Heaters

[wontonflip]

I was just going to get the Tetra brand heater. I've been using that brand for a long time even in my freshwater days, and haven't had problems with it over the years.

I was planning to purchase 2 heaters for the tank. Do any of you heat your tanks just from the sump? Is that counter productive? If I heat the sump water, it should spread evenly since I have 2 return hoses. Any thoughts on this? I've never tried this method, and it's a large tank.

 

[daugherty]

you can do that or you can put the heaters in each overflow

 

[wontonflip]

Does it work, though? It would be great because I'd rather it not be in the main tank if I can help it because the way the tank is set up, instead of one length back against the wall, it's one of the shorter sides that's against the wall. So it would look weird to see a wire going up the dispaly tank.

 

[daugherty]

yes it works when i had a heater i always put it in my sump

 

[wontonflip]

So do you get a heater rated for the sump's size, or the tank's size?

 

[daugherty]

i always got two small ones if i needed a 200w heater i would get 2 100w ones. but yes get a heater that is rated for your total volume of water tank and sump but get two smaller ones that way if on stick on it is not enough to cook the tank or if one will not turn on the other one will still keep the temp from droping to low

 

[dcantucson]

Yes get 2 instead of 1
I can tell you all about boiling your tank!

 

[wontonflip]

Hehehe...yeah I remember when your heater went on the fritz.

So I'm looking around and so far, I've seen heaters that are 300w...I found a 500watt one (titanium), so I could get a 200watt one to pair w/ it....dunno.

I'm worried about the heater frying my sump. It's a rubbermaid tub lol. I'll have to watch my tank/sump over the next few days to see how low the water gets. The good thing about the titanium, is it will auto shut off if taken out of water. Sometimes I think I overthink things lol

 

[Ted]

Have you posted a pic of your sump? I would love to see it. I have been thinking of using one for a sump. :D

 

[wontonflip]

Have you posted a pic of your sump? I would love to see it. I have been thinking of using one for a sump. :D

Yep....there's tons of pics of my tank's plumbing on my build thread. But here's the sump:

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww227/wontonflip/125gallon/DSC03762.jpg


I'm actually going to redo the intake bucket. Don't know how yet. I may yet switch to a 50g tank for a sump w/ baffles. We'll see.

If I put the heater in the sump near the return pump, I'd have to hope nothing causes that section to get low water and pop my heater...or worse, the heater might melt the plastic and make a huge hole...not to mention pollute the tank w/ chemicals from the melted plastic....OK I'm switching to a glass aquarium LOL

 

[bjohanson1234]

The heater wont melt the sump as long as it is not physically touching it. The water will disipate the heat before it can get so hot that it melts it. But the glass on the heater can be significantly hoter than the water. I had an Oscar that got stuck between the heater and the glass in my fresh water days. He had a huge scare on his side from being burnt by the glass on the heater.

 

[yote]

I hung my heaters in my overflows.Well actually both heaters are in the same overflow,but there on a controller so it dont matter.

 

[sen5241b]

The titanium heaters tend ot be better IMHO.

 

[daugherty]

i have a tronic one that i have had for a while and it has been a good heater

 

[project5k]

i put my heater in the tripple baffels of my sump, that way there is allways water flowing over it....