External Heaters

[hanny93]

I'm planning a new set up, and because I hate having things like heaters floating around my tank I looked at external heaters.

For near enough £40 they're obviously a lot more expensive than the internal heaters I have been looking at, so are they worth the extra £20?

Do they heat the water more efficiently?
What are they like i the long run, do they break easily?

Any first hand info would be excellent!

 

[tenohfive]

I've got one on order for my new (100G) tank, and they do seem quite well regarded. I think the fact that they guarantee the circulation of heat means they work more efficiently, although some of the appeal for me is simply having it hidden.

 

[hanny93]

Would you just need one aswell, because the water is being heated evenly in the pipe sort of?

I can't stand having heaters in the tank where you can see them. I suppose I'm lucky that my mum chose a tank with a built in heater/filter casing so it's always been hidden!

 

[tenohfive]

The whole point (if I've understood it correctly) is that rather than trying to position a heater in the flow of a filter outlet to ensure the warm water is well circulated, by having an external in the piping it guarantee's that it will be directly in the flow and that warm water will be circulated around your tank by your external filter.

Personally I'm going to run a 250W normal heater and the 300W external, but if the external works as well as I'm hoping then I'll be replacing the internal further down the line with a second external.

 

[hanny93]

So for a 240 litre tank (52 imp gallons)I should be okay with just one external 300W?

I'll keep my internal in just incase but if it works I'll be happy as larry!

 

[Westwood]

I have a rena smart heater, sort of the same, as long as you have a external filter. It gives quite a "clean" look.

 

[tenohfive]

So for a 240 litre tank (52 imp gallons)I should be okay with just one external 300W?

I'll keep my internal in just incase but if it works I'll be happy as larry!

I believe that would be plenty, on the website I bought mine from they advertise them as for up to 82G.

 

[hanny93]

Ah excellent!

Have you got any preference of filters by any chance out of:
TetraTec EX700
Fluval 305
AquaOne Canister Filter 1050 Advance

Or if it's really worth it the Fluval FX5 but it's really way out of my price range.

Ps thanks for the help and advice!