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.

[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

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.