Heate's keep breaking?

[subliminalanarchy]

I run into weird questions all the time, so I figure I'm going to start posting the ones I can't figure out online for you guys. So ya this question isn't really for me, it's from someone who was asking me earlier today.

This guy has gone through his now 4th submersible glass heater and can't figure out why they keep on breaking. They all end up either cracked or not working. This last one was cracked and when he went to touch it, it burned his finger, he showed me it.

I asked him if he was keeping the heater totally submerged at all times, particularly during water changes. He said he keeps it at the very bottom of the tank horizontally.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm clueless.

 

[neilanh]

As for the breakage, it doesn't take a whole lot of force to crack them, so it may be something he's doing during maintenance that's causing that.

Have him consider trying a Visi-therm stealth. They're not glass and won't break.

 

[tyspot1000]

What brand of heater is it? I have heard Certain brands of heaters are not the best and break easily, But Ive never really had it happen to me, sooo, Wait for more input.

Tyler

 

[dkpate]

I have had 3 heaters crap out on me, all Marineland, but they have a lifetime warranty so you always get a replacement from them.
If you can find the Stealth heater that has the red dial on the top, rather than the one that has the lighted dial, they work better and last longer in my experience.

 

[subliminalanarchy]

I think it was an aqueon heater but I'm not positive. I haven't seen the stealth one's before but I did suggest he get a metal heater this time instead. I'll ask if he's just knocking it around lol

 

[dkpate]

The Stealth's are actually plastic.

 

[i3k]

What kind of fish does he have? Maybe the fish are slamming the heaters against the sidewalls? I've had this problem in my 100gal. My columbian sharks are wild, especially at feeding time, and they would slap the heater with their tails. I've had two glass heaters crack from all that tail slapping. I switched to a metal heater with an external temperature control. Haven't had a problem since.

 

[paulinIndy]

I agree with the lat post, go for a metal heater. A long time ago, I got a mild electric shock afer I broke a heater during tank maintenance. I now use a Via Aqua titanium heater, good for salt water too, has a seperate temp probe and control unit, stays on 100% until the set point is reached, so keeps water at the correct temperature quicker and more accurately. As a bonus, quite cheap for what you get.

 

[subliminalanarchy]

Well i looked up the stealth and I think that's actually what I recommended the guy haha so it was plastic not metal...

And he had assorted african cichlids around 5".