What is the BEST heater available!

atcguy · #1 03-10-2008, 03:27 PM

I use the titanium rods two hooked up to my aquatronica controller so if one ever failed I would still get heat. I dont run a chiller so I do slowly climb throughout the day but only by a few degrees; Cant go wrong with the controller doing all the work over the crappy thermostats in the heaters

littlesilvermax · #2 03-10-2008, 04:09 PM

This is gonna seem unconventional, but I am 100% serious.

What is the best heater?

Another pump! I don't have heaters in my tank. Why spend money on heating, when you can spend money on a pump that will both heat the water and circulate it. They both will go through electricity. If you want you could even put the pump on a temp controller.

Think about it.

atcguy · #3 03-10-2008, 05:49 PM

I disagree with another pump . while another pump can add heat to the water . If you have any decent water volume in your tank it wont do. and to turn you pump on when the temp. drops sounds a little crazy to me. a titanium heating rod in the sump is the best bet. Avoid glass if you can , if they break they pollute your h2o.

dsaundry · #4 03-10-2008, 09:12 PM

I like my stealth's

VFX · #5 03-10-2008, 09:17 PM

I like my Stealth's too.

The only shock my I ever got from them was when I saw how cheap they are in Canada compared to the UK

.

littlesilvermax · #6 03-11-2008, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atcguy

I disagree with another pump . while another pump can add heat to the water . If you have any decent water volume in your tank it wont do.

Just cause I am the only one that thinks in this efficient way does not mean that it is wrong.

My Reefflo Hammerhead adds 6 degrees to my 330 gallon system.

My smaller 100 watt pumps add about 1 degree each. My system is very steady between 78 and 80 degrees.

It is OK though, I can be the only advanced one right now.

Myka · #7 03-11-2008, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlesilvermax

It is OK though, I can be the only advanced one right now.

LMAO!! I think most reefers are micro-managers and can't handle NOT having a heater...

mseepman · #8 03-11-2008, 04:09 AM

I tend to agree with Myka on the micro-manage statement. That's why we love redundancy.

JHG · #9 03-29-2008, 12:24 AM

Ebo Jaeger is definitely the cream of the crop. I've used and have Jaeger heaters that very old but still reliable, plus the glass is very strong. I also like the Pro-heat Titanium heaters for use with big fish that have a tendency to aquascape and move large rocks around. A friend of mine, buried his titaniium in the substrate of his planted FW tank and had great results with his plants, plus the heater was hidden. Not sure if I would do this, but if it works...

Dale · #10 03-11-2008, 04:32 AM

I like your thinking LSM

Experimenting in my fishroom I could raise and sustain my tank temp 5*F simply by using a submersible pump.
In that case I was trying to remove heat inputs from a coldwater system (200 gallons) and tested inline vs submersible return pumps.

The key for most tropical systems would be turning off the pump when the temp rose during the day due to lighting heat inputs and (as suggested) running the pump on a thermostat would solve that. It's not such a far out idea actually (and shouldn't be knocked) but it does require thinking, which is always more difficult than just going out and buying... something.

I have a box of faulty heaters in my garage (collected from clients tanks) and, unfortunately, all the brands seem to be represented. I personally use Ebo Jaegers as they are an established brand and seem to be well made (ala Volvo) but even one or two of them are in "the box".

Please check out my used heater FS post in the buy and sell section