I hate aquarium heaters!!!!!!!!!!

[Chrishew09]

Early this morning my wife and I got woken up by a very large explosion sound, I thought it was a transformer out side, but it was my tank!!!
My stealth pro 200W heater that was in my glass sump exploded and demolished my sump. Dropped like 5g of refugium water on the floor, and when i say exploded i mean exploded. The blast opened the door in my stand blew all the glass out of the 5G sump and broke the plastic rim in the tank!
Needless to say there is a huge mess to clean up, glass, water, sand, macro-algae.

I'm getting feed-up with this hobby, I was so annoyed I almost drained the entire tank and took the whole thing down.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss18/chrishew09/1113000627.jpg

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[Korrine]

holy cow! Sorry that this happened. Wonder what would make a heater explode? How old was it?

 

[Scott-CapeCoral]

Woah..... That's scary. Glad no-one was hurt.

 

[csharps42]

Heaters

Heaters

I went out of town once and when I got back heater had broke and heated water up and killed everything, quite the stink. but I have never had one just blow up

 

[The Velvet Sea]

That sucks. I'm sorry, I feel for you. It looks disastrous. You said it even broke the plastic rim of the tank. The sump tank or display? I'm hoping it was the sump trim.

 

[Palting]

Wow. One more stealth heater explosion added to the list! Sorry to hear.

 

[Lina5910]

how long did you have it for? You could call the manufacturing company and they probably will reimburse you for the damages.

 

[MedRed]

these stealth heater stories are really scaring me. I've had great luck with them... but these stories make me very nervous

 

[Palting]

these stealth heater stories are really scaring me. I've had great luck with them... but these stories make me very nervous

Same here. And I have two of them!

 

[MedRed]

I'm using two on my diplay tank as well! a 200w and a 250. I have a 50watt in my 5 gallon quarantine, and 2 100 watts in each of my brute mixing containers. And they are all at least 2 years old

 

[noahm]

I think 90% of heater stories on here involve a stealth. Even if they have fixed the problem, I wouldn't risk one for anything. Sorry to hear about the loss, but for anyone still running them and reading this, it is a known problem, so continue at your own risk.

 

[Shmax]

It seems like the newer ones are exploding moreso than the old ones. I've seen several BRAND NEW out of the box ones explode within a few weeks of being installed. Pretty scary stuff. Man I miss Ebo Jager heaters =/

 

[aleonn]

It looks like your livestock in the display tank is ok?

Wow this is at least the second time within the last month I've heard of a similar Stealth problem! But to highlight the silver lining, it was maybe better that the sump exploded. Otherwise all the toxic stuff from the heater will have mixed with the display tank, and kill everything quickly.

 

[john miller]

I really didn't want to hear this. I just recently bought my second one.

 

[Chrishew09]

Thanks guys for the kind words.
yes, the broken rim was the sump not the display, thank goodness the display is just fine no issues there.

Here's the back story on this heater.....

Last spring my original stealth heater got stuck 100% on and nearly cooked my tank, caught it just in time temp was 92*, nothing died. So i contacted Marineland and they sent me a new stealth pro, it was summer so no need for the heater. I just stared to run the new heater about 6wks ago when the weather got cold. Last week it started acting up, one day it was good the next cold water, so I ordered a new titanium heater on Wednesday (should be here Tuesday), then Saturday this happened.
Looking back I should have removed the heater as soon as i noticed and issue but......

I didn't know this was a common problem, I always thought stealth heaters where good?

 

[Hal]

Wow. One more stealth heater explosion added to the list! Sorry to hear.

I'm never buying a stealth. Far too many stories just like yours.

 

[stormrider27]

I think 90% of heater stories on here involve a stealth. Even if they have fixed the problem, I wouldn't risk one for anything. Sorry to hear about the loss, but for anyone still running them and reading this, it is a known problem, so continue at your own risk.

Those heaters need to be black listed.

 

[bryman]

Holy crap, that's scary. I had one old style stick on in my 30G saltwater mixing container and nearly boiled the water. I thought they were better now and have had 2 in my sump of my 90G. But I run them off my RKE with separate thermostat, so I don't depend on the Stealth thermostats. Think I will change them to be safe.

What are the best heaters out there these days? I also remember when the Ebo Jagers were rock solid for years, but I don't think that's the same anymore.

 

[fcmatt]

sorry to hear about your problem.
mine works like a champ for months now.
i guess i am lucky. i never had a heater issue and i have tried many brands over
the years.

 

[maximusmarine]

Not cool at all I got zapped by one so I've used Titanium heaters ever since. The only downfall to those is if ur heater is ever exposed to air, it'll blow the fuse in the controller. Ur incident so so unfortunate!