Heater malfunction

[jtl2]

Noticed the animals not acting normal...should have been a clue. Dawned on me this morning that the water felt warm, checked temp and it's up ther in the high 80s normally 78. Visi-therm steatlh heater evidently went haywire after almost two years. Hopefully everything will survive. Removed heater and letting tank cool back down on its own.

John

 

[salt newbie01]

I had a heater issue as well. My fish survived but some corals didn't. Mine was in the upper 90's!! I have always heard it is best to have a probe set with an alarm. So if the temp goes either too high or low it will let you know.

best of luck - hope things pull through - just change it slowly

 

[SaraB]

I recommend replacing heaters once a year whether they need it or not. Heaters are such a nominal cost when compared to the damage a malfunctioning one can do to our systems. Just rotate your 1 year old heater over to the saltwater changing bin and use it there rather than in our delicate reefs.

 

[Surf&turf]

I recommend replacing heaters once a year whether they need it or not. Heaters are such a nominal cost when compared to the damage a malfunctioning one can do to our systems. Just rotate your 1 year old heater over to the saltwater changing bin and use it there rather than in our delicate reefs.

Thats a good idea!!

I took my stealth out after all the hipe of them exploding.

 

[jtl2]

I recommend replacing heaters once a year whether they need it or not. Heaters are such a nominal cost when compared to the damage a malfunctioning one can do to our systems. Just rotate your 1 year old heater over to the saltwater changing bin and use it there rather than in our delicate reefs.

That is a good idea, I thought I had a good one out of the stealth batch, but no such luck. Temp is down to 84, water is cloudy...fish are acting fairly normal and picking at rocks. Most of the zoas are open, frogspawn is pretty ticked off as well as the duncan and hammer. Surprisingly the clam looks normal, not closed up or acing stressed. Put in a new heater so I don't go below 78 on the cooldown. Thanks for the encouragement.

John

 

[jtl2]

Well made it back to 78, took all day with normal cooling. Should I do a water change? 10% or will that add more stress to the system?

 

[Surf&turf]

water change shoudn't hurt anything, as long as thats part of the normal routine, Some people don't do them.

 

[jtl2]

First known casualty...cleaner shrimp died. GSP hasn't come out yet and the frogspawn is still ticked off. Water is starting to clear up though. Keeping fingers crossed.

John

 

[sprinklerdudes]

mine went out this past fall, it has claimed all of the remaining sps in my tank, my turbo snails and increased the cryno. I am still running the tank without the heater, it stays around 80 by itself until the winter months, I will not be buying anthor marinland heater this year.

 

[jtl2]

Duncan looks good today, GSPs are peeking out, frogspawn is still ticked...don't know if it will make it, would be a shame 36 heads, may lose a Lobo brain also. SPS seems to all be fine, go figure???

 

[ironman]

By a controller and use it as a safety. Set the temp on the heater and then set the controller alittle higher so if the heater doesnt kick off the controller will shut off the power to the heater. Or I just use a titanium heater core with a controller and avoid the problem all together. you can get a titanium heater core for $30 and a reefkeeper lite for $99. then you end up with a good controller that can monitor PH and several other capabilities

 

[jtl2]

By a controller and use it as a safety. Set the temp on the heater and then set the controller alittle higher so if the heater doesnt kick off the controller will shut off the power to the heater. Or I just use a titanium heater core with a controller and avoid the problem all together. you can get a titanium heater core for $30 and a reefkeeper lite for $99. then you end up with a good controller that can monitor PH and several other capabilities

I've thought about a controller, and will probably buy a titanium heater with a probe. If I go with RK I think I would have to get the elite in order to get the ALC module to contol my LEDs.

 

[salt newbie01]

Glad most things are coming around for you. I am looking to finally give in to a controller myself. We must give in to the dark side!! hahaha

 

[ironman]

I love my Elite! they are cheaper now, you can get it with the NET module now for what the standard unit was when I got mine!

 

[ironman]

Keep in mind with the titanium heater that the controllers that are normally sold with them suck bad. Read some reviews and you will be scared of them! LOL! Get just the heater element. I bought a Finnex from premium aquatics several years ago and it has worked flawlessly and it was cheap to. If you dont want to get a controller to control it get a good temp controller like a ranco or aqua logic. but they are as expensive as a reefkeeper lite. Also if you want something quik I noticed jon at bermuda had some finnex and blueline titanium heaters instock.

 

[jtl2]

Keep in mind with the titanium heater that the controllers that are normally sold with them suck bad. Read some reviews and you will be scared of them! LOL! Get just the heater element. I bought a Finnex from premium aquatics several years ago and it has worked flawlessly and it was cheap to. If you dont want to get a controller to control it get a good temp controller like a ranco or aqua logic. but they are as expensive as a reefkeeper lite. Also if you want something quik I noticed jon at bermuda had some finnex and blueline titanium heaters instock.

I bought a fluval from jon at BT for the short term. I agree with saltnewbie01, I've been resisting goinng to the dark side with a controller for a while now. The next thing you know I will want a bigger tank...

 

[ironman]

Oh NO! Not a bigger tank! LOL

 

[jtl2]

Post heater malfunction pics

Most things are recovering, I had just gotten the plate coral about a week earlier

 

[Striike]

Thank you for sharing this. I have never heard of a heater going out. Considering how simple their design is, it would never have dawned on me.

@Ironman - How long have you had that controller, I have been thinking of getting one for a while, but concerned with buying a $100 piece of junk. I like the idea of one, but don't want one to die soon after installation.