Are titanium heaters all hype?

[nim6us]

I'm at the point I need to replace my heaters and I instinctively started looking at titanium ones. After all BRS suggests them, there's a lot blogs about them, but then looking at it I'm struggling to see the real value. I understand that they're more durable, but I've never had a glass heater explode, especially ones that live in my sump full time. I've been using my Jagers for nearly 3 years now with a temp controller no problem.

In fact there are some clear disadvantages that I see with titanium heaters. Namely being you lose that internal temp backup. As it stands now I have my controller set at 78 and my Jagers set at 80. If for some reason my temp controller gets stuck on, my Jagers will turn themselves off when they hit 80. That's not an option with titanium. Additionally there's no status light on the titanium ones. Yes I know my temp controller will tell me that power is on to the heaters, but I like seeing that warm amber glow of the status light on the Jager to assure me all is well. With a titanium option if there was a short in the power cable or something died internally I'd never know the heater stopped working unless I physically touched it.

The gear junkie in me wants to order a new shiny set titanium heaters, but I just can't justify literally double the price. Any feedback is welcome.

 

[zalick]

Not hype. I’ll never go back to glass. The the last 8yrs or so I’ve had virtually ALL my jagers fail. (250 & 300w ones) Whether it be the thermostat or mostly moisture getting inside the tube. I’ve tossed about 8 of them. Note: the first 10 or so years of my reefing career my jagers never failed.

now I have all titanium. And for higher watt heaters they are much smaller.

 

[Spare time]

I like them as I have cracked glass ones and I hate the size of eheim jager's. Most other heaters I find are cheap pieces of garbage that fail in months if not sooner.

The heater element is supposedly the long lasting part but the built in controller is more likely to fail (from my understanding). The advantage is that heaters are one of the more common equipment pieces to fail, but you can swap out the cheaper part of the unit without throwing it all out. I will never have a heater without a separate temperature controller/monitor as a failsafe to shut it off. I have too much invested in my tank not to take such a simple step. That said, that can be done without a titanium heater, but the size of the BRS heater fits where I need it to.

 

[nim6us]

@zalick
Were you using a temp controller with those failures?

@Spare time
Yeah that's a fair point about size, I should have included in my original post as that was a selling feature.

But to your comment about heaters being the most likely thing to fail. I agree! But all the more reason to buy glass ones every couple years then rebuying titanium right?

 

[Spare time]

@zalick
Were you using a temp controller with those failures?

@Spare time
Yeah that's a fair point about size, I should have included in my original post as that was a selling feature.

But to your comment about heaters being the most likely thing to fail. I agree! But all the more reason to buy glass ones every couple years then rebuying titanium right?

Lemme clarify. The actual heating part of the heater (the titanium part in the brs combo for example), is the part that is NOT likely to fail. Rather, its the actual temperature controller built into the heater that is more likely to fail, which is why you can get new probes for really cheap ($9) to replace them on the heater controller that BRS or others sell. The new probes just need to be plugged in and calibrated but that is easy.

 

[TerraFerma]

They are better than glass/plastic heaters in every way if you trust your temperature controller. I wouldn't trust the thermostat on any adjustable heater, even if it was just backup and connected to an Inkbird or other temperature controller. That said I've had no issues that were not caused by me running Ebo's on a temperature controller over the years.

 

[zalick]

@zalick
Were you using a temp controller with those failures?

I was using an apex and then set the Temp to slightly higher. I had one or two thermostats fail. The rest leaked and i tossed at the first sign of moisture.

 

[sgarron]

Another advantage for the titanium heaters is efficiency. Titanium is a much better transmitter of heat than is glass.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Do the finnex heating elements have a little blue light on em that goes on and off to tell you theyre on?
I cant remember if they do or not. I was upset when i couldnt get either heating element to work after years or sitting so i bought a jaeger 300w.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Of*

 

[Billldg]

I just upgraded to a 225 gal tank and I installed 2 BRS 300w titanium heaters, and they are doing the job. I bought a 3rd, thinking that I would need 3 300w heaters, but not I feel I just have an extra heater.

 

[Wildcats1023]

I will never go back to a glass heater. I've had one explode inside my sump. Put a big hole in the side and water went everywhere including through the floor and in to my finished basement.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

The remote thermostat is better than the internal ones glass heaters have, ti heaters are also smaller and more efficient. Ill never get another glass heater

 

[ca1ore]

By ‘hype’ are you asking if titanium heaters are better than glass ones .... I’d say broadly no as long as you are comparing them to a good quality glass heater like the ebj.

 

[ca1ore]

I would say that there are advantages to both. I agree that having an internal thermostat offers a level of redundancy. I’ve no idea what the frequency of failure is in these heaters, only that in the two I have had that failed it was the heating coil NOT the thermostat. A good quality titanium heating element is physically smaller for the same wattage and can be had in bigger sizes.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I swear by them, they have never let me down.
Finnex is my favorite followed by via Aqua

 

[batfish5]

Have been using Hyggers in my 60 and 80 gallon tanks. Thank you HYGGERS you are the best lol!

 

[Rancheree]

I have not killed a Titanium combo yet, but have a pile of various dead glass one which most failed by sticking on. Still running an OLD Via Aqua 300w and a newer Finnex 500w titaniums on my 210. I think it’s more about that design though than the material used, having the controller sitting an 1” away from the element is asking for trouble on most glass tubes.

 

[McPuff]

I have had a LOT of glass heaters fail and went through a string of warranty replacements. Like every 3 months replacing. I had a glass EBJ explode in my QT tank but everything survived. I switched to titanium for my DT about 5 years ago and figured I was good to go. Not exactly true. I probably replace one of my titanium heaters (of 2) each year so the cost isn't really any less. BUT they have been more reliable than glass for sure. And you don't have to worry about breaking/shattering them. Still, the cost of replacement and operation is too high for the logical mind so I'm planning to switch to a hot water loop instead.

 

[GardenReef]

Agree with others on Titanium. I have an old (2006-ish) Won Aqua-Heat that has seen multiple tanks and house moves. Aside from the attached controller drifting a few degrees it still works great. I use multiple temp back up sources including an Apex to control the outlet as well. When this does finally die i will definitely be going titanium again.