Broken Heater

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Coralocean

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
347
Location
Chicago
Just realized my heater has stopped working. (Never buy Top Fin). As most of you know I don't have fish so no panic. I am draining the tank tonight my cycle still hasn't ever started.

1. Recommendations on a heater for 29 gallon.

I'm thinking about changing from gravel to sand perhaps with a Ph lowering substrate. My ph is 8.4

2. Any advice on the substrate would be appreciated.

Of course I have been googling all of this with mixed results.

Thank you!
 
Aqueon Pro heaters come with lifetime guarantee . :whistle:
A 100 or 150 should do fine depending how high above room temp tanks need to raised. The 100 will raise 30g 10degrees above a room temp of 68-72 ,while the 150 will be able to raise 15 degrees above same room temp.
They are cheapest on line .
100 Watt Aqueon Pro Heater
Only heater I use...30+(y)
 
Thanks Coral I was looking at Aqueon Pro didn't see the lifetime warranty! I will need a 150 watt in case I ever have to blast the heat for ich. The room temp here is pretty cold. :thanks:
 
Yes, the Walmart preset heater didn't last long. My vote is aqueon pro. Unless it's very cold in your apartment even the 100w will be fine, I'll guesstimate 150 will be better.

As for substrate, I like how sand looks, but it can be quite cloudy in the beginning and there is no vaccuming it. Not sure about pH effect of it. Substrate choice will also depend on whether you need it to support root feeding plants such as amazons and vals.
 
Someone here just got theirs replaced for free. He just had to contact Aqueon . They will send you one 're-conditioned' I think for free ..
Not going to get even close with others..
They are nearly indestructible being made of aluminum and encapsulated with plastic.
I like when they go on sale..
Petco gets over $60 for same heaters..That is why they do the DPG...
The Aqueon actually has a users guide..I did not make up those numbers they are in the instructions included with heater.

https://www.aqueon.com/-/media/Files/Aqueon-NA/US/Set-Up-Guides/Pro-Heater-Guidelines-pdf.pdf?la=en
 
They are much much cheaper on the big evil Amazon :)
I did have an issue with a 250 pro - entire black housing bulged and cracked lengthwise exposing the thermal packing and elements to the water. Fish didn't get electrocuted, heater kept heating (bubbles we're quite a view). Aqueon asked me for a picture, proof of purchase and sent me a new one. Can't remember if they wanted the old one or not.
 
They are much much cheaper on the big evil Amazon :)
I did have an issue with a 250 pro - entire black housing bulged and cracked lengthwise exposing the thermal packing and elements to the water. Fish didn't get electrocuted, heater kept heating (bubbles we're quite a view). Aqueon asked me for a picture, proof of purchase and sent me a new one. Can't remember if they wanted the old one or not.

Haha "big evil Amazon", I won't even go there. Ever order from Chewy? I found one there ($27) along with an air pump I will need for the Angel Bio Sponge.
 
So... just throwing an idea out there. I like the idea of running two heaters instead of one. If a heater fails when you have fish and you can't get to the store (don't heaters always fail on sundays nights? lol) then you have the other one to keep up, and likewise if one malfunctions to where it stays on constantly it won't cook your fish. I might go with one 50w and one 100w.

Years ago I made the mistake of only having one heater and not having a spare, and of course it did happen on a sunday at like 6:00 right when all the pet stores close. I did a couple pwcs with slightly warmer water to keep the temp up until I could get two new heaters... lol
 
That is a sensible idea. If I had fish right now I would have had to run out and pay full price for a heater. I kept my Top Fin 40 filter for "back up". 2 of everything!
 
I've actually been using one of those topfin filters for about 7 years. They aren't the greatest, but they work "ok". I got a 29g starter kit that came with one. For a long time I ran that filter and a aquaclear AC50 together. The aquaclear started making a bunch of noise (needed an impeller) so I decided to go the canister route. Now I have the topfin filter with the canister. I always run two filters for similar reasons as heaters. One fails, you have the other one still going at least...
 
Yes I definitely agree with the aqueon heater. I wish I knew about the warranty! I had one randomly explode on me years ago (thankfully no harm to fish) just weird sounds and smells! But I threw it away. Darn it that thing was expensive at petco lol!
 
Yup 2 heaters in most of my tanks - spreads out the work on those -30c/-22f days
 
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