Heaters -- Are they all garbage?

[XSiVE]

So I've had just about every type of heater, and Ive also had every type of heater fail on me in one form or another...

To start, I keep two 300watt heaters "running" in the return section of my sump, one is run by my finnex temp controler, the other runs on its own and is set to a lower threshold.

My longest lasting, surprisingly, has been a marineland glass tube heater, but tonight i noticed the temp was 80 and the thing was still on.. looked closer and it was starting to get some condensation inside.. I pulled the top plastic section out of the water, turned it down and it turned off, but to me this thing needs to be replaced before something bad happens.

Ive tried the glass tube kind, lasted the longest
currently also have a plastic "stealth" model, it seems to be doing well but its relatively new
I had a plastic / epoxy stealth model that worked for awhile then popped the GFCI after about an hour of being plugged in.
I tried the titanium finnex element which was supposedly good, only lasted about a year and outright quit on me


so does anyone have a recommendation for a heater that isn't a piece of garbage? I cant depend on my lights to heat the tank this winter so I will need to replace the half-malfunctioning one. :jester:

[ReeferRob]

Its sad that the cheapest least expensive piece of equipment can actually cause the most damage.

No mater what they all suck that's why I committed and excepted the fact that once every single year ALL heaters get replaced no matter what. Thirty dollars isn't worth the thousands I have invested.

In addition the next best thing is to have it set a touch high and have it connected to a controller. So that the internal thermostat doesn't get welded on, which is why they all fail on and not off. I also use two undersized heaters one in sump one in DT so if one fails the other can keep up the job until I can replace it.

I've always believed in the reliability of Stealth heaters but have come to accept the fact that they suck too. I actually have one 3 months old in the grow out tank that started to shock me the other day.......off to the mixing barrel it goes!

[Fordris]

Stealth heaters have been the best for me.

[lionhead]

I like titanium heaters the best. I use the cheap won brothers one. I have had them fail in the past but the one I have now I have had for 3years. I know they will fail sooner or later so I buy ones when people are selling them for cheap. Just like any other piece of equipment that is use constantly for 24hrs a day 365 days. It will get worn out sooner or later.

[Rabidgoose]

I have had the best luck with Finnex. I don't trust any of them however, I use them all in conjunction with a controller.

[XSiVE]

I have had the best luck with Finnex. I don't trust any of them however, I use them all in conjunction with a controller.

Yeah when I replace this next one Im just going to hook them both up to my heater controller so the internal thermostats don't have to turn on and off.. the controller I have actually has a relay inside to switch the heaters on and off so I trust it a lot more than the mechanical or electronic style heaters with builtin thermostats.

[pjr]

I have almost always used Ebo-Jager or Visa-therm and they have lasted for years. Extremely strong record of reliability! Really like Ebo-Jager, but I have heard that the new E-J models are not built as well as previously... having said that, cannot validate if that statement is true or not.

[Seph]

I'm with PJR on the Ebo's. I used to have all kinds of problems with heaters and tried quite a few. Haven't had a single problem since I started buying Ebo's. Best on the market IMO.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

The best heater in my experience are Tronics by Hagen. They supposedly has a fail-safe that will not allow them to die in the "on" position. It's been running on my system for at least six years. I'm sure now that since posting this it will soon fail with catastrophic results :doh:

Tom

[Coral Frenzy]

I have never had any luck with any brand of heater. It seems like I have bought them all at one time or another. I have heard good things about the stealth heaters.

[PolskaReefer]

yes they are all junk!!!

[Skyhigh]

yes they are all junk!!!


I agree!!!!!!

[jolson10450]

yes they are all junk!!!

+1 as well! i hav emy controller to control them in case they malfunction. if it breaks well then shame on me.

[CalmSeasQuest]

I agree, heaters are seemingly more prone to failure than other devices. I've learned to simply accept the fact they will fail, and almost always in the on position. I use the following to mitigate the potential damage and inconvenience...

Double Up - Heaters are one piece of equipment where bigger is NOT better. Use 2 heaters and under-size them (instead of 1 200W, use 2 100W) This accomplishes a few things. A single failure typically won't raise temperatures to the point of risking your tank's inhabitants, and any changes occur more slowly - increasing your odds of detecting the change prior to loss of life. It also means you have built in redundancy - The odds of both units failing simultaneously is slim and it buys you time to get a replacement.

Use a controller - Either a tank controller (Apex, RK, Profilux) or a heat specific controller such as a Ranco. Set the controller to the desired temp range and set the heater thermostat slightly higher. This saves cycles on the heater thermostat (the part most likely to fail) and allows the controller, which is generally more accurate and reliable managing the temp. The tank controller also provides the advantage of an email and/or text message alerting you to the failure so you can quickly intervene.

As heaters are relatively inexpensive - I also keep a spare on hand for peace of mind.

[bobilo]

I have been using the aqueon heaters. I havent had any problems with them yet and my LFS will replace them free of charge if they do fail. On the other hand I bought a Visa Therm and it failed within a couple weeks. Marineland did replace it and now it is being used as the mixing heater

[cephalotus]

My three Mag7s are the best heaters you could ask for all others suck.

[rmalone]

Ebos are the best out there, not perfect but the best. I would second the notion that the heat load should be split among multiple heaters vs "one big ol' heater". I have 4-250w ebos in my 180, I control them via my RKL. They are only 1yr old but rock solid so far. It would bum me out if they have lowered the quality. On mine the cords, t-stats, and general overall build quality far exceed the stealths.

[shovelhead91701]

I run 2 250 watts in my sump for the 250 gal. but they never have a light on like they are coming on...I guess the mag drives and the MH's are keeping me plenty warm. The 1/2 hp chiller runs quite a bit though. :redneck: In my FW stuff the Stealths have held up well for me though. on the same one after 1 1/2 yrs. now.

[John]

I use only stealth heaters. If one goes bad I can send it back since they have a lifetime warranty.

Also, I use 3 underrated heaters in case one sticks in the on position. Also, if that happens they are connected to my aquacontroller, if the tank gets up to 78 they all turn off no matter what they really want to do.

[dlhirst]

Glass tube heaters are just glorified light bulbs. You run electricity through an element, and it makes heat. Just like a light bulb. In this case, of course, the element is selected for optimal heat output rather than brightness. Now, your light bulbs get changed every year, possibly even sooner. But, do they all suck too? I think we are just a tad hard on heater MFRs (and no, I have no affiliation with any).
It has been repeated often above, and I love the idea. Just buy two undersized heaters, and the chance of boiling your tank are greatly reduced. Replace the heaters when you replace your "other" lightbulbs, and you will likely never have problems.