Hello!
I'm going to start from the beginning, so bear with me please
.
Last year I had set up a 5g sterlite tank on a bookshelf on one side of my room. At first the temperature fluctuated but for whatever reason after a while it pretty much settled at 78-80.
This year I changed it out for something clearer and used the same filters (a Tom's internal filter rated 1-5g, and a small sponge filter supposedly for up to 15g, but probably for more like 5g).
Again like the first one (it is nearly the same size gallon wise but a little smaller, unfortunately it was all I could find that would fit there), the temperature fluctuated some at first but then 'settled' at about 80.
Last week (or the week before? erm... recently) I changed the sponge filter out for a retrofitted aquatech 5-15 and just used the sponge from the sponge filter as the prefilter.
(The aquatech was used, I cleaned it up - no soap - put in a new cartridge, it didn't have a sponge so I used a spare sponge filter sponge and added a small 'bag' of pfs - my own design/experiment - a little 'bag' (stockings) of carbon, a baffle, and later to slow the flow even more and keep the shrimp out of the hole in the bottom of the prefilter I tied a piece of stocking over the intake with a knot over the very bottom and then put the sponge (prefilter) back on over that (my wee betta much appreciates that). I also had to cut the intake tube shorter to fit the tank.
All that to say, lol, after changing out the sponge filter for the aquatech (and the heater is UNPLugged) I noticed that the day temperature of the tank rises from 80 to 88. This happens every day and it has me worried. I know a stable temperature is important.
Why is the filter making the temp change so drastically??
The odd thing is it is actually hotter in the room at night - when his (betta's) temp stays about 80 and cooler in the day (the only time the air conditioner is on unfortunately :/ ) when his temp is getting so hot. I find this very odd.
(Of course I also found it odd that it was staying at 78-80 when the room temp was changing per normal. very wierd.)
I suppose it could have something to do with circulation?
But the tom's filter seems to circulate the water fairly well by itself.
Oh, the room temp is 80 (rarely and I wish) - 86, usually 84-86 the most.
The light bulb was flickering this morning, could it have anything to do with the bulb being about to blow?
It is a new fixture (new to me that is, I bought is used for $2 from a store getting rid of their stuff), it uses an 17" t-8 size bulb, I think 14 watts.
Help?
Thanks.
I'm going to start from the beginning, so bear with me please
.Last year I had set up a 5g sterlite tank on a bookshelf on one side of my room. At first the temperature fluctuated but for whatever reason after a while it pretty much settled at 78-80.
This year I changed it out for something clearer and used the same filters (a Tom's internal filter rated 1-5g, and a small sponge filter supposedly for up to 15g, but probably for more like 5g).
Again like the first one (it is nearly the same size gallon wise but a little smaller, unfortunately it was all I could find that would fit there), the temperature fluctuated some at first but then 'settled' at about 80.
Last week (or the week before? erm... recently) I changed the sponge filter out for a retrofitted aquatech 5-15 and just used the sponge from the sponge filter as the prefilter.
(The aquatech was used, I cleaned it up - no soap - put in a new cartridge, it didn't have a sponge so I used a spare sponge filter sponge and added a small 'bag' of pfs - my own design/experiment - a little 'bag' (stockings) of carbon, a baffle, and later to slow the flow even more and keep the shrimp out of the hole in the bottom of the prefilter I tied a piece of stocking over the intake with a knot over the very bottom and then put the sponge (prefilter) back on over that (my wee betta much appreciates that). I also had to cut the intake tube shorter to fit the tank.
All that to say, lol, after changing out the sponge filter for the aquatech (and the heater is UNPLugged) I noticed that the day temperature of the tank rises from 80 to 88. This happens every day and it has me worried. I know a stable temperature is important.
Why is the filter making the temp change so drastically??
The odd thing is it is actually hotter in the room at night - when his (betta's) temp stays about 80 and cooler in the day (the only time the air conditioner is on unfortunately :/ ) when his temp is getting so hot. I find this very odd.
(Of course I also found it odd that it was staying at 78-80 when the room temp was changing per normal. very wierd.)
I suppose it could have something to do with circulation?
But the tom's filter seems to circulate the water fairly well by itself.
Oh, the room temp is 80 (rarely and I wish) - 86, usually 84-86 the most.
The light bulb was flickering this morning, could it have anything to do with the bulb being about to blow?
It is a new fixture (new to me that is, I bought is used for $2 from a store getting rid of their stuff), it uses an 17" t-8 size bulb, I think 14 watts.
Help?
Thanks.
