Heater issue from a heater that doesn't have issues??

[Misty]

I think this is a Spot Brand heater, I've never heard of it but it was the only one I had for the BR fry tank. We got it with a tank off CL.

I had about 100 fry and on my way in here I didn't see any so I looked for the problem. The water was insanely cold...with the heater still set at 84-86 (the indicator was on) but the thermometer read 70, maybe lower, I can't really see it that well.

I spotted a few babies (5 or 6, but I'm down to 3 now) so I warmed it up with some warm water and now the temp is a steady 86, I've hovered over it for several days just to make sure but I never touched the heater setting.

Any ideas as to what happened? I'm stumped...maybe it just farted or something??:confuzeld:

Thanks

[rolloffhill]

Wierd, maybe the thermostat got stuck?

How is it now?

[Misty]

It's fine now, it seems. No other tragedies...I can't afford another, I only have three babies left!:eek:

I've been leaving the light on also, I'm hoping that stops the temp from dropping too much in case the heater doesn't pick up the slack.

[rolloffhill]

Must be like the motel 6 over there then???

[AndrewH]

Maybe the tank temp dropped too far all at once (like the first cooler night we had) and the heater couldn't catch back up. Like it was on as high as it could go to get the water from 70ish to what you have it set at, 85, but the thermo protector kicked in to protect it from over heating.

15* is a lot for one of those things to over come (at least an older one maybe).

What size tank is it on? What size (wattage) heater is it?

(holy cow, you lost 97+ fry?)

[Misty]

"We'll leave the light on for ya...". Yep, it's come to that. Makes for a nice night light stumbling down the hall in the dark though, lol.

That very well may be Andrew! I can't remember the night it was exactly but it sounds logical. It's a 10g that sits at the bottom level of an iron stand so it needs extra heating already. I know folks say that constant lighting doesn't bother them but it would drive me mad...they have a nice chunk of java moss to hide under though.:)
The heater, I don't know about it. Is there a way to tell? This was included in a tank we bought of Craigslist and I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to the mechanics of such things.

I did, I lost all but 5 or 6 and now I'm down to 3, I guess it was too much for the others. It may have affected the growth of one, he's not getting any bigger and the other are 3 times his size. I don't know, can it do that?