Substrate Heating...

[JamesC]

They do nothing to help plants grow even though some manufacturers claim differently. I used one for about six months but then ripped it out and chucked it in the bin. Made no difference at all that I could see. One problem I found was that when the weather was really hot it used to raise the tank water to very high temperatures.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Another 'No' vote for the heating cable.

There is already enough essential items to spend your 'teenage budget' on, like do you have enough light ... 30 US gallons should have at least 60watts over it (preferably more) and what about ferts and CO2......

....... Oh and not forgetting some good quality plants !

 

[Gankutsuou]

I'd say if you had the money to do it and already had everything else you want, do it.

Other than that, no.

But I mean, if we're going with planters, we're usually going to have some extreem naturalist, so why not go with geothermic heating? It's still putting it out there, and of course we could always find another use for money

 

[George Farmer]

I've used substrate heating. I won't do so again.

There have very little/no benefit in a heavily planted tank. Spend the cash on filtration/lighting/CO2/substrate/plants/fish.

 

[excaliborg]

I use an undergravel heater, but this is a home made one. A large stainless steel sheet bent into a wedge, sat on the bottom of my tank. Inside this wedge is a standard aquarium heater.

Also lets me slope the substrate

 

[Themuleous]

If you used a solid sheet of metal, did the water and crap underneath turn anaerobic? That'll not only not help but make the situation for the plants worse!

Sam

 

[excaliborg]

If you used a solid sheet of metal, did the water and crap underneath turn anaerobic? That'll not only not help but make the situation for the plants worse!

Sam

Not sure mate, i mean there must be a small amount of water flow form underneath the metal due to convection current as there are gaps in the plate (covered with gravel though). I doubt fish waste can get down there though.

 

[Gankutsuou]

I hate to bring it back up...

but could it be because it's a realllly large tank? It might have a different effect in bigger tanks. right?

 

[thefirethief]

Good morning folks! Just going to throw my 2 pence in as Im in the same position, planning anew planted tank and been deliberating for some time over heating the substrate. Ive came to the conclusion that it is a good idea.

Apparently many 'hi tech' planted tanks with high lighting, CO2 injection and fertilizers but with no substate cables do amazingly for a few years but then go rapidly downhill with no real explanation.

However the water circulation from the substrate heating effectively washes out harmful allolochemicals and other inhibitors which build up in substrate over a few years. Its really a long term solution.

A majority of people seem to disagree with the need for substrate heating. This might be because its effects and advantages only really come into play after the aquarium has been established for a few years.

This is all from a lot of reading, and not from my own experience. Here is a decent article for it..... http/aquaticconcepts.thekrib.com/

 

[JamesC]

Fashions come and go. Substrate heating theory sounded good and so many people said it was a 'must have'. Problem was many people then discovered it made little/no difference and scrapped it. Take a look at the top plant growers - do any of them use substrate heating??? As long as you use a decent substrate you will get water circulation anyway.