Quote:
Originally Posted by Slick Fork
I have another question regarding the temperature probe and it's location relative to the heater's. I have stuck the probe in my sump baffles just before the return compartment. I have my heater's right in the return compartment of the sump, is my probe location ok? Should I maybe be measuring the temperature in the display? I really don't want the wires in the display tank but maybe that would make more sense?
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I'd be interested to hear what people have to say about this. I was using a similar logic when I was trying to decide where to put my heater and probe.
To me, it makes more sense to measure the temp of the display. The problem with that is that if the heater is not in the display, it could take a while before the temp reaches the setpoint (or control temp) and larger than desired temp swings could result. Having the heater in the display would more than likely cut down those swings. But who wants to clutter up their display like that. The other thing that I know is that it is practically impossible to have a completely uniform temp...even in the display. No matter where we measure the temp...it's always only going to be the temp at the tip of the probe. Good circulation will provide a more uniform temp, but it will still vary from spot to spot. If we do measure the display, we will only know the temp near the surface of the water.....we are limited by the length of the probe. If there is a heater in the display as well, the temp near the heater will most likely be warmer. There has to be a reasonable compromise made in terms of placement of the heater and probe when performing any kind of temp control.
My sump goes from left to right with 3 chambers (drain/skimmer, fuge, return)So I put my heater (500w titanium) in the drain/skimmer section of the sump (draining down from the display) where the water is getting the most agitation. My temp probe is in the next section over (fuge) measuring the water as it flows over the first baffle. My third section is the return section....pumping what I believe to be 78°F water back to the display.
The Profilux seems to be holding well. My heater is not on constantly. I'm one of the more fortunates to have my tank in the basement where it never gets over 70°F...even in the summer.
But it is an interesting topic as I put some thought into this myself. I have a seperate temp controller that I just temporarily dropped in the display to see what kind of temp is up there. I have the probe dangling in the center of the display in the current from the power heads. With the profilux controlling at 78, I'm getting a reading that fluctuates somewhat. But it is between 77.8 and 78.1
I just started cycling my 120g tank a couple of weeks ago...along with setting up the Profilux. I put this topic on the backburner for the time being. But with the test I just did, I can say that the placement of heater and probe that I chose is working well.