Well I learned one thing...

[Elmware]

If you ever get your neice and/or nephiew an aquarium for Christmas, never, under any circumstances, let your brother-in-law touch the **** thing!

My neice and Nephiew were so happy when they opened the big package from me and a friend and found a ten gallon aquarium inside it. I left and came back a couple days later only to find that their dad had plugged the heater in without any water in the tank, and melted one of the clips which hold it onto the tank. What a complete !@#$ing moron! He's lucky if that's the only damage he's done. I don't know if the heater still works or if he burned it out yet. At least the glass didn't shatter.

I wrapped the accessories seperately and had the kids open them first to work up the suspense, then gave them the tank last. I got them pretty much everything they will need to get started so they won't have to worry about too much expense. I even bought an ornament, vaccume hose, water treatment, pH test kit, rocks, etc...

great gift... do you live near your neices and nephews? I would suggest that you help them set it up and cycle it or at least tell your sister / brother-in-law how the nitrogen cycle works and help them in stocking it.

[Tiffi]

Can't you get them to read a little book (cheap from ebay or amazon) or direct them to this forum, so they can learn about aquariums and how to care for them?

To be on the safe side I wouldn't let them use the heater, have your brother buy a new one. And since kids like to play in the water and they might brake another heater, maybe when changing water, tell the mom that after what your brother did with the heater it would be better to get a GFCI outlet to plug in the aquarium stuff (I have one too-better careful than sorry). That would be my only concerns.

Other than that, don't you want to be my santa next year ? Great gifts, and the kids can learn so much from it!

[RoK]

Get a visi-therm stealth heater, they'll shut off out of water and won't shatter.

[Elmware]

Well, I am helping my sister setup the tank and she is aware that she cannot put any fish in the tank for at least two weeks. I will be sending her here so she can have any questions answered by most of you fine people here.

I'm familiar with the Visi brand but never heard of one which shuts off when it's out of the water. That's a great idea. I never thought my brother-in-law would be this idiotic.

The starter kit which I got from PetsMart comes with a heater, and they gaurantee everything in their kits, but I don't think they will cover acts of such idiocy.

As for the book, the kit came with a VHS and my sister doesn't have a VCR. I did suggest going to a library or neighbour with one. Libraries here usually have a VCR with a small TV and headphones where you can view such materials. For some reason, VCRs keep breaking down at her place. Don't ask me why.

[Jchillin]

Originally Posted by Elmware

For some reason, VCRs keep breaking down at her place. Don't ask me why.

The answer seems obvious

I agree that care has to be taken when providing a gift of somewhat "technicial" needs. The zeal in doing something with it is overwhelming. By all mean, have your sister sign up, let us know who she is "I am Elmware's sister...you know, the lady whose husband melted the tank heater clip". We will be glad to help.

[malkore]

The heater is likely toast. They usually only shatter when you put them in water after they've been plugged in for a while when out of the tank. The sudden temp change on the glass breaks it into a thousand pieces.

Teh Visitherm stealth isn't glass, and has a sensor so if the heater gets too hot, it shuts off, as it assumes it was pulled outta the tank plugged in.
The way the heater works is that water removes the heat from the surface, so a submersed heater should never feel too hot to the touch when submerged. Not hot enough to hurt fish or your fingers.

Ebo Jager heaters also have an auto shut off. I'd suggest buying a heater online. You'll pay $20 more at a store than you will online for the same heater.

[bosk1]

I was over at my brother-in-law's as well, and noticed they had a new tank. It was small, no more than 5 gallons, and had 4 comets in it.

[Rondory]

Great gift!

I bought my nephew his first fish tank for Christmas also...and then I bought a 46g for myself! I had been itching to get back into having fish and shopping for him made me want it even more.

Sorry to hear that they fried the heater.

[Elmware]

The good news is the heater is still working and doing a great job at maintaning a temperature of 78°F. The heater says Neptune on it. Usually PetsMart comes with VisiTherm but for some reason they changed them.

I have referred my sister to this site, but you what they say, you can lead a horse to water...

Luckily the only damage done was the clip or sucion cup peice being melted. There is still one holding the heater to the tank. The heater is submersable but my worries is that the heater could get bumped and end up touching the glass.

[acronym:024332b951="By the way"]btw[/acronym:024332b951] Rondory, I bet your nephiew loved you for it. It's worth getting that kind of reaction from my neice and nephiew. They really loved it.