heater placement

[jacobl]

I am building 120 gallon 4x2x2, bought used system that comes with Jager heater and 40 gallon diy glass/visio tank sump. the jager heater doesn't have the plastic holder anymore. questions:
1 Can I just lay the heater in the sump flat on the glass bottom of the sump (any issue with heat on the glass directly?) OR

2. I can put plastic egg crate between the heater and the glass bottom (there is media bag on the egg crate so it won't float)


I am in Southern Cali so the weather won't go down that cold in the room, maybe ambient temp go down to 56 during coldest winter night

thanks, RF has been very valuable in setting up this tank

 

[fishgate]

I would get some generic suction cup holders for it. I would not set the glass heating element on anything they get really hot.

 

[jacobl]

thanks, I will try do that

 

[Swetpants]

Even better would be magnet holders. My suction cups would always eventually pop off, especially if there is a possibility of a fish accidently hitting it (I know it won't be a problem in the sump, just saying it for others) There like $10 bucks and found at any decent fish store. Worth the extra money if you ask me.

 

[anthonys51]

i put my heater in the overflow box. but yes you can lay a heater in your sump on the bottom. heater wont melt anything. just make sure nothing can fall on it becuase they break easy

 

[jd371]

I wouldn't worry about it. The heaters get hot, but I don't think they get hot enough to melt something. I put a heater in the bottom of a Brute when I mix salt water and there is never a burn mark or any signs of melting in the container.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I have two heaters in my tank, one is in my last baffle of my sump and the other is in the return pump chamber. Both are lying flat in a high water flow area.I have two running as a fail safe in case one fails. I'll switch them out every year but seperated 6months apart.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I've got my Jager heater in my sump on an angle and don't use the suction cups because the heater is too tall for my sump

 

[Deftones2015]

I've got my Jager heater in my sump on an angle and don't use the suction cups because the heater is too tall for my sump

That's how I have mine and no issues what so ever.

 

[whosurcaddie]

My Jagers are in my overflows.

 

[Member No. 1]

I've got my Jager heater in my sump on an angle and don't use the suction cups because the heater is too tall for my sump

+1 and my sump is acrylic.
The bottom of the heaters (2 Jagers) rest rite on the bottom of the sump, no marks.

 

[Swetpants]

IMO, better safe than sorry. Spend a few extra bucks for peace of mind. Heaters definetly get hot, touch it after it's been "on" for a bit. My 500 watt is to hot to touch. I wouldn't be worried about it melting anything, his sump is glass. It's the extreme temp. difference between the heater and the glass bottom that could cause it to crack or shatter. I once put a hot brownie pan on my glass table and it shattered it. What's a couple bucks for some suction or magnetic mounts.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

IMO, better safe than sorry. Spend a few extra bucks for peace of mind. Heaters definetly get hot, touch it after it's been "on" for a bit. My 500 watt is to hot to touch. I wouldn't be worried about it melting anything, his sump is glass. It's the extreme temp. difference between the heater and the glass bottom that could cause it to crack or shatter. I once put a hot brownie pan on my glass table and it shattered it. What's a couple bucks for some suction or magnetic mounts.

The reason that glass top broke was because it was cold and you put something very hot on it. If the glass warms up along with whatever is touching it in our case the heater on the bottom of the tank, it will not break it. This is the same reason when you boil an egg you put the egg in cold water to start they don't crack, but if you put a cold egg in boiling water the egg cracks... or worse

 

[fishgate]

In addition to being against the manufacturers instructions, I suspect it will be less efficient since some of the heat is being lost to the glass and surrounding objects plus the lack of flow under it.

Realistically, it will probably not cause you any problems, but there is no reason not to mount it correctly.

 

[Swetpants]

I understand the concept behind it. My table was not "cold' it was room temperature, the pan was "hot". When your heater turns on to heat up water it does not turn on to the temperature of the water(glass) it heats up well beyond that, quickly, to increase the temperature of the water. Therefore creating a vast temp. difference between the two surfaces which could crack the glass just as my example did yo me.

 

[reefer1970]

I vote overflow box

 

[hogfanreefer]

I'm a firm believer in two small heaters instead of one bigger one. Less likely to get tank temp too high if one small one sticks on and some redundancy if one fails in the off position (less likely from what I hear).

I keep one in the sump and one in the overflow.

 

[anthonys51]

i been keeping tropical fish for 30 years and i have never heard of a heater cracking a tank. the heater are made of glass. heater will not crack your glass sump even if you place it on the bottom.

now putting a super hot pot on a glass table might crack it depending on the glass. its because of the change in temp. its like pouring cold water on your windshield to melt ice. i believe the temp difference is about 50 degrees. jump more than 50 degree and you will crack the glass. heater heat up slowly so its safe

but my vote is in the overflow box. its out of sight and i wont break it one day trying to move something

 

[JGao]

Sorry new to tank world. Where's the overflow box ?

 

[anthonys51]

overflow box is only on reef ready tank. its the back drain box or on the sides