Finnex titanium vs eheim glass heater

[Martini5788]

I was recommended to look into finnex heaters, as I was going to get eheim glass heaters for my new 90 gallon. The price difference is minimal between them so I can get either of them. I just have no experience with finnex heaters. Also, if I were to get a combination of heaters for a 90 with an approximately 20 gallon sump( will be a trigger systems sump, Christmas present, just have to decide which one), should I get a 2 150, 100 and 150? I am planning on keeping the temp around 75.

 

[shifty51008]

I use the finnex heating tubes along with a ranco temp controller and am very happy with it, dont have to worry about glass breaking or anything like that (even though it is rare for the glass to break. I use a 300 watt on my 200 gal total vol and it keeps up just fine. I would go with the 150 on yours though

 

[Martini5788]

I use the finnex heating tubes along with a ranco temp controller and am very happy with it, dont have to worry about glass breaking or anything like that (even though it is rare for the glass to break. I use a 300 watt on my 200 gal total vol and it keeps up just fine. I would go with the 150 on yours though

Can you explain the tube thing? Is it different than the heater itself

 

[shifty51008]

The heating tube i use is just a titanium heater with no controller which is why i use the ranco temp controller.

But the tube is the heater.

Here is the one i use.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/finnex-deluxe-titanium-heating-tube.html

 

[Martini5788]

The heating tube i use is just a titanium heater with no controller which is why i use the ranco temp controller.

But the tube is the heater.

Here is the one i use.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/finnex-deluxe-titanium-heating-tube.html

Ok that's what I thought but I wanted to check. I plan on getting a reef keeper for my birthday in May, and I will use a temp controller with that. So I'm not sure it makes sense to get one now when I will only use it for a few months. So if taking strictly about the heater itself, finnex titanium is better and more reliable than eheim?

 

[shifty51008]

Ive only used the eheim heaters twice, and they do work well, i am just a fan for the heating tubes as the one i have is 5 years old and still working great. I do have a backup though just in case this one ever goes out. And my eheims only lasted 2 years. Either way they are both good reliable heaters.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Shifty, which Ranco model do you use?

 

[davocean]

I would also go the finnex and 2x150, and I like 78 for my tank temp

 

[shifty51008]

Shifty, which Ranco model do you use?

ETC 211000 its the dual stage so i can run a fan if needed but never did lol. It's 9 years old right now and still running great

 

[Dkuhlmann]

So the single stage one would work then unless I wanted to run two smaller heaters? I've got 3 100 titainum heaters I guess two would be fine in my tank 40b with a 20g sump?

 

[shifty51008]

Im not positive if the dual can run 2 hot temps or just 1 hot and 1 cold. But if you wanna run 2 heaters but dont care about diff temps for each than a single will still work, just plug in a dual power adapter.

 

[Martini5788]

I'm gonna have it run a little colder because I want to try a blue spotted jawfish, 74 or 75 I think. So 2 150 watt heaters is good for a 90 gallon with approx 20 gallon sump?

 

[shifty51008]

I'm gonna have it run a little colder because I want to try a blue spotted jawfish, 74 or 75 I think. So 2 150 watt heaters is good for a 90 gallon with approx 20 gallon sump?

That should work just fine

 

[Martini5788]

The smallest watt for the heating tube, not the heater, is 300w. Would that be a problem for a 90 gallon? I mean if the tube messes up, then I'm completely screwed

 

[davocean]

That's where the ranco comes in as a safety if stuck in on position, though does not help if it just stops heating.
I prefer 2 heaters for the obvious reasons, for you another option is the via aqua on marine depot or the fluvals on F&S, both titanium, smaller sizes available, both good options

 

[Martini5788]

If I were to do the ranco, I am finding 2 different options for the model number. One is for cold the other is electric. Which one? I have a 50 watt via aqua titanium and it is terrible. Won't even trust it in a 5 gallon bucket, it will nearly boil the water in a 10 gallon tank.

 

[davocean]

All heaters eventually fail pretty much, that is not exclusive to your via aqua, why many use a controller or safety of some kind

 

[Martini5788]

All heaters eventually fail pretty much, that is not exclusive to your via aqua, why many use a controller or safety of some kind

Yeah the via aqua failed within 2 weeks. Could I use the ranco controller with an eheim heater? It doesn't look like it has a plug on it, but I could be wrojg. The picture on amazon aren't great

 

[shifty51008]

I got mine from ectsupply.com cheapest place ive found for them but i cant pull up the site or i would send you the link. Just look for the model number i sent and if your handy you can get it cheaper if you wire it yourself which isnt hard to do.

 

[shifty51008]

Yeah you can use any heater with the ranco, it comes with a standard plug