37g FOWLR Heater Recommendations

[EricR]

Heater getting sketchy in:
4 month old 37 gallon FOWLR (2 fish and some inverts) with 2 HOBs, no skimmer or anything extra like that.

What would you do?
Target budget around $100 but I could be talked up (or down) based on reliability/etc.
Wondering if backup heater or something like that makes sense at this point.

Pic of current layout in case this helps at all:

 

[Saltyreef]

I have good luck with these hyggers. I have 3 and all have been accurate and reliable.
I use ranco controllers now with the hygger elements but for the price the whole hygger package cant be beat!

 

[EricR]

I have good luck with these hyggers. I have 3 and all have been accurate and reliable.
I use ranco controllers now with the hygger elements but for the price the whole hygger package cant be beat!

I like it! Way better than the lame one I have (even when it was new).
200W looks like the right size for my tank.

Only thing I'm pondering before I buy it now is redundancy.
If I'm pretty sure I'll want to have a backup at some point, does that mean:
- 200W one running all the time and then another (maybe smaller) set at lower temp in case main one fails?
- Try to do something different with 2 separate 100W versions?

 

[Saltyreef]

I always opt for redundancy on heaters.

I run 3x 100w units on my 40breeder with 20l sump and its perfect for ambient temps as low as 50 degrees Just gotta make sure the temp probes are in good flow. I keep mine in the small bubble trap section in between sump chambers. They stay solidly at 76.7 unless the ambient temp drops too low or we have a 100+ heatwave.

2x100 w is fine for temps that dont get below 60-65 degrees ambient for my size tank.

 

[EricR]

I always opt for redundancy on heaters.

I run 3x 100w units on my 40breeder with 20l sump and its perfect for ambient temps as low as 50 degrees Just gotta make sure the temp probes are in good flow. I keep mine in the small bubble trap section in between sump chambers. They stay solidly at 76.7 unless the ambient temp drops too low or we have a 100+ heatwave.

2x100 w is fine for temps that dont get below 60-65 degrees ambient for my size tank.

Thanks for the info,,, and yet another question:
Do you set all 3 at the same temp and just spread them around (space-wise) in the tank? Well, you have a sump so maybe one goes in there?

I guess just trying to figure out, if I do buy 2x100W for my situation (both will have to be in tank), do I set them both at same temp or do something a little different?

 

[Saltyreef]

I have all 3 of them side by side in acrylic heater holders in the sump, probes are 2 chambers downstream of the heaters.

2 set to 77 to run in tandem and One set at 75 incase the ambient temp drops too much at night and the other 2 cant keep up.

Redundant both ways for overheating and underheating.

Decided to switch to ranco due to how robust the controller is.

The hyggers never had any issues though.

 

[EricR]

Thanks again. Trying to learn too much all at once (while working too) on a problem that I need to deal with now.

If there was a hygger kit with a single controller that had two outlets and came with two 100W heating elements, I'd jump on that.

Probably just going to buy the 200W version of the hygger on Amazon that you showed originally.

 

[Sun.singh2009]

My favorite has always been the Eheim Jager TrueTemp heaters. I would get two 100 watt ones.

 

[Saltyreef]

Thanks again. Trying to learn too much all at once (while working too) on a problem that I need to deal with now.

If there was a hygger kit with a single controller that had two outlets and came with two 100W heating elements, I'd jump on that.

Probably just going to buy the 200W version of the hygger on Amazon that you showed originally.

It would essentially be the same as the 200w if you plugged a splitter into the single controller to run two 100w units.

Theres nothing on the element to fail other than continuity so the only real failure point would be the controller.
The extra controller is for added redundancy if the first controller fails.

 

[Saltyreef]

My favorite has always been the Eheim Jager TrueTemp heaters. I would get two 100 watt ones.

Good units as well and kinda calibratable.

 

[EricR]

I have all 3 of them side by side in acrylic heater holders in the sump, probes are 2 chambers downstream of the heaters.

2 set to 77 to run in tandem and One set at 75 incase the ambient temp drops too much at night and the other 2 cant keep up.

Redundant both ways for overheating and underheating.

Decided to switch to ranco due to how robust the controller is.

The hyggers never had any issues though.

Tell me if this makes any sense at all:
- Buy the 100W hygger in your original post (1 controller, 1 temp probe, one titanium heating element)
- Buy a separate 100W titanium heating element. Don't see a hygger one on Amazon but some other brand.
- Add AC splitter on the single AC output from the hygger controller (and plug both heating elements into it, obviously).

Wouldn't that at least give me LOW TEMP redundancy if one of the heating elements fails?
Still no HIGH TEMP redundancy if the controller gets stuck ON but I can figure out how to add that later.

Would that work or does the controller not work the way it looks to me? (Seems like it just switches the AC outlet ON/OFF based on the temp probe)

 

[EricR]

It would essentially be the same as the 200w if you plugged a splitter into the single controller to run two 100w units.

Theres nothing on the element to fail other than continuity so the only real failure point would be the controller.
The extra controller is for added redundancy if the first controller fails.

Oh,,, sorry ... didn't even see this post before my last one.
This makes more sense than what I was thinking -- like the heating element might fail -- I see -- less likely.

Cool.
Will ponder but probably back to just buying the 200W version that you ORIGINALLY pointed me to oh so long ago.
Ooops...

Can you tell that I'm in the newbie stage of not knowing enough so making a big deal out of everything?

Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[Saltyreef]

Oh,,, sorry ... didn't even see this post before my last one.
This makes more sense than what I was thinking -- like the heating element might fail -- I see -- less likely.

Cool.
Will ponder but probably back to just buying the 200W version that you ORIGINALLY pointed me to oh so long ago.
Ooops...

Can you tell that I'm in the newbie stage of not knowing enough so making a big deal out of everything?

Thanks again for all of your help.

Lol no worries at all.
Ive run aquariums with one heater without issues. And your tank being a FOWLR, you dont have too much invested in high dollar coral to worry TOO much about it i agree.

Are you mainly worried about how 2 heaters will look inside the tank?

 

[EricR]

Lol no worries at all.
Ive run aquariums with one heater without issues. And your tank being a FOWLR, you dont have too much invested in high dollar coral to worry TOO much about it i agree.

Are you mainly worried about how 2 heaters will look inside the tank?

Nah... Not worried about the cosmetics right now. From the pic you can see that I didn't actually plan anything (aesthetically-speaking), just kinda randomly accumulated stuff and bunched it all together. The wildlife is what I find cool/interesting.

Buying two totally separate units for twice the price might make sense but I'm more worried about OVERHEAT than under so that doesn't solve that, obviously.

Really only got on the whole redundancy and options thoughts because I had to buy a heater anyway so figured worth exploring options now before I buy the first thing I see (and have it suck, again).

I did end up buying the single 200W one from Amazon (in your first post) and that, at least, accomplishes two things:
1. Got a necessary item (replacement heater) at inexpensive price ...and
2. It's much nicer (especially controllability, and surely longevity) than the cheapie I had that I already hated from day 1, even before it started failing me and causing problems.

 

[Saltyreef]

Nah... Not worried about the cosmetics right now. From the pic you can see that I didn't actually plan anything (aesthetically-speaking), just kinda randomly accumulated stuff and bunched it all together. The wildlife is what I find cool/interesting.

Buying two totally separate units for twice the price might make sense but I'm more worried about OVERHEAT than under so that doesn't solve that, obviously.

Really only got on the whole redundancy and options thoughts because I had to buy a heater anyway so figured worth exploring options now before I buy the first thing I see (and have it suck, again).

I did end up buying the single 200W one from Amazon (in your first post) and that, at least, accomplishes two things:
1. Got a necessary item (replacement heater) at inexpensive price ...and
2. It's much nicer (especially controllability, and surely longevity) than the cheapie I had that I already hated from day 1, even before it started failing me and causing problems.

You can always look at the positives forsure
Its going to be more reliable right away.

 

[EricR]

You can always look at the positives forsure
Its going to be more reliable right away.

So, this is scary...

My little clownfish was just bashing his head rapidly against the heater over and over. I unplugged it and he stopped. (Really looked like he was almost stuck to it going into convulsions but that's just my visual explanation of what it looked like).

Could that have just been coincidence or has anyone ever heard of fish getting electrocuted by a failing heater?

He seems OK now and I (obviously) pulled out the old heater. (I have a small 78d preset 50W one that should be fine until the new one arrives tomorrow).

Heater problem prior to that was just that it wouldn't come on consistently (unless I unplugged it and re-plugged it a couple of times) but now I'm really hating that thing.

 

[Saltyreef]

So, this is scary...

My little clownfish was just bashing his head rapidly against the heater over and over. I unplugged it and he stopped. (Really looked like he was almost stuck to it going into convulsions but that's just my visual explanation of what it looked like).

Could that have just been coincidence or has anyone ever heard of fish getting electrocuted by a failing heater?

He seems OK now and I (obviously) pulled out the old heater. (I have a small 78d preset 50W one that should be fine until the new one arrives tomorrow).

Heater problem prior to that was just that it wouldn't come on consistently (unless I unplugged it and re-plugged it a couple of times) but now I'm really hating that thing.

What brand heater?
Its entirely possible it got water inside it and shorting out but the fish should have been fine unless you run a ground probe and no GFCI.
Maybe just a coencidence or induced voltage driving him nuts!
Fish are very sensitive to those things.

Good call removing it.
I dont like to fully submerge heaters unless theyre simple titanium elements.

 

[EricR]

What brand heater?
Its entirely possible it got water inside it and shorting out but the fish should have been fine unless you run a ground probe and no GFCI.
Maybe just a coencidence or induced voltage driving him nuts!
Fish are very sensitive to those things.

Good call removing it.
I dont like to fully submerge heaters unless theyre simple titanium elements.

Heater was Top Fin, part of an aquarium starter kit from PetSmart -- $109 for 37 gallon glass tank, HOB power filter, 200W heater, plastic lid, LED lighting, and other non-essentials. (ON SALE! ...but I see they ALWAYS have those on sale).

PetSmart just DID RIGHT BY ME:
-- ready to swap out heater for new one, no questions asked (expected)
-- in-store value of new one was $38.99 but they agreed to give me store credit
-- happened to be having a HALF OFF SALE on Eheim Jager TrueTemp heaters -- could be another one of those always on sale things but, at any rate, they were only about $20 each
-- for $2.27 out of pocket, ended up with 2 x 100W Eheim Jager TrueTemp heaters

Will have to send back the hygger from Amazon when it shows up but at least now I have LOW TEMP redundancy for $2. (I actually like the hygger design with the electronics out of the water better, especially after this little fiasco, but for $2, well...)

Clownfish still seems perfectly fine by the way. For sure SOMETHING was happening with the heater that was making him go ballistic but there might be another logical explanation than just electrocution but that's what it seemed like to me.

 

[Saltyreef]

Nice!
Do yourself a favor and keep the temp adjustment dials out of the water
Ive had better luck not submerging them 100%.

Cheers!

 

[EricR]

Nice!
Do yourself a favor and keep the temp adjustment dials out of the water
Ive had better luck not submerging them 100%.

Cheers!

Dials... hmm... I have mine completely submerged right now. Will think about that again and see if I can figure out better spots for them. (Probably not but we'll see).

I guess it depends on tank dynamics a lot but both of the ones I got don't seem anywhere near calibrated to the temp number on the dials. (Both are running 2+ degrees hot in my opinion). Anyway,,, dialing them in by experimentation starting a bit low.

I guess I'm going to set both of them at same temp as opposed to one running normal temp all the time and the other set low just in case the first fails. What do you think?

(Will have to look into the "heater shocking fish" theory at some point in the future so might start another long-winded thread on that someday)