Replacing Heaters

[SPLiSH]

How often should you replace a heater? We all know that over time electrical appliances can break, and a broken heater could boil your fish. I am paranoid about my fishie's safety... I am sure I am not alone here!

So what is the general opinion? After how long should heaters be replaced?

 

[Rodders]

When it breaks. I've never done mine.

 

[nurglespuss]

have a spare one ready of the same type, already set/tested so it heats to the same temperature.

alternatively, if you have a nice size tank, put in 2 heaters, that way if one ever dies your tank is fine until you replace it. (if a heater over heats[this has only happened to me once] unfortunately most of your fish will snuff it pretty quickly).

 

[Coomon10]

have a spare one ready of the same type, already set/tested so it heats to the same temperature.

alternatively, if you have a nice size tank, put in 2 heaters, that way if one ever dies your tank is fine until you replace it. (if a heater over heats[this has only happened to me once] unfortunately most of your fish will snuff it pretty quickly).

Like the spare idea (god i need more cash!)

Surely having 2 heaters only works if you are worried that the heater breaking causes the temp to drop too low? Otherwise if one was breaking and overheating the tank the other one is useless, in this case having 2 heaters just doubles the risk of overheating.

Not sure which scenario (i.e. the heater just not working or going to overheat is most likely though )

 

[SmileyMan]

How big a tank? If big check temp every morning/night

If small every time you walk past

Two heaters while a good idea is not fool proff, I had two in mine and was away a few days and BOTH failed (Yes BOTH) leaving me with tank of dead fish except one syno. (Who still going strong). Of the dead fish there where 5 clown loaches (2 @ 8" 3 @ 6") my fave fish, Was not happy the biggest ones (Spot and stripe) I had for YEARS and never left each others side

 

[Coomon10]

that is such a shame i love clowns and they are great characters in the tank

So did both the heater fail and shoot the temp too high then?

 

[SPLiSH]

Thanks guys.

I was more worried about it overheating... like the thermostat breaks and the temp goes up and up... and I return home from school to a tank full of fried fish.

Anyone know the likelihood of this happening?

 

[demonmagus]

when the guarantee runs out

 

[skiltrip]

i wonder if there is a such a thing, if not, i'm sure someone with college engineering class experience could build one...

a simple temp sensor placed in the corner of the tank hooked up to an outlet I/O switcher placed between the heaters power plug and the wall outlet.

If the temp reaches say... 85 (or whatever temp you consider Redzone), it shuts off the bridge so no more power gets to the heater. Of course have the switch built so once it trips it needs to be manually reset so it won't come back on. the fishes have a much better chance surviving through chilly room temp then boiled do to a faulty heater.

I'm just thinking out loud.

 

[SmileyMan]

that is such a shame i love clowns and they are great characters in the tank

So did both the heater fail and shoot the temp too high then?

Nope froze to death

 

[Jules H-T]

The first thing is to run suitable sized heaters. Don't heat a 20G with a 350W heater, because if the thermostat goes south you'll have a tank of fish soup on your hands in no time.

I'd personally run two heaters rated for the size of tank you actually have, or just below. Take weather conditions into account (i.e. someone in Alaska may have different needs to someone in Thailand).

If either of your barely adequate heaters breaks, the other should just about be able to maintain the temperature. If one goes into overdrive, it will not be capable of pushing the temp too high.

Secondly, those "stick on the outside" strip type thermometers are no good for reliably and accurately monitoring temperature. Having said that though, you might find that using one in additional to a decent thermometer may be useful as an alarm to check the proper thermometer. You'll get used to the shade it should be, and will spot a variation of more than 2 or 3 degrees quite easily.

Finally, have a spare. It's no good spotting your tank overheating at 19:00 just as the shop shuts, only to remove it and have all your fish die of cold overnight.