Best quality heater?

B

becact

New member
I am looking for a new heater as my current one has some condensation inside the glass.

I've read that the titanium ones are great from some people (I like the separate temp probe), but have heard they are crap from other people. Everyone seems to like the Jager heaters.

What is everyone's opinion?
 
1) Cheapest heater you can find in the size you need.

2) Ranco heater controller.



Bulletproof.




Now that being said, I have a Via Aqua Titanium Tube on my 10g nano that comes with it's own external "controller" and remote thermostat (which you must use caution that it doesn't pop out of the water, it will fry your tank).


I have had NO problems with this heater and I LOVE the dial on the controller--- very easy to use.


However if it craps out, it's getting replaced by whatever is cheapest and the Ranco controller.


A dual Ranco will control also your chiller OR your cooling fans, to give a double-whammy of temp stability.
 
I used Jager Heaters on my past tank with an OTTO controller and never had any problems. If it wasn't for space limitations I probably would have used them again on my current tank. I'm now using a AZOO Titanium Heater and it has been working fine for the 2 months I've been using it and would recommend it...fyi though the controller is in celsius.
 
I've never used the Jager but hear great things about them. I also don't have big enough of a system to justify the Ranco controller, but have used the ViaAqua Titanium heaters mentioned above, and they have been great. I think I had just one die in about 3 years and it just shut off - no boiling the tank.
 
My confidence in Jager has gone WAY down. Of the two I purchased for my 180, one leaked current and the other's thermostat is completely bonked (I run on an AC3 though). They aren't even advertised as fully submersible anymore. Unfortunatley I've had no better luck with stealth heaters. IMO there is a huge need for a high quality heater.
 
My vote goes for Jager heaters. I have two that have served me well for over 5 years. I do recommend putting all heaters on some sort of controller though. I have never heard of a heater on a controller getting stuck on or off. For around the same price as a Ranco controller you could get a used aquarium controller that can be used for more than just a heater.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15022694#post15022694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redfishsc
1) Cheapest heater you can find in the size you need.

2) Ranco heater controller.
Bulletproof.

A dual Ranco will control also your chiller OR your cooling fans, to give a double-whammy of temp stability.
Click to expand...

That is what I would recommend. Heaters usually fail in the control mechanism and usually in the on position. Sleep better with a Ranco.
 
I would go with Jager, they are fully submersible. They just didn't list them that way for a little while when they were being bought by Ehiem due to having to be recertified.
 
Thanks for the advice guys! I understand the benefit of the Ranco, but I would rather put the money towards a controller, which I am saving up for. So for now I am just looking for a quality stand alone heater.

I have been looking at this one; what do you think? It is supposed to have dual thermostats and high build quality. Do you think it's all a gimmick and you're just paying for the LCD readout? Very hard to find reviews on it.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+19658&pcatid=19658
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15024053#post15024053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich
That is what I would recommend. Heaters usually fail in the control mechanism and usually in the on position. Sleep better with a Ranco.
Click to expand...

I 3rd the Ranco. If you haven't had a heater fail, you just haven't been in the hobby long enough yet. I've had them fail both on and off. I know my livestock is worth way more than a ~$60 controller (if you wire it yourself).
 
Ebo-Jaeger ws bought by Eheim and became Jaeger, and their quaity went down after that.

Buy a Ranco controller and a titanium heating element. Best combinatin out there.
 
Tagging along. My best is a used Jager thats atleast 6-7 years old(got it used at that time). Still kickin, but just a # dial(no temp).
Had alot of heaters fail, but none scortched my tank(died/too cold). I used to run 11 FW tanks, so thats alot of heaters I've been through.

Thats my most wanted thing in aqua, A GOOD HEATER.

ALWAYS keep a spare or 2 =).
 
I had a Titanium heater ( Won Brothers, I think ) hang up on me, overheating my tank.
Replaced with an Ebo Jager a few years ago with no problems so far.
 
I have used Ebo-Jaeger heaters since the early 90's.
At one time I had 18 tanks set up FW/FWLR/REEF...
I still have 2 of those still in operation today none ever failed.
I did blow one up I drained my water tub doing a water change.
I took it out 10 minutes later to add to my other water tub to help other heater speed up warm up and it blew up now thats my stupidity.
as for digital read out its a waste I use digital thermometer to set temp
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15025031#post15025031 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AcroporAddict
Ebo-Jaeger ws bought by Eheim and became Jaeger, and their quaity went down after that.

Buy a Ranco controller and a titanium heating element. Best combinatin out there.
Click to expand...

Please explain on how the quality went down. This heater has a low water level cutoff, 2mm thick Pyrex glass, a thermostat that you can calibrate, and has a better user rating than most. Don't speculate and make false statements if you don't have facts. Additionally a titanium heating element without a thermostat is NOT the best combination, its better to have the heaters thermostat set just above the Ranco cutoff as a secondary cutoff to be there for the rare occurrence of a Ranco failure.
 
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