Marineland Adjustable Heater Killed My Corals!

[GreatSouth BayReefs]

As the post title obviously states... I had a marineland heater for less then 4 months and it got stuck in the "on" position today while I was at work. I got home noticed there was a SERIOUS problem. First thing I did was grab my infrared thermometer and my tank was at 92 degrees F. Thankfully this is a new tank, I only had a few shrimp two fish and a bunch of frags. Unfortunately for me, all of my SPS died. Aussie war corals, encrusting montis, acapora and anacapora frags. Zoas are still open and dont seem to care that they were basically boiled alive lol.


DO NOT PURCHASE a marineland heater. (or any "adjustable" heater without a separate security heat sensor). I honestly got a cheapo heater for my tank because it was brand new, was going to get a controllable titanium one or the cobalt heater within the upcoming months. I learned my lesson the hard way, and hope to save others from doing the same.
Get the right equipment and redundant safety precautions the first time!

I think the BRSTV doorbuster sale video gynxed me. I was watching yesterdays episode and they had just got a few hundred of their controlled titanium heaters that i was eyeing like crazy. Today I get home and this happened. They sold out overnight!
Happy thanksreefing!

 

[shoelaceike]

I'm sorry to hear this. I started using an inkbird as a fail safe. They are about $20

 

[14 foot reef]

I feel your pain, but I have a $3000.00 contollable heater on my tank and about 10 years ago the massive 220 volt relay failed and stuck on.(really bad loss) So i will defend Marineland and say I agree with your statement of controls and redundancy. Relying on a single point of a process is a human error. Marineland is a fabulous company.

 

[Brian_68]

Sorry to hear the news. Unfortunately heaters fail eventually as I have found over the decades. Don't think it is tied to one brand, certainly not for me. The solutions are backing it up with a controller, or undersize the heater but use multiples just in case one fails it can't heat the tank too much.

 

[Flippers4pups]

As the post title obviously states... I had a marineland heater for less then 4 months and it got stuck in the "on" position today while I was at work. I got home noticed there was a SERIOUS problem. First thing I did was grab my infrared thermometer and my tank was at 92 degrees F. Thankfully this is a new tank, I only had a few shrimp two fish and a bunch of frags. Unfortunately for me, all of my SPS died. Aussie war corals, encrusting montis, acapora and anacapora frags. Zoas are still open and dont seem to care that they were basically boiled alive lol.


DO NOT PURCHASE a marineland heater. (or any "adjustable" heater without a separate security heat sensor). I honestly got a cheapo heater for my tank because it was brand new, was going to get a controllable titanium one or the cobalt heater within the upcoming months. I learned my lesson the hard way, and hope to save others from doing the same.
Get the right equipment and redundant safety precautions the first time!

I think the BRSTV doorbuster sale video gynxed me. I was watching yesterdays episode and they had just got a few hundred of their controlled titanium heaters that i was eyeing like crazy. Today I get home and this happened. They sold out overnight!
Happy thanksreefing!

Hang in there! Sorry this happened, could have been worse.

I've always been a advocate for multiple smaller heaters, that way it one sticks, the others will stay off and hopefully give you time to react.

I've had bad luck with the inkbirds, multiple units that over time go out of calibration and require checks with a calibrated thermometer to readjust. Then over time they go so far out as to not be able to set properly. Maybe the new ones fixed this issue, hopefully.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Sorry to hear the news. Unfortunately heaters fail eventually as I have found over the decades. Don't think it is tied to one brand, certainly not for me. The solutions are backing it up with a controller, or undersize the heater but use multiples just in case one fails it can't heat the tank too much.

You beat me to it! Lol

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

I'm sorry to hear this. I started using an inkbird as a fail safe. They are about $20

Which model?

 

[shoelaceike]

Which model?

Aquarium Heater Temperature Control INKBIRD Thermostat ITC-306T Marine Fish 110V | eBay

Maximum output load: 1200W (110V). But totally could not over 1200W. | Digital Thermostat. Sensor Length: 2m / 6.56ft. 10A, 120V AC. Ambient Temperature: -30~ 75 °C / -22~ 167 °F. Storage Temperature: -20~ 60 °C / -4~ 140 °F.

rover.ebay.com

 

[14 foot reef]

The model nor the company matters...... The process and engineering matters

 

[Rukk]

+1 on the inkbird for some inexpensive security. Also agree with others about utilizing smaller heater(s) vs one that is a powerhouse for the tank.

 

[GreatSouth BayReefs]

Thank you all for the input! I just dont know why these manufacturers cant put a temperature sensor to shut the unit off if it goes above a certain temp, as that would save more then 50% of the people who experience a fault in the heater. Staying off is much better and just as easy to catch if youre paying attention. Heat killed my corals within 8 hours, I doubt a tank with no heat would have the same effects.
I purchased the brs version of the inkbird only because i found a lot of 50-50 that the inkbird can fail a lot, and not so many on the brs. By failing I mean way before the usual time span I'd expect something like that to last like around a year. Im also debating to get a secondary separate temperature alert system. Im happy this happened now and not a year or two into the progression of this tank I would've lost a lot more!

 

[ZoWhat]

Thank you all for the input! I just dont know why these manufacturers cant put a temperature sensor to shut the unit off if it goes above a certain temp, as that would save more then 50% of the people who experience a fault in the heater. Staying off is much better and just as easy to catch if youre paying attention. Heat killed my corals within 8 hours, I doubt a tank with no heat would have the same effects.
I purchased the brs version of the inkbird only because i found a lot of 50-50 that the inkbird can fail a lot, and not so many on the brs. By failing I mean way before the usual time span I'd expect something like that to last like around a year. Im also debating to get a secondary separate temperature alert system. Im happy this happened now and not a year or two into the progression of this tank I would've lost a lot more!

Marineland heaters are what? $25

Unfortunately we can have inexpensive and reliable equipment in the same sentence.

Sorry for your losses. You get what you pay for.

If you start over. I would invest in a heater with a separate controller with a temp probe on the controller. No all monitoring functions in an all-in-one internal components

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

Aquarium Heater Temperature Control INKBIRD Thermostat ITC-306T Marine Fish 110V | eBay

Maximum output load: 1200W (110V). But totally could not over 1200W. | Digital Thermostat. Sensor Length: 2m / 6.56ft. 10A, 120V AC. Ambient Temperature: -30~ 75 °C / -22~ 167 °F. Storage Temperature: -20~ 60 °C / -4~ 140 °F.

rover.ebay.com

Thanks, been meaning to get one of these.

 

[Hemmdog]

Ranco’s are much better than inkbirds by the way. Industrial temperature control. They will last you decades not a year or two.

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

Ranco’s are much better than inkbirds by the way. Industrial temperature control. They will last you decades not a year or two.

Have a good place to shop for one?

 

[Hemmdog]

Have a good place to shop for one?

I got mine from a home brewing website. It was awhile ago.

 

[Hemmdog]

Ranco Digital Temperature Controller - Not Wired

This Ranco temperature controller is the perfect option for the "DIY" homebrewer. While it comes with the temperature probe and all of the standard internals, it doesn't include the power cord (that you plug into the wall), or the input cord (where you would plug your device into). These cords...

www.morebeer.com