Heater alternatives
- Thread starter Cory
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When you say you don't trust your heater, is it that particular unit or heaters in general? Could you clarify what you are looking for or worried about?
For example, there are other types of heaters such as in-line heaters, but I suspect that comes with many of the same worries you might have with a submersible heater.
The other obvious alternative would be to use the heat generated by other electrical equipment (pumps, metal halide lights, etc.), but this is not usually consistent or energy efficient.
Usually, most people eliminate worries with a temperature controller, grounding probe, or some type of additional external fail safe.
For example, there are other types of heaters such as in-line heaters, but I suspect that comes with many of the same worries you might have with a submersible heater.
The other obvious alternative would be to use the heat generated by other electrical equipment (pumps, metal halide lights, etc.), but this is not usually consistent or energy efficient.
Usually, most people eliminate worries with a temperature controller, grounding probe, or some type of additional external fail safe.
Bleigh
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I was just watching a several brs videos about heaters. From what they said, there just aren’t any high quality heaters that you can set and forget. They seemed to suggest that the harsh water environment just isn’t a place where a heater will stand up long term. I just replace mine once a year and have two temperature probes - one in the sump and one in the tank. In fact, my replacement heaters should be here today. August would make a year of use for my current heater so I’m doing it a little early, but better than forgetting to do it, IMO. Too bad we can get heaters on a automatic annual ship schedule... or can we? 
OP
OP
I dont trust that they can leak, and crack. I dont trust the electric cable in the water either. Basically I dont like having a heater at all. Stray voltage, leaking amperage etc. Im not particularly worried about the overheating aspect because I just set it at the minumum wattage needed for my tank size. Even if on continously, it wont raise tank temp abpve 82f due to the surrounding temperature in my house.
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my annual replacements just arrived. ;Happy
Best defense with the heaters is a regular offense. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Well I have tried several heaters. Like you hated them all failures and the like.
As you have been in the hobby for 25 years not much we can tell you.
What I can say is I bought the BRS Titanium units.
Use an Apex for temp control.
I have never been happyer with this setup.
Also them being Titanium they also double as ground probes.
They have a three ysar warranty to boot.
So in my book thats my recomendation.
As you have been in the hobby for 25 years not much we can tell you.
What I can say is I bought the BRS Titanium units.
Use an Apex for temp control.
I have never been happyer with this setup.
Also them being Titanium they also double as ground probes.
They have a three ysar warranty to boot.
So in my book thats my recomendation.
OP
OP
Yes those look nice. Any chance in them leaking? Eventually from constant heating and cooling metal will form micro cracks and leak. I might have to heat the room...
Sure on all accounts they could fail.
But in the end any type of heating device can.
I have more confidence in these over the others I have used.
These do not have controls so a seperate controler is required.
As I have an Apex this is not a issue.
I did buy the BRS Inkbird controler. Did not like it at all.
Allowed way to much temp swing almost 2 degrees daily.
Picked up the actual Incbird and that was a bit better, but had WiFi so I could see two temp readings.
In the end I switched solely to the Apex.
I stay within a degree now when heating is required. 77.5 to 78.5
Uncle99
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Leak, crack, melt are all risks.
All you can do is mitigate the risk where possible.
You already have mitigated the overheat situation with a controller, which should have the collateral effect in the potential melt, which might have led to it cracking or leaking. Another mitigation would be using a digital type heater instead of the old contact point heaters as the contacts, when they fail, usually melt together, and as you know, that’s a real bad thing.
On its own, cracking and leaking can come from damage by fish, rocks moving so you can mitigate this by not using a glass heater, or, if glass, is surrounded by a plastic cage of some type.
So, if you employ a digital smart heater like the Fluval E-Series or Cobalt and employ a controller, you have mitigated as much as possible.
All you can do is mitigate the risk where possible.
You already have mitigated the overheat situation with a controller, which should have the collateral effect in the potential melt, which might have led to it cracking or leaking. Another mitigation would be using a digital type heater instead of the old contact point heaters as the contacts, when they fail, usually melt together, and as you know, that’s a real bad thing.
On its own, cracking and leaking can come from damage by fish, rocks moving so you can mitigate this by not using a glass heater, or, if glass, is surrounded by a plastic cage of some type.
So, if you employ a digital smart heater like the Fluval E-Series or Cobalt and employ a controller, you have mitigated as much as possible.
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I love my Titanium units.
92Miata
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Almost everyone runs heaters that are way too large. Large heaters means more on/off cycles, quicker failure, and worse consequences when they do fail.
The only people who should be running 300+ watt heaters are people who have sumps in unheated spaces.
The only people who should be running 300+ watt heaters are people who have sumps in unheated spaces.
For my 600 gallon setup I am using my tankless hot water heater.
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Tankless Hot Water Heating
So, I have setup that includes a 250 gallon aquarium, a 130 gallon aquarium, 150 gallon sump and 2 - 40 breeder aquariums all connected together. In total about 600 gallons of water. I had been heating my setup with 2 - 500W Titanium heaters from Finnex. I live in AZ so my heating need isn't...
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You should use a temperature controller with the malfunction position is off. It should have a replaceable temperature probe. For my 320 gal tank, total water volume of about 450 gal I use 2x500 w heating element with two controller and two temperature probe. I have not need to replace any of the temp controller since 2013. I did have to replace one heating element but that is because of my error. Have it on out of the water so it shut off. I think the self shut off kick in and disable it once the heating element reach above certain temp.
GillMeister
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I have a Teco chiller/heater combo as a backup, but I don't see anyway that I would trust this as my sole source of heat.
A good titanium submersible heater with a controller is still the best option. It's the cheapest and easiest to replace when it eventually fails. I can't think of any good reason for not using a backup, either.
A good titanium submersible heater with a controller is still the best option. It's the cheapest and easiest to replace when it eventually fails. I can't think of any good reason for not using a backup, either.
Reefs and Geeks
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I think all heaters will eventually fail. Seems like a simple enough device, but the heating/cooling cycling on them just fatigues them, or the electronics that are attached to many of them. That being said, I'm still running one I've had for almost a decade and is working as it should. I do plan on switching it out for one of the BRS ones once I get some extra cash though.
You can use a heat echanger type of setup to avoid having the heating element directly in your tank, but at the cost of much more complexity and possibly more risk of a heater failure (though it wouldn't leak into your tank or cause stray voltage in your tank).
Personally, I think having 2 heaters that are each just barly enough to heat your tank, and having a high/low temp alarm is the best way to go. If my tank temp goes outside of 77-81F, a very annoying alarm goes off untill it's fixed, and has alerted me once of a heater that stopped heating.
You can use a heat echanger type of setup to avoid having the heating element directly in your tank, but at the cost of much more complexity and possibly more risk of a heater failure (though it wouldn't leak into your tank or cause stray voltage in your tank).
Personally, I think having 2 heaters that are each just barly enough to heat your tank, and having a high/low temp alarm is the best way to go. If my tank temp goes outside of 77-81F, a very annoying alarm goes off untill it's fixed, and has alerted me once of a heater that stopped heating.
