Is this Heater any good?

[nikonosis]

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=FC3131

btw the link works now.

 

[sirreal63]

If the heater is as good as the link then the answer is no.


Which heater is it?

 

[nikonosis]

lol what the heck, this forum doesn't work with these links at all.

Its the
Fish Cue TI-Heater / IC Titanum Heater, LED Display Type 150W
on Marine depot.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_searc...water_Aquarium_Supplies_Heaters_Titanium.html

 

[sirreal63]

It looks decent but I have never heard of the brand before. As with all heaters, some are good and some are bad, no matter the brand. Some people like Won heaters, some don't. The same can be said with any brand you find. The price is right on that heater and would be worth a try.

 

[nikonosis]

So far I have had 2 hydor heaters that have tried to boil water, so I am looking to try something new that has a controller.

 

[sirreal63]

The general idea is to use a couple smaller heaters so that if one fails it won't cook the tank. Any heater can fail and probably will so use smaller ones, it is just safer.

 

[nikonosis]

if you have 2 heaters and if one fails and starts to overheat, how is the 2nd heater going to prevent the first one from overheating?

Or are you saying have 2 that are so small, that 1 couldn't overheat the tank by itself?

 

[shred5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964548#post11964548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
So far I have had 2 hydor heaters that have tried to boil water, so I am looking to try something new that has a controller.

That really is not a controller... Keep your junk heaters that you already have and buy a ranco temperature controller instead. They work far better because all heaters seem to fail...


Dave

 

[nikonosis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964611#post11964611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shred5
That really is not a controller... Keep your junk heaters that you already have and buy a ranco temperature controller instead. They work far better because all heaters seem to fail...


Dave

and what if that fails?

 

[sirreal63]

Yes the idea is a single small heater won't cook the tank as fast as a single large one.

Dave is right on the Ranco controller, it is the best solution and as bullet proof as they come.

 

[nikonosis]

would 1 ranco controller, control 2 heaters or would I have to get 2 of them as well?

 

[shred5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964658#post11964658 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
and what if that fails?

I have never heard of one failing but I am sure they could. They are far more reliable than the cheap thermostasts that are in the hobby heaters. A ranco controller is not cheap but far cheaper than loosing everything in my tank.

I use a dual stage controller. One circuit controls my heater and the other kicks fans on if the temps get to high.

A dual stage controls 2 items and single stage controlls one.

Dave

 

[shred5]

Here are the directions for the dual stage to see how they work.
2 stage
http://www.rancoetc.com/pdf/ranco_etc_2stage.pdf
Single stage
http://www.rancoetc.com/pdf/ranco_etc_instructions.pdf


Dave

 

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964658#post11964658 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
and what if that fails?

But you then have the heater thermostat as another fail point.

So with a controller you have a much more reliable system that is very unlikely to fail.. And if it was to fail, which is very unlikely, you then have the heater thermostat to stop the tank from overheating. I set my heater to a max that is a couple degrees over my controller. It would be warmer than usual and I would notice, but not cook my tank.

Far more likely is the temperature probe from the controller being knocked or pulled from the tank, but then, again the heater thermostat protects you.

Two smaller heaters would be a third fail safe..... Like someone mentioned.

Much better than just relying on the heater thermostat alone. You have a double fail safe system, or even a third.

The main concern now would be one single heater not working, and the tank cooling. This is a variable but lesser concern depending on where your live and how quick your tank cools. And most tanks can survive slowly cooling to 70 degrees far better than cooking to 90 quickly IMO. This is allso where dual heaters are another advantage, if one no longer works, you have backup.

So to sum it up, a controller with dual smaller heaters is pretty bulletproof.

 

[nikonosis]

thanks for all the info everyone.

 

[nikonosis]

So this here would work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ranco-Electroni...ryZ38172QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[shred5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11964876#post11964876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikonosis
So this here would work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ranco-Electroni...ryZ38172QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Yes .. with that one you will have to wire it with an heavy duty extension cord which you will have to cut in half. One half to power the unit and the other side to plug your heater into. You can also buy prewired ones if you do not feel comfortable wiring or playing with electricity yourself.

here is a pick of a prewired one.
http://www.rancoetc.com/images/ranco_etc_wired.jpg


Dave

 

[Reefjunkee]

Must be ok as it got 8 good reviews out of 8 on the sight right below the ad.

 

[bfenimore]

Looks good and the controls are out of the water!

 

[fatboyjoe]

I just bought one from ebay, I couldn't find one anywhere for under $120.00 . the unit I bought has a outlet box mounted under the unit so you plug your fans and heaters into it. some of the other wired unit come with way too much unnessesary wire for me. I hope this helps.