Ideal Heater (for 55 Gal.) !?

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fhqwhgads

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 29, 2004
Messages
21
Location
Hawaii
Hello out there...I'm no expert in the aquarium keeping hobby and don't know too much as far as quality of the various products out there. I've recently set up a 55 Gal tank and have everything I need for it but a heater. I've looked up some name brands and was thinking about purchasing a Hagen...anyone out there know if they're any good? Or if there is a brand that would be better? I've been recommended a Hagen Thermal but I would like to hear more options/opinions before I decide. A few of the fish (including my black ghost knife) in my tank would probably really appreciate a higher temperature for their well-being. Oh, this brings me to another question (might as well as at the same time)...about the black ghost knifefish...how fragile are these guys when they're young (size being about 5 cm tops)? I've been reading up on them but all the information I seem to find pertains to larger sized one's that probably aren't as sensitive. Either that or the information I've encountered has left me more confused because the facts are so diverse. Really appreciate it. Thanks all.
 
Though I am sure there may be other more effecient ways out there..if you have to use a small heating unit.. I say that you picked a pretty good brand.

I have almost all hagen Compacts running my tanks. I have some Ebos in the 40.
I personally, have had horrendous luck with many popular and cheap brands. Bad luck with some not so cheap too.
As far as a submersible goes , I have one 100w Preset that is always 6 degrees cooler than thge setting. The Ebos are the same way though.
Compact 25w are the ONLY heater I'd chance in my mini tanks.
With only one unit not working 100% as advertiused, and the prices and the ability to subnerse....hagen is a great deal.
I am going to research in-line heating options later for my big 170 tanks. I just do not want a shoal of small heaters swimming submersed on the back wall! I rather have fish! I also do not like the idea of having single heaters of high wattage. When you look at how they are designed..eyie!
Replacement of a heater gets to be less a deal when the tank is so huge....it means high dollar losses in a disaster.

Hope that helps!
 
Most of Hagen's aquarium products are pretty good. If I were to pick a specific type for a 55 gallon, I would go with one of two, either a Tronic, which is made by Hagen, or an Ebo Jagger. If you didnt want to spend the amount that Tronics and Ebos sell for, my next choice would be a ThermalCompact Pre-Set, also made by Hagen, they're quite a bit cheaper than Tronics and Ebos, but still a good heater.
 
I agree with Don. I've a 250W Ebo in each of my 55gals and so far they've been accurate and trouble free. I just got a deal on some Won titanium Pro-Heats. This is supposed to be the ultimate in heater technology. I'll let everyone know how they fare.
 
Thank you all :) I've been asking around and found that alot of people seem to like both brands equally. I've also heard a pretty good amout about the Ebo Jagars. Guess it's between the those two brands. Personally I'm not picky about price (although good deals are great to come by)...I just want my fishies to be happy with a good environment. Not to mention now days it doesn't necessarily mean the more pricey it is the better. Guess I'll have wait till my LFS has one of those in stock...there's not really much places to purchase aquarium products in my area. Does anyone happen to know a respectable site online to purchase aquarium supplies? There's been many places I've found but I'd rather get some advice about that too. Sorry...there's always so much questions that I have. :? Still in the learning process. Thanks a bunch for all your help. :turn-l:
 
Thank you all :) I've been asking around and found that alot of people seem to like both brands equally. I've also heard a pretty good amout about the Ebo Jagars. Guess it's between the those two brands. Personally I'm not picky about price (although good deals are great to come by)...I just want my fishies to be happy with a good environment. Not to mention now days it doesn't necessarily mean the more pricey it is the better. Guess I'll have wait till my LFS has one of those in stock...there's not really much places to purchase aquarium products in my area. Does anyone happen to know a respectable site online to purchase aquarium supplies? There's been many places I've found but I'd rather get some advice about that too. Sorry...there's always so much questions that I have. :? Still in the learning process. Thanks a bunch for all your help. :turn-l:
 
Heh, even those of us who have been here a while have lots of questions. As long as one learns something from em, I say keep em coming!
 
fhqwhgads,

I don't use anything other than Ebo-Jagers on my tanks, they are some of the best heaters that money can buy, and the most consistent temperaturewise with very few incidences of malfunction. I also would recommend a 250w for your size tank.

There are 2 places that I highly recommend for online aquarium shopping :

www.bigalsonline.com is a huge favorite amongst most aquarists who shop for their supplies on line, as is

www.aquabid.com where you place a bid for your products and I have found can be even more cost-effective than Big Al's at times. I was able to get heaters for all of my tanks for just pennies from Kensfish, who is a seller on AquaBid that I personally have dealt with and have had excellent service with.
 
I've switched to all EBO's in my tanks after having real bad luck with sticking, leaking and otherwise failing other brands.

I would have gone with titanium's but they are not available in Canada. (ZtUpId gov regulations :( )
 
I use two smaller heaters in my 40 gallon; that way if one fails the other can work doubletime to keep the tank warm and if it goes bonkers it is not powerful enough to boil my fish (I'm am paranoid)
And I am sooo paranoid because that tank happens to have one of out two most favorite fish..Dutch the baby The Black Ghost Knife.

Dutch was very small at the start of the year. He is now over 7 inches.
(I heard they like clean water..I keep it so anyway. I have everyone at a toasty F80 in this house) They fare badly when small if fin nippers are in the tank. They have no back up locomotion if the bottom fin gets ruined. They are much more congenial than their Clown and Brown counterparts (mine is overly so). They are lurking predators unlike their counterparts..so it is a case of one less fish in the morning.
I hear that they can eat prey that is very large in comparison. Mine refuses anything less than a dainty bit (the betta went into the hidey hole and STOLE the scallop piece right out of his mouth...and kept its fins!)
If you want neat info go to the university experiments about electric fish. :)
 
Nothing paranoid there, that is what started my run of bad luck with heaters, one that stuck on over a long weekend last summer and toasted the tank.

Then the heater I replaced it with leaked :( but at least it diden't kill of the tank again.
 
Yes, I agree that I'm very paranoid also. You aren't the only one CHristmasfish. :? Heating is a factor that can make or break an aquarium...not to mention all the fish in it. I've taken into consideration all the horrible stories of people having a bad heater and it just ruining their tank and community within it. However I don't think that with the weather being so unpredictable here (with the cold days and nights due to rain weather) that I could have my tank prosper without having something to neutralize the conditions and make the temperature stable.
I too have a black ghost (no name yet)...and he is indeed one of the more 'special' fish to me. Well to tell you the truth...right now he's in a five gallon hex (WalMart special...) because it's easier to keep the temperature stable, which is needed at his young and tender age (he's only about 2 in. at the most which causes me more concern.) Not the best hoursing trust me but I will be introducing him to his proper home (a 55 gal.) when he is bigger. I've been trying to look for one of those ghost house things for him with no luck, the poor thing is living in a japanese pagoda ornament, which he likes for some reason. Pretty cute, but again not the best choice in housing. Christmasfish...when your black ghost was young what did you feed it? I've been thowing in some baby brine but I'm not too sure if he's even been eating. It's been about a week since I got him and he seems healthy still...err...must be doing something right I guess. I've really had some bad luck with these fish.
 
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