Heating issue, what now?

[secuono]

Well, the Fuval heater is set for 77F. Yesterday it was in a dead spot and it kept blinking "LF", so I got an extension cable and moved it to the opposite wall where there were two filter outputs.
All was fine until this morning.
Heater was red and saying the temp was 79F! Not too bad, but the fish are hiding and breathing a bit fast. Could easily be the extreme amount of plants, they seem iffy about them, like the plants will eat them!
Since 8am, heater has been off, I've been adding cold water and ice as I could. Now it's 1:20pm and still 79F.
I have the following canister filters under the stand, could they be causing the extra heat from going back down? Fuval FX5, Rena & Sunsun.

 

[TOMMYN3D]

What kind of fish are in the tank? I keep my African cichlids at 77F- 78F.

SA/CA a little cooler temp.

what size tank and what filters?

 

[secuono]

Filters are listed in OP.

100g tall.

The fish are actively swimming now, I fed them at 1pm and it seems to have calmed their nerves about carnivorous plant fears.

They are Mbuna Cichlids.

What I don't like is the odd spike in temp and refusal to go down even w/the heater unplugged. They seem to like 77.5 best. But I just don't want to be 'fine' with it going up two degrees and come home one day and it went up even further!

 

[jonclark96]

Do you have another thermometer to check the temps in the tank? I wouldn't think that 79 degrees would be a problem for most cichlids. Maybe the heater is out of calibration and causing a higher temp. I try not to rely on the temps on heaters as more often than not they do not read correctly.

 

[dogofwar]

79 shouldn't be distressing for mbuna....

Is the tank cycled?

Matt

 

[YSS]

Put your hand in the tank and feel the temp. If you unplugged the heater and the thermometer indicates 79F in the winter, I guessing your thermometer is the problem unless you keep your house at 79F or warmer.

 

[secuono]

There is a little thermometer in there, it says 79 too. The tank is next to our propane heater, but I had two 40 breeders flanking it before and it never changed their temps.
There is no cycling here, and that would no affect the heating. Fish are fine, they were afraid of the plants.
I used filters from their old tank and another tank. Only difference is a bigger tank, added more [new] sand and more plants. There is no reason for any ill effect or mini cycle.
I will try other thermometers I have laying around.

 

[secuono]

Feeling w/my hand means nothing. All my tanks are warm unless I am sitting at the heater and then touch the water.

Added another meter and turned on the heater. It's finally gone down. I'm still not clear as to what caused the spike, but I'll be watching it all day. House heater does not go above setting 3, even though it can go to 9[which would cook a turkey!]