My new rule #1: every tank gets it own thermometer

[cwt]

And let's make it a very visible external stick-on type, so I can pass by my 20-long rainbowfish tank and notice that it's up to 90 degrees in there.

yeah, heater flaked. 100-watt Marineland Stealth... I thought these were pretty good, and it's not the only one I have, either. Lucked out, no dead fish. Haven't seen the few RCS shrimp, they're probably buried in the ferns as usual. But from now on, no moving the in-tank thermo's between tanks because I'm too cheap to buy more of them.

 

[runninwoof]

i decided i hate heaters for this very reason and just keep my home temp at 75 for everyone. very happy to see you catch this before you had losses

 

[dkpate]

I had 2 new Stealth's crap out on me and overheat, but my older ones that DON'T have the indicator light are good.

 

[Aquarium1]

Are they stealth pros or just stealths?

 

[cwt]

guessing just stealths... no indicator light on these. I cleaned it off, reset it to minimum temp, put it back in, it's still going past setting, so this one's in the trash. (unless I need an Ich tank heater down the road...) Off to the LFS for supplies!

 

[cabezon]

It seems that every single glass tube heater will eventually fail.

I think the titanium heater with seperate temp sensor is the way to go. Marineland is now painting their heaters to look titanium.

 

[cwt]

the 'better' LFS only had the Marineland brand heaters, and some cheaper Hagen ones, 'Elite' label... so I got the Elite. External strip thermometers are only $3 each, so I bought a handful. I'm giving up on the red alcohol ones, which never seem to stay put when my active fish are bumping around the tank.

the challenge with leaving the heaters out is that most of my tanks are in the basement... nice and cool down here for me, bit chilly for the fish.

Still no fish lost... SAE's looking a bit sluggish, maybe because I backed off the food until it cooled down. Crisis over for now (crossing fingers...)

 

[Crepe]

You can get electric metal contact thermometers with a nice LCD screen for maybe 5-10 dollars. They are the fastest reacting thermometers and most accurate thermometers on the market within reasonable price.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I had the exact same thing happen with the exact same filter! Except I lost four african dwarf frogs, a guppy and 7 harlequin rasboras! Bummer. Marineland did replace it, but with the Pro series, which I've heard aren't as good. I'm not using it yet, but I guess we'll see.

I have no luck with thermometers! It seems that even though they are al lthe same thermometer, they all read differently. And I also bought the stick on kind, hoping as you said, I could just walk by and see the temp, but they didn't even SHOW a temp! But that's what I get for spending $1.40 a piece at Walmart!

 

[Aquarium1]

I have no luck with thermometers! It seems that even though they are al lthe same thermometer, they all read differently. And I also bought the stick on kind, hoping as you said, I could just walk by and see the temp, but they didn't even SHOW a temp! But that's what I get for spending $1.40 a piece at Walmart!

The stick on kind aren't very accurate, the suction cup kinds are my favorite. Here's a good read: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/thermometers-mercury-vs-digital-tested-130976.html

 

[DragonFish71]

It seems that every single glass tube heater will eventually fail.

I think the titanium heater with seperate temp sensor is the way to go. Marineland is now painting their heaters to look titanium.

I have 2 300w Finnex titaniums in our 120 and plan to get 2 more for our african 115. So far, other than the old green Ebos, these are the best submersibles.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I never trusted the stick on kind, but they were on sale and I thought I would give them a try. Bad idea. Good concept (so convenient!), but bad idea!

I've always wondered about the difference between digitals and mercury. I've never had a digital, but I always thought that the fact that they are a "machine" (for want of a better word) means more margin for error.

I also have mostly the suction cup kind. I don't believe that they are accurate to the degree, but I do believe that they are pretty close. I also have a few of the weighted kind that sit on the bottom and they are pretty close as well. But once, to save a few bucks, I bought those cheap, aluminum kind that hang over the side of the tank and they were atrocious!

Then you add in the fact that most heaters (at least the ones that I've had) aren't exactly accurate either and sometimes you're left scratching your head as to what the real temp in the tanks actually are!

(Thanks for the link by the way! Very interesting.)

 

[spoonman]

I personally like the digital thermometers that I get for $7.00 at WalMart. Digital readout with a sensor that you suction cup to the inside of the tank. They have never failed me and are quick to show temp changes.

 

[BeavisMom62]

Thats not a bad price! Can't say I've ever seen them there though, but then again I never looked!

 

[mgamer20o0]

many of the cheap digital are know to be inaccurate. if it runs there is a chance of it breaking its just life. i have 20-30 stealths with only one problem. the older ones ill trust but the new ones i wont. this is also the reason why i say its better to get 2 smaller heaters vs 1 large heater. less chance of somethign to happen.

 

[dkpate]

Ditto Gamer, my older ones are waaayyy better.

 

[spoonman]

many of the cheap digital are know to be inaccurate. if it runs there is a chance of it breaking its just life. i have 20-30 stealths with only one problem. the older ones ill trust but the new ones i wont. this is also the reason why i say its better to get 2 smaller heaters vs 1 large heater. less chance of somethign to happen.

Dont like digital heaters either. Was talking strictly the thermometer


Coralife Battery Powered Digital Thermometer - ACL00232#

 

[FLFishFanatic]

My digital thermometer says my tank water it -45 F.

 

[dkpate]

Brrrr!!! lol Is it frozen over?