Inline Heater?

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Jman17H

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Messages
136
Location
Westerville, OH
Does anyone use inline heaters and if so, how large of a tank can I use one on and how reliable are they?

I at one point only used ViaAqua heaters but had a few of the control units go bad and either cease to work or constantly work (95 is a bit too high). I then used a couple Jagr's but did not like that they are made of glass and the control knobs seemed to stick. I then switched to Steaths but over the summer, I had one start sending electricity through my tank (only a couple fish died) and have heard of other instances with people having the same problems.

As winter in coming and I have no heaters on my 150 (it stays about 75 currently but with my cheapness will drop to 65), I need to start heating it. I sort of hate the look of the intank ones but not sure that an inline heater will be sufficient for a 150 breeder?

Also needing to heat a 30 breeder with inline for I do not want to waste space/astethics for heater inside heavily planted tank.

Any recommendations or advise would be helpful.
 
I have a Hydor 301 on a 55G with a XP2 filter. It's been over a year now and I love it. I would purchase another in a second.
 
I used Hydor 300's on all the tanks that have cannister filters. I put 2 on my 110G (2 filters, a heater on each) and one on my 55. They are MUCH more stable and reliable than in-the-tank units have been, at least in my tanks.
 
I also recommend the Hydor ETH inline heater. I have the 200W version hooked up to my Filstar xP1 canister filter on my 30g tank.
 
I've been thinking about inline heaters too. I've been using stealths and they have been very reliable, but the aesthetics would be so much better with an inline heater. I don't have any canister filters yet, so I've also been thinking of buying one with an integrated heater. That would seem to be even less messy than an inline heater.
 
I have a Hydor 301 open top 55 temp never varies more than .1 degree, even with the AC blowing directly on it
 
I decided to try the Hydor 200 watt inline my 30-Breeder and hopefully will have it hooked up tonight.

For my 150, I decided to purchase a Hydor Theo 400 watt and will also use a 300 watt ViaAqua that I had laying around for the time being.

Does anyone have any experience with the Rena SmartHeaters? They supposedly replace the intake for a cannister filter. I may try one of these on the 150 (with a 400 watt Theo)?
 
Algenco said:
I have a Hydor 301 open top 55 temp never varies more than .1 degree, even with the AC blowing directly on it

I have never found any truly accurate thermometers. There are ones that can measure fine gradations (.1 degree), but none have been accurate (showing the true value of what the temp really is. I know they don't tell the right temperature because I have bought as many as 4 thermometers and put them all next to each other in the same tank and they vary as much as 10 degrees. If anyone knows about a truly ACCURATE thermometer, I would sure like to know about it.

P.S.
I decided to try the Hydor 301 on my 72 gal community tank with a Filstar XP3 canister filter. The heater has been wonderful!!! the temp controls operate cleanly. There is an LED that shows when the heating element is on. I set it on the temp I want and it just works. I can set it and forget it and it takes care of itself. Now I'm thinking about getting more canister filters so I can use more of these inline heaters.
ARH
 
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