Heater Opinions

[SkinnyPete]

My stupid heaters have been giving me trouble (I forget the brand - but they STINK!). They seem to come on and never shut off. Both seem to be acting up at the same time - which is odd. I have a digital thermometer and another as a backup... They kept coming on when temp was 78 or 79, I kept lowering them and lowering them until now they are set to 75. Well, came home from work to find them both on, and the temp on the tank was 82.1.

Sorry - I'm venting. Can anyone recommend a good brand of heater? I need to grab two this week before I fry my tank!

Thanks.

- Skins

[Brenden]

I have four of the Visi-Therm stealth heaters. I have never had a problem with them. Like all these type heaters the temp settings have to be adjusted because the temperature marked is just a guess.

[robertfah]

I have four of the Visi-Therm stealth heaters. I have never had a problem with them.

I agree. I've got 4 of them as well and they work great. B4, my temp used to fluctuate about 2 or 3 degrees at night, but now, it's never more than .3-.5 degrees.

Great heaters.

[afilter]

Love my WON w/ digital thermostate and seperate probe.

http://www.ereeftank.com/cart/catalo...e_1_c_151.html

I bought my 250w at LFS for $31. Very easy to set and adjust and has the titaanium heating element so no cahnce of accidental breakage.

[pkremer]

Another vote for the Visi-Therm stealth. I am noticing a very constant temp with it.

Paul

[SkinnyPete]

So, would 2 250w be good enough for about 140g of total water?

[robertfah]

So, would 2 250w be good enough for about 140g of total water?

Yeah, that's what I've got on my 155g and they work great. The other 2 heaters I use for water storage units.

Like Brian said, the gauge on them is really a guess at best. I found that if I kep both my heaters on 79 (with the little arrow pointing to the 7) then I maintain temps of 79.5 and 80 when the lights come on.

Foster & Smith have got them super cheap compared to other stores and your LFS (unless they are having a sale).

[zuzecawi]

I like the Visi-Therms as well. Found them at the LFS as an accident, and my water temp (even with halides) maintains within 1 degree 24-7 now. I run two... one on my sump and one in my overflow. The Big Project Tank will probably have three of the 250w's.

WON Pro-Heat is the best you'll ever find.. Gotta love the external thermostat..

[SkinnyPete]

Thanks all - my temp was over 82 last night, so I slowly turned my heater down until the light went off. It eventually went off at 76. I woke up this morning, my temp was 77.1 and the heater wasn't even on. I turned it slowly until the light came on (didn't take much - in fact still kind of set to 76) I checked it at lunch, my temp was 81.6 - and the heater was still on. So, basically it comes on when I TURN it on and stays on until I shut it off!

It's garbage, I tell you - GARBAGE!

Thanks to all that responded though.

- Skins

[melosu58]

Temps are not as big a deal as temp swings. All of us keep it at different temps, but the swings will be what is harmful like you are experiencing

[revhtree]

Def. go with a Titanium heater. I lost alot of stock to a glass heater.