Where do you put your Heater?

[zKRYt]

Hi all,

I'm very new to the hobby, tank is setup and rock is curing. I'm taking the time now to figure out all the faults in my system before cycling and adding any fish/coral. I have a Reefer 170 and a 100w cobalt heater horizontally in the sump. I've learned as the nights get colder and my office windows are open (I'm a smoker so this is a requirement lest my wife get ****ed) that it clearly wasn't enough to heat the tank. I bought a 300w titanium heater to be monitored by my ReefKeeper lite (heater requires a controller; no "on-board" monitoring). In it's in instructions it suggests putting the heater in the overflow vs the sump based on varying water levels. My concern with this is with a 300w heater in the overflow, is there is a possibility it could melt the overflow pipe, or worse, the return pipe and start spraying water everywhere.

So my question is where do you have your heater? Have you found success in the overflow with no risk of damage to drains and returns? Or do you just keep the heater low enough in the sump so if there is a low water level, it's still below the baffles and not a concern.

Thanks!

Zach

 

[ThRoewer]

In my 42 gallon CADlight tank I have the heater in the overflow box, simply because it's the only location where it fits and will always be under water.

In my 200 gallon system I currently have one heater in the main tank (overflow is a standpipe) and one in the sump tank.

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[gone fishin]

I have 2 heaters in the return section of my sump.

Forgot to mention if you are topping of everyday you really should not have to worry to much about the water levels.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I my sump. But I only need a heater a few days a year when night time lows get below 50F outside.

 

[A sea K]

Mine are and have always been in the sump. Its easy to find a place where the water level remains high enough to keep them submerged.

 

[Scottedontknow]

I also keep 2 heaters in my return area of my sump. With an ato water level should be not be a problem!


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[Tooboot]

One in the overflow and one in the sump. I also use the one from the sump when making new batches ofsaltwater

 

[Denbf58]

I have the heaters in all my tanks in corner of the display tank in direct flow it keeps more uniform heating.
when i had them inthe sump one section would become very hot.
m

 

[johnike]

Sumps here as well.

 

[kaz1961]

One in the sump, one in the tank. I have each one on a different circuit breaker just in case one of the circuits pops I will still have one heater with power.

 

[Flippers4pups]

In my sump, in my bubble baffles. I like to keep the thermostats out of the water, just in case they leak and water gets into the heating elements.


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[madweazl]

In the return section of the sump. The water level cant drop below about 6" in this chamber (unless it all evaporates or springs a leak). It has an external controller and I placed that probe in the same chamber as the heater. The controller is connected to a Reef Angel that has probes in the intake and return chambers. Tank temperature is controlled from the probe in the intake (overflow box) with the other as a back up. A third probe monitors ambient air temp in the room. If the Reef Angel fails, the heaters controller is set about 1.5° higher than the Reef Angel and will kick in. If the heaters controller fails, the Reef Angel will prevent an overheat condition. The two in tank tank probes provide truth data and redundancy.

 

[Nick30G]

Cant you put it in your refigium of your sump also?

 

[lagatbezan]

Mine in the sump as well sitting horizontally on the bottom so that it always stays submerged.

 

[zKRYt]

Thanks for all the responses! I think I'll keep it in the sump. I'm afraid a 300w heater may melt the PVC drains/returns. I didn't even think about putting in the return chamber, I'll have to see if there is room to do that. I'm curious though does that run the risk of melting the return pump? Not sure what the minimum distance to keep something away from the heater is.

 

[BigEZ77]

2 for redundancy in the sump.

 

[biecacka]

In my sump as well, although I don't use them often. Tank is big for my apartment so the humidity keeps the tank warm in the winter, and in the summer I just use AC.

Corey

 

[johnike]

One time in tank camp...

 

[ryeguyy84]

In my sump, in my bubble baffles. I like to keep the thermostats out of the water, just in case they leak and water gets into the heating elements.


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Wow, that's something I've never seen before. Brilliant.

 

[gone fishin]

I agree with the heater pic. I really like that set up. If I ever redo my setup I will consider this.