Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[fabutahoun]

How can we love a hobby that absolutely stresses us out, and makes us broke? Ok, more broke.

Its always the same with any kind of addiction

 

[NY_Caveman]

No heater is perfect unfortunately. They can all fail. The Cobalts had problems in the past. The company changed the design and made them guaranteed for life, but they still can fail. If they fry your tank, a free heater is probably little compensation.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

Good Morning everybody !!!

That is some gorgeous spam!

 

[12gallonsofhex]

I had a Finnex titanium heater burn up yesterday inside of my 50-gallon barrel of saltwater. Lots of smoke. My Inkbird temp controller's audio alarm went off and alerted me to it. Glad I was home. I didn't have a GFCI on that outlet. So, I lost 50 gallons of reserve saltwater and a heater. Never had one do that before. I had another Finnex go out, but less dramatically than the one yesterday. Guess I will move on from those heaters, since that is two now that went bad and I don't think either was two years old.

What brand are you guys using? I had a titanium heater in my 140 for 12 years and it was still working when I tore the tank down. I threw it out when I broke the tank down and now I don't remember what brand it was. It wasn't Finnex though.

I am using thia off brand. Its Hygger Titanium heater. Works well so far, alway within 0.2 degrees of my other 2 thermometers.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

This conversation also reminds me that I never installed the GFI plug I purchased. I really need to move my tank out and get that done. Salt creep has already taken out a section of my 'fuge light panels that are installed on the sides of the sump.

 

[Fin]

No heater is perfect unfortunately. They can all fail. The Cobalts had problems in the past. The company changed the design and made them guaranteed for life, but they still can fail. If they fry your tank, a free heater is probably little compensation.

I am just glad that happened in a holding tank with no livestock in it. Pretty sure that would have nuked the tank, even if the heater was in the sump. The water has a nasty film on top of it this morning. I hope the plastic barrel is not tainted now. I will have to throw all the water out and clean the barrel insides out the best that I can. Hopefully it will be ok.

 

[dantimdad]

ALL equipment can and will fail. Regardless of pedigree or price.

I buy what I can afford and do proper maintenance on it. This doesn't guarantee protection, but, it does make me very familiar with my equipment and I can head off most issues before they become a problem.

 

[Fin]

ALL equipment can and will fail. Regardless of pedigree or price.

I buy what I can afford and do proper maintenance on it. This doesn't guarantee protection, but, it does make me very familiar with my equipment and I can head off most issues before they become a problem.

I have read that some people replace heaters annually. Funny that I had one last 12 years, so I really wasn’t looking to do that. Now after two failures I may reconsider doing that in the future.

 

[JoshH]

I understand, believe me. I am especially disappointed in the price of corals nowadays and what you get for your money.

I have read bad things about the Cobalts. I guess no matter what you use, some of them will fail. I have a Cobalt that I use sometimes when I make small batches of saltwater and I have not had any trouble with it.

I have 4 Cobalts and have had them for 3+ years now with no issues, I'll be using them on my new build as well. They did at one point have an issue with one specific size but they rectified that.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Just a little over one week to go for my Andrews wedding....did I mention he asked me to officiate the wedding? I am not sure which one of us is more nervous at this point!

 

[PanchoG]

Heaters can fail, there are some thermometers that will emit an alert when the temp goes off the indicated range. That is one way to place a safe. A controller would be another one way to have redundancy.

 

[Why-Me]

I had a Finnex titanium heater burn up yesterday inside of my 50-gallon barrel of saltwater. Lots of smoke. My Inkbird temp controller's audio alarm went off and alerted me to it. Glad I was home. I didn't have a GFCI on that outlet. So, I lost 50 gallons of reserve saltwater and a heater. Never had one do that before. I had another Finnex go out, but less dramatically than the one yesterday. Guess I will move on from those heaters, since that is two now that went bad and I don't think either was two years old.

What brand are you guys using? I had a titanium heater in my 140 for 12 years and it was still working when I tore the tank down. I threw it out when I broke the tank down and now I don't remember what brand it was. It wasn't Finnex though.

I'm using Eheim Jager, I have a second hanging in my SW closet for backup incase the current one goes out.
My 20 gal I transferred from was using a 100Watt Finnex Titanium Digital,
That thing is made for 20-30 gallon tanks and I had to have the thing set at 82 to keep the 20gal tank at 77.8-78.4
I wouldn't get another one of those again!

ALL equipment can and will fail. Regardless of pedigree or price.
I buy what I can afford and do proper maintenance on it. This doesn't guarantee protection, but, it does make me very familiar with my equipment and I can head off most issues before they become a problem.

THIS^^

They did at one point have an issue with one specific size but they rectified that.

From what I've read they fixed the issue with the 150/200 watt units. The neotherm is nice but expensive.

 

[Why-Me]

Also if you have a backup sitting around you don't need to replace them every year.
I do like the suggestion from BRS to replace every year to keep from having headaches but it's not necessary.

 

[Why-Me]

Hey y'all don't forget @revhtree is going to be on #AskBRSTV in a little over an hour!!

I'll be on LIVE tomorrow with askBRStv and I need you!!! :)

I'm up here in Minnesooooota hanging out with Ryan, Randy and the crew for a LIVE #AskBRSTV show tomorrow at 1:30pm est. I NEED YOU TO WATCH ME MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF!!! :p Click subscribe and select to get notified so you don't miss it! Watch the show here! Y'all tune in and say hi if you...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[dantimdad]

It's kind of funny that the three of them will talk about the cost of a dream tank when none of them probably pay for anything they use.

Not bitter at all. If I could get in that position I would.

But, it just seems ironic to me.

 

[Why-Me]

Right?
But it wasn't always that way.
In the past episode Ryan says how he spent like $20k on a basement setup to propagate and sell corals, says it wasn't profitable.
Also that being said I hope you @dantimdad do get to that position in the industry.

 

[dantimdad]

Right?
But it wasn't always that way.
In the past episode Ryan says how he spent like $20k on a basement setup to propagate and sell corals, says it wasn't profitable.
Also that being said I hope you @dantimdad do get to that position in the industry.

Problem with me is, if I ever do get into that position, I probably will just give it away what was given to me.

 

[Why-Me]

@dantimdad The Robin Hood of reefing!!

 

[sfin52]

It's kind of funny that the three of them will talk about the cost of a dream tank when none of them probably pay for anything they use.

Not bitter at all. If I could get in that position I would.

But, it just seems ironic to me.

My dream tank is sitting in the basement. Never thought i would have a sw tank let alone a reef

 

[Why-Me]

My dream tank is in wall dividing 2 rooms.
I have the wall and the space just need the tank....