Heating cables for substrate

[Dusty280]

I am starting to set up a 30 gallon planted tank. Some people have told me the tank will not last much more than a year without heating cables in the substrate. Any ideas about this?

 

[fort384]

I would skip it. I have tanks that have been running a lot longer than a year without a substrate heating system. The reviews are mixed at best, and I have seen at least 2 side by side comparison studies that lasted a year or more that showed no appreciable difference between a tank with a substrate heater, and a tank without (everything else about the setups were exactly the same).

The theory of why they work seems sound, but they really just don't make much difference.

 

[Dusty280]

Thanks. Did not really want to deal with the cables