inkbird and an stc on the same tank they have never been more than 0.2°C apart so that is good enough for me

[Willie]

Back when I had a lot of tanks, I purchased 30 plain old inside thermometers for ~$3@. These were white with the red stuff in the tube, as basic as you can get. I was looking for a cheap, cost effective solution to monitoring a fishroom. Of the 30, 25 were within 2 degrees of each other. Five were 8 - 10 degrees off.

I have fewer tanks now, but the ones that were accurate back then still work just fine. I also have one of those super accurate mercury based thermometers from my research days which I used to use for calibration. Probably still have it somewhere, but it's been 20 years since I've used it...

[Lewjo11]

Thanks for all the advice seems the rain birds are working fine... It took them awhile to adjust.. I had to recalibrate then plus and minus a few times but now the match. I calibrated with the thermometer I use when I'm sick. Under the tongue. They seem to be the most accurate. I was 98.4. I then put the rain bird under my tongue. Calibrated to 98.4.. seems 2 out of my 6 cheapo ones show the same .... Now my tank is in line give or take .5 degrees thought the day.