Which heater's?!

[fishcam]

Well its getting a little chilly for the tank, and I'm not really trusting my current heater at this point (a used stealth).

 

My question to everyone is: What are the nice brands of heaters folks are using? Visi-Therm Stealth seem to be the combo between price and quality, and are Via-Aqua Titaniums the primo brand? They seem to have a digital dial, which is sweet, but the tank temp is monitored via ACIII. I dont have the room to do anything in-line at this point, so its going to have to be a drop in.

 

For 102 gallons, I was thinking maybe 400-600 watts of heating power? My house is about 68, and I like to keep the tank at about 78-79.

 

Many thanks for your advice and brand recommendations!

 

-d

[Kevin Garrison]

The titaniums do have a cool LCD readout version now, however the stealth heaters rock. Check Fosters and Smith, I recently got a catalog from them and their price was close to half of what you see in the stores... no offense to ANY of our LFS, I like all of you and want to support your businesses, but $20 compared to $40-45 for a 250w stealth is a big difference in the budget.

[zygote2k]

Why not use 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 big one? That way, if the contacts stick on a small one, it probably won't cook your tank. You could always add another powerhead for heat- it'll also give you water flow.

[lhcorals]

I was wandering why such a high wattage. I have a 265 gal. with a 300 watt titanium

[DDiver]

I run 2 stealths, one 250 and one 150 on my 90 and 120 and both are set at 79 and stays +\- a degree..

[Big Country]

I was wandering why such a high wattage. I have a 265 gal. with a 300 watt titanium

 

You are not running near enough wattage of heater to heat up that much water unless you have some serious heat being given off from pumps and powerheads. From everything that I had read for years heaters should be 4 or 5 watts per gallon.

[fishcam]

You are not running near enough wattage of heater to heat up that much water unless you have some serious heat being given off from pumps and powerheads. From everything that I had read for years heaters should be 4 or 5 watts per gallon.

 

This is also what I've heard... so in the units of heaters... either 2x250w's or 2x300w, since I have this thing about matching components.

 

Why not use 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 big one? That way, if the contacts stick on a small one, it probably won't cook your tank. You could always add another powerhead for heat- it'll also give you water flow.

 

This is definitely my strategy. Just looking for a decent brand!

 

I run 2 stealths, one 250 and one 150 on my 90 and 120 and both are set at 79 and stays +\- a degree..

 

Thats pretty much all I needed to know... I've only ever used the pet-* brand, and the temperature on those dials never really seems to be right.

 

If the stealth's are accurate and as good as folks say, then unless someone can convince me otherwise, I dont see the need to spend the extra dollars. These will be controlled by an ACIII as well.

 

Many thanks.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I like ebo-jager. I had a 200 or 250W (green) one for well over 10 years until I broke it due to stupidity. It always worked perfectly. I replaced it with another ebo-jager last year.

[Big Country]

Ebo Jager have always been excellent heaters, either use those or the Stealth heaters.

[lhcorals]

I have never had a problem with my temp, always 79 + or - 1 degree. You can see what i am running in my signature.

 

And what i have read is 3 watts per gal.

 

Which i know still doesnt equal outy for my tank.