INLINE HEATERS

[SpeshulEd]

Thanks for the heads up on the stealth heaters...I was looking for something solid black...the cheapie glass one that came with my tank will be replaced shortly.

I don't think I'm ready for an inline heater yet...but it'll be a consideration for my next, BIGGER, tank!

 

[revkkoolaid]

Back to Nature. Easier to give a link than try to describe it. LOL. I didn't buy, I made my own.

http://www.backtonature.se/english/montera_amazonas.html

http://www.greenstouch.com/articles_background.htm

Ah ok I gotcha. We do similar installations in some of our aquariums. . .just on a much larger scale.

 

[revkkoolaid]

And how does the inline suddenly not break either? In other words all heaters can break... I personally stick with stealth. (I guess ideally if I was really worried I would have a separate thermometer controlling the power strip to the heater.

An inline could break. . . but typically not fry your tank. . Its ridiculous to say something can't break. But it's another thing all together to step back and look at the big picture and look at the frequency of incidents surrounding a certain style of equip. and weigh the cost against the risk .
That being said an external inline heater has an extremely low risk of cooking a tank. . .compared to most subs. . .esp glass ones.

I will say that Marineland's "thermal plastic" used in the stealths is a step in the right direction and for hobbyists on a budget, esp out of the availlable heaters at Petco/smart, it's a "better" choice than the rest.I haven't seen too many stealths fry tanks. Come to think I've only seen a stealth involved in failures twice that I can remember. That's a pretty good track record compared to countless times I've seen the competition's heaters fail.

 

[hillbilly]

They seem like a good idea. I've never used one, but it seems ideal in setups with a canister filter. All my small tanks have sponge filters, and larger tanks have had titanium heaters in the sumps on Ranco controllers for years.

 

[ikevi]

An inline could break. . . but typically not fry your tank.

What will stop it? If it gets stuck on like a normal heater it will fry the tank just as well...

But it's another thing all together to step back and look at the big picture and look at the frequency of incidents surrounding a certain style of equip. and weigh the cost against the risk .
That being said an external inline heater has an extremely low risk of cooking a tank. . .compared to most subs. . .esp glass ones.

Yes and no. Sure you only want to buy heaters that are known to be good. (IE stealth.) But you also have to weigh in how many people actually use said items. (In other words if there are only ~10,000 inline heaters being used, while there are 100,000 of the normal type I expect to hear 10 times more problems with the normal heaters...

 

[dwilder]

all i can say is try the hydor inline and youll love it

 

[WaterPredators]

I heard many good things about these type of heaters.

 

[fishyjoe26]

the ebo jager are also good, but I notice. that if they are really old 5+ years and you tap on them, it will cause them to flicker on and off.

 

[revkkoolaid]

What will stop it? If it gets stuck on like a normal heater it will fry the tank just as well...

Like I said. Anything can break. You seem to have missed my point. I'm focusing on the fact that given the number of electrical components in any submersible heater that have the potential to come in contact with water and "short out" is some manner and electrocute the aquarium vs the amount exposure to comprable potentially hazardous components in a Hydor inline heater the risk of electrocution is drasticly lower.

Even trace amounts of stray voltage can wreak havoc on certain fish species. I.e. lateral line erosions.

As for thermostats sticking and overheating a tank . . .of course that could happen to an inline heater. But given the decent construction by Hydor and the fact that no wear comes to the heater from being left on out of the water on occasion (as everyone will do inevitably at some point lol) or from battery in the tank from large fish or deco mishaps etc. . .there's alot less chance of failure. And again w/ so many compenents well shielded from the water there is drasticly less chance of failure.

Yes and no. Sure you only want to buy heaters that are known to be good. (IE stealth.) But you also have to weigh in how many people actually use said items. (In other words if there are only ~10,000 inline heaters being used, while there are 100,000 of the normal type I expect to hear 10 times more problems with the normal heaters...

I'm not just basing my opinions on submersible heaters on hearsay and a lack of ill reports from the chosen few who have inline heaters. Much of my admiration of this product is from professional use in the field of it side by side w/ several leading submersibles. (Stealth, Ebo-jager, Hydor,Titanium & Stainless steel). We have thousands of pieces of submersible equipment in almost any kind of tank situation/sceneraio you can think of. We've been fielding hydor inlines for almost 2yrs now I honestly have never seen one fail.

Now for discussions sake I've never had a stainless/titanium sub heater fail either. At home or in the field. I have had one particular stainless heater for almost ten years and still kicking) But one important safety feature of inlines I can't praise enough is the removal the unavoidable weak point in all sub. heaters . . cord attachment. Theres always better versions of a turd sandwich but just because you get the footlong it's still a turd sandwich. IMO you never want a cord in the water if you don't have to. It's kind of common sense and goes for all aquarium electrical equipment. Esp pumps & powerheads. I've seen just as many fried tanks from powerheads (probably more than heaters) over the years in retail and the hobby.

Couple the safety features with reasonable cost and outstanding performance and I feel hydor's inline is a commendable product. As much as an improvement as subs were over HOB heaters.

 

[Zum14]

I really like the design of the hydors, but how do you deal with the fact that the largest plumbing they work with is 5/8"? I like 300W but im running dual 300W heaters on my tank with an FX5 and it works with 1" plumbing, i just couldnt restrict the plumbing like that, i realize flow through 2 5/8" lines are more then a single 1" but there has to be a slight restriction to them, miniscule if it is but still something. I chose to build my own remote canister, both cords are out of water eliminating that, i realize the chance of sticking on is not reduced but this to me was the best i could deal with without running a maze of plumbing and multiple inline hydors to deal with the flow requirements of the tank. Unless im completely wrong and there are larger hydors that i have not found yet... (and incase your wondering, yes that is a piece of margarine container, the heaters are held in with silicone and a compression fitting but i just wanted a little extra security, so i made a "strap" out of a container, glued and clamped it in, helps me sleep at night.... haha.)