Submersable Heater Under Gravel

[andywg]

I don't have a an internal filter, as mentioned, I have a sump filter.

My point is I don't like this blanket "don't put heaters in gravel or they will blow up" statement going on here and no-one questioning why this can even happen.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Goodness, arguements get really heated, don't they? I've got a spare slightly pants 25w heater, a few spare filters, lots of gravel and spare tanks. I'm sure I'll get bored and try it, if it explodes, I'll let you have the priveledge of telling andy he's wrong. And that's something you rarely get to do....

 

[chrismr]

Sorry if I sounded snippy. Jsut been one of those weeks and like that with everyone right now.

Not exactly sure how sumps work, but can't you just put the heater in that?

 

[andywg]

You can put the heater in the sump, and I do. My interest in this thread, as stated before, is this claim that heaters will explode and destroy themselves if placed in gravel. I for one would like to see some evidence and a theory as to how this occurs.

 

[moeldner]

I'll have a bash at a thoery - this is how it was explained to e once before (can't remember the source sorry).

A heater touching gravel is more likely to cause "hot spots" in the gravel that are warmer than the rest of the gravel around it. A glass heater not in the gravel (I.e. surrounded by water only) will cool down fairly evenly.

In a hearter buried in the gravel, a hot spot in the gravel may cause the glass to remain hotter in one part of the heter while the rest is cooling. This may cause it to crack or shatter.

Just my 2c and happy to be proven wrong if my theory makes no sense.

 

[Tolak]

I don't know about exploding, I do know it won't work properly.

I've got a collection of cheap heaters from doing upgrades, literally 2 tons of gravel in the dog run, and spare powerheads. As I don't think broken heater glass is a good idea in a glass tank, I'll set up a bucket of gravel, add a cheap heater & powerhead.