Anybody here not use a Heater?

[that Fish Guy]

I was wondering if anyone does not use a heater?

The reason that I ask is because I have heard alot of people say that they lost their entire aquarium and thousands and thousands of dollars because of a heater that broke and nuked their aquarium.

I have taken out my heaters in all my aquariums because I am so afraid that this will happen to me too.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

I haven't used a heater in a good while. It's probably been maybe 6-8 months since I have. I have my tank on the apex though and it stays between 77-82. I have a pretty small duplex and keep the temp constant and run metal halides.

 

[tkeracer619]

Ranco. I would never put a heater in my tank without one.

 

[64Ivy]

I've never needed a heater. In fact, just the heat from my return pumps would keep the tank water at 88F if I didn't chill it.

 

[ImNotLion]

No heater!! heaters can malfunction i dont like em

 

[EllieSuz]

I use two heaters, but they're controlled by a RKL (Reefkeeper Lite). They can't "break" because they're not glass. If one gets stuck in the "on" position, the controller will turn it off when it exceeds the desired temperature. If one fails to work at all, the backup heater will keep the tank at the proper temp. We keep the house at around 68 degrees in the winter and my tank would get much too cold without heaters. In the summer, the controller operates fans to cool the tank.

 

[rrasco]

If you do use one, it is good to have it on a controller as suggested above. I don't run them though, no reason to in this Texas heat. It's here 86* today... As long as I keep my AC on in the house (around 76*), tank stays between 75-78*. Smaller tanks can have more drastic swings in this scenario.

 

[Augster]

I tested my 34 gallon cube (Solana) without a heater in supposedly "sunny" Southern California during the winter with no livestock and fully enclosed glass top, and the water temp dropped into the 60's at night and the mornings. There are two pumps: the skimmer and the return, but that was insufficient to keep the tank warm enough to ensure survival of potential inhabitants. I must add that I haven't been running the house heater unless the temps get below 60's since electricity and gas are pretty expensive out there.

I have since bought a heater that I will have controlled and monitored by an Apex Jr.

 

[wyattroa]

have to run one here...Our living room is so cold.. Just bought the house...The living room was an addition but does not heat well..On top of that, it is wood floors on a crawl space. I went in the crawl and all the insulation that should be on the bottom of the floor is all fallen apart, no wonder the floor is freezing cold. 2 jager 150 watt heater were not doing that great of a job keeping the temp up in 80 total gallons 73 degrees..So I replaced 1 with 300 watt. Now all is good, I run them on apex...I would love to run no heaters though for sure...

 

[usmc121581]

I only have one in my 20 gal fug with cheato and a green serpant Star. The only reason I have one there is because my tank is in the finished basement, and the fug is off from the tank so the cold air in the winter months affects the tank quicker. Beside this I dont use them.

 

[rjd0521]

I don't use a heater and the temp is always +-1 at 80 degrees.

 

[Psirex]

Haven't turned mine on in sometime temp between 76-78 constantly

 

[biecacka]

Don't use one either. Smaller apartment so it's easy to keep tank temp stable
Corey

 

[ACBlinky]

I use a titanium heater on a controller. Glass heaters break, stick, they're just ticking bombs IME.

 

[reefgeezer]

No heater. Tank stays 76 to 82 F. The temp swing is very slow due to the heat sink the tank volume and rocks create. I do have a heater and a generator in case of emergency.

 

[Squidmotron]

I do have a heater, but it only comes on maybe twice a year. Even then it probably isn't necessary because it prevents the temperature from dipping below 76. I am not entirely ever sure that it's working because I so rarely see it come on.

Even when it gets below freezing outside, the temperature just changes very slowly inside the tank. I doubt I swing more than 2 or 3 degrees a day without needing to use a chiller or heater.

Thing is, though, heaters are so incredibly cheap you might as well have one just in case.

 

[plasma327]

I am in the north east so winter here gets cold. I use a finnex 300 watt and controller. My tank is 77 year round so no worries.. Just stay away from glass heaters.

 

[vansk8r]

Never neither fresh or my reef,it actually gets to hot.
If your going to do anything invest in a future chiller(depending on the size of the tank).
They're just so expensive

 

[vansk8r]

I forgot to mention I do live in Florida though...

 

[Seths Dad]

No heater, cooling fans on a Ranco. Pumps and lights provide enough heat for my 135.