Replace heater every 2 years?

[ca1ore]

I change them every few years but also not religiously. Also absolutely necessary to run them on some sort of controller. And I only use eheim jager glass or finnex titanium. You can sell the old ones for $5-10 bucks to other local reefers and make some of the money back.

Yup ….. to all of it.

 

[jda]

I find that Jagrs just quit getting hot, or keep running. I have never had one fail on. I do use a Ranco or Medusa since I don't trust any heater.

 

[Ariel V Rosa]

I started with two 100W and they would not heat the water volume in my tank beyond 75 degrees even when I experimented (before animals) and set both of them as high as they go. After speaking with Cobalt, they advised adding a 3rd to maintain 78

Just be carefull if you are running the neo therms connected to an apex power block, there was a post on the forums that they dont like being plughed ibot certain receptacles on there. Ill link it when i find it later.

 

[joec]

Just be carefull if you are running the neo therms connected to an apex power block, there was a post on the forums that they dont like being plughed ibot certain receptacles on there. Ill link it when i find it later.

No Apex or other controller, just plugged in to regular outlet, but thanks!

 

[albano]

Get a inkbird heater controller.

There are not many good reviews of inkbird controllers ... after only a few months, I’ve replaced 2 of mine.

 

[KingJason]

I have always run my on an Apex and have never had a problem. Always run 2. Only time I’ve switched is when I upgraded tanks. I have always used Jagers. Probably used them for 3-4 years on the last set and current set is pushing a year and a half.

 

[scchase]

I mainly heat my house rather than tanks (happens when you have as many as I do) and the heaters I do run are all undersized to heat on their own. Even then they are all on controllers, I replace them when they no longer heat.

 

[HB AL]

I have a 15 year old Ehiem in my tank. In the winter it comes on if I let the inside of the house get a little chilly and in the summer it comes on if I run the ac at 70, which I do once in a while. To think about it I never even think about it, and I’m not gonna start now.

 

[chamjack]

(3) 300 watt Eheim Jager heaters on a Ranco controller since 2008. No issues as of yet!

 

[Streetcred]

I've had 4 x 300W Jaegers in my tank for >15 years, never cleaned them (they're in a dark space), and never had any problems with them. Quite sure my tank has never been nuked by any heater either.

Let me add that these heaters are all controlled by a separate GHL Profilux 3e so don't rely on switching by the heater itself.

 

[Denniswbliss]

Replacing your heater is something that has long been a frustration for hobbyists. Heaters are a necessary component that it so cheap, yet they can easily nuke your tank. Heaters will eventually get stuck in the on position, thus nuking your tank, will get stuck in the off position, potentially nuking your tank if it's cold, or will explode altogether. Most people on here will replace theirs every year or so.

I'm sorry but living in Florida my reef dose NOT NEED a heater going on 3years with my reefs without a heater

 

[Paul B]

My heater is so old, it runs by steam. I never had a problem with it but it is a pain to chop up pieces of coal small enough to fit inside the thing.

 

[kkiel02]

I’be also done 2-3 undersize heaters on my tanks. That way if one gets stuck on it wont heat up the tank enough to kill everything.

 

[Dennco2000]

My total water volume is 70 gallons, I use 2 tetra HT20 (100 watts each) they use a built in electronic thermostat to automatically maintain water at 78° F which is ideal for most tropical fish. No adjustment is required, I have one connected to my reef controller and the other to a regular outlet. In the event of a thermal run away of one heater there is no risk of of the temp going high enough to kill my fish or low enough in the event one stops working to hurt anything either at least not in Southwest Florida. The heaters are cheap and trigger withing one degree of each other. Just my 2 cents.

P.S. In high school I did tank maintenance in Tampa and witnessed some terribly expensive tank kills due to heater fail.

 

[ThunderGoose]

It confuses me that heaters in saltwater don't last long but I can't remember the last time I replaced the heaters in my freshwater tank.

Just had to replace my not-quite-2-years heater that failed off.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Jaegers are awesome, but do fail and are prone to getting filled with water once the rubber gaskets in contact with the glass tube get hardened under saltwater.

I run two 300w units that are about 6months now and plan to replace them at 1.5 to 2 years old.
They are cheap and not worth risking corals, fish and all that depends on it. I agree with the previous comment that it is amazing how little heaters have evolved considering other equipment in the hobby and how often they fail

 

[mtraylor]

I replace mine when they go bad. I have eheim and they are backed up by my Apex.

 

[DarkSky]

I run two eheim 300w heaters on my 220, I replace them every year as I've always done on my other tanks. I use the old oens as back ups or for heating water changes.

 

[Paul B]

I have 4 heaters in my tank, some of them are 20 years old and I would not replace one unless it died.

 

[reaper0268]

Aqeon Pro heaters have a lifetime warranty and are 30 bucks at Petco. I have run them for the last 10 years in 2 tanks. I had a problem with one after a few years took it to Petco and they exchanged it no questions asked. They have been running great ever since.