Heater Recommendations

[gwand32 149]

looking for an aquarium heater that prevents runaway overheating during a malfunction.

 

[MattW33 149]

I've only ever had one brand of heater since keeping tropicals, thankfully with no malfunctions. The issue is that the brand is not available stateside.

Could a smart plug help in this instance? I swear some of the more expensive plugs have volt/wattage readers and will turn off if there is an overload.

 

[bgarthe33 51]

I use Finnex HMX Titanium Heaters (set at 77-78F degrees) powered by a Blueline Controller that shuts off the power should the temp exceed 83F degrees. Interestingly I have had great success using all ten of my heaters.

 

[gwand32 149]

I use Finnex HMX Titanium Heaters (set at 77-78F degrees) powered by a Blueline Controller that shuts off the power should the temp exceed 83F degrees. Interestingly I have had great success using all ten of my heaters.

Thanks. Do you remember where you purchased the Blueline controller?

 

[bgarthe33 51]

Unfortunately I believe they are no longer made new as I called the company. One has to find used ones.

 

[bgarthe33 51]

Here is a good vid explaining how to do what you want with a regular Inkbird unit. When I have to replace a Blueline, I will alter my thinking and setup to do it as in the vid. Atm….it is not how I do mine w the Bluelines. Doing your set up as he suggests will protect the tank from overheating.

 

[gimme30]

+1 on the inkbird, they're an effective and inexpensive failsafe. As for brand I don't think it matters much anymore since everything's landfill-ready right out of the package, I'd stick with the more well-known brands, only because the Chinese units I've tried fluctuate more than I (or the fish) like.

 

[GaryE]

This is heater failure season, by the way. I don't know why, technically, and I have only personal experience/anecdotes to offer. But when we have had a hot summer and if we leave our heaters plugged in during a long stretch when they're unnecessary, 'sticks' (ie, fish soup) seem to happen when they are needed again. I haven't had a heater go haywire since I moved here to the cool coast, but my tanks haven't gotten above 25 in summer. When they used to get much warmer for weeks in the hot interior climate, September was when I would put them back in. I would remove them at the start of summer.

Before I did that, a lot of heaters of all brands seemed to stick on from August to October.

It sounds like superstition as I write it. I'll choose seasonal wariness though. I was given a box of about 30 mixed brand heaters from a place that no longer needed them. All had been used short term. Over about 15 years, the numbers have been whittled down, by them shutting off rather than overheating. From around 30, a dozen still work. I find the pattern with the fluvals and eheims (the last ones standing) is that they cease to be adjustable in time. They lock at a temperature and that's what you get. I mark them with tape on the cords - I have a 23.5, 24 and 25s, a few 26s and some barely functional 27s and 20s. I don't need those temperatures.

The 23.5c ones are over 25 years old, and are eheims I bought myself. I don't use controllers and would if the heaters were in use a lot. I've gradually reduced the number of tanks where the fish must have high heat (I define that as about 24c) instead, so I use very few heaters.

So, if my anecdotal approach developed over 50 years of many tanks holds any water, whatever you buy, consider managing the use if you get a pattern of failure like this. Unplug them when the temperatures become hot.