Why do all heaters suck and break!!! Arg!!!!

pacmann117

pacmann117

New member
So it's finals week for me, and im sitting here making some notecards for spinal anatomy. I look over at my tank and it looks a little weird. I walk over, stick my finger in to see if everything is cool, and the water is F***ing 84 degrees!!!! What the hell! Heater is set to 75! Crappy aqueon 50W heater. So I turn the knob to 68, take it out of the water and it literally begins smoking and melting before I could trace the plug back and unplug it. Luckily, I had 5 gallons of water that I had bought earlier in the week, and had simply been too lazy to take the time to do a water change. So I swapped out 5 gallons, and the temp evened out around 75ish. Lucky break.

Jesus christ. I am POSITIVE that my tank would have been killed if I hadn't noticed it. I'd say the heater had been malfunctioning for only a few hours, as it looked fine this morning, and I had my hands in it to mount a frag.

Sooooo. I need to get a replacement 50W heater, and I'm not about to get a controller for an 8 gallon tank (although maybe i should... :heh:). Any recommendations? Anyone had a similar problem? I wouldn't be opposed to getting a titanium heater or something premium, but I've seen those fail too. I just don't want my tank to crash because of something as stupid as a heater. Do you guys replace your heaters regularly? This heater had been in my tank since I worked at Midwest Coral Farms, which was a few years ago... never had a problem with it.

ARG!!!!!
 
I had 2 JBJ true temps malfunction on me. The last one cooked my SPS tank a few months back.
I would definitely get a heater with its own internal sensor, then a controller, so you have a backup sensor.
 
yeah, I know i should probably get a controller for redundancy. It just seems a little excessive for an 8 gallon tank. What are you using now?
 
I'm using a Cobalt Aquatics heater, which has a really good reputation, and using my Reef Keeper as a back up controller.
 
I've always read/heard Eheim jagers are the most reliable/next reputation. J just purchased 1 for my 75 but haven't received it yet.
 
Although my aqueon pro's have never failed (I have 6 of them), I still don't trust any heater.
I always want at least one failsafe for anything that has the potential to decimate my tank.
Apex ftw.
 
A controller would prevent the problem you are having.

8g or not, a tank is a tank and is expensive to keep safe.
 
Ebo Jager, FTW! mine have failed, but only failed in the off position and after years of use. I better go get a new one now.
 
I had two ebo jagers go out as well. They were even running on my apex. Eheim did replace them for me for free though. I've heard great things about the Cobalt Neo-Therms...
 
i use jager heaters on a controller, even on my 9g pico. look at the stc-1000. i just found out about it from madJoe, and its great. try that. maybe $30 to build with parts and you got a temp controller.
 
I also use a controller to monitor temp, even when I had a 14g tank. The longer that goes by, and the more established your tank becomes, and the bigger and brighter your corals grow the more the value of your tank increases. I use a controller to prevent all of that value from relying on the performance of a $30 heater.
 
Been running two Hydor Theo heaters in my sump (controlled by apex, FTW) for 1 1/2 years without an issue. I am going to be purchasing another one to have as a backup. I try to keep a backup of essential/critical equipment on hand in case of emergency (have a brand new return pump in the box ready to go). You're doing yourself, as well as your tank, a disservice by not doing so. It's not a matter of if, but instead a matter of when a piece of equipment will fail.
 
I guess im the lucky one, i had my original 2 heaters break, lights would be on but they wouldnt put out any heat, i switched to aqueon pro's now for the last year and a half now and havent had any issues yet. /fingers crossed
 
Mike thats the one that just broke in my tank after 2 years!!!

I guess ill pick up a new heater, and pick up a controller, I'm sure i can find one on the cheap if i dig around.

Thanks for the input.
 
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