Would an In-Line Heater kill copepods and/or plankton?

[Celtic_Fox]

Hello and thanks in advance for your answers/advice.

I'm thinking of using some in-line heaters on the return lines from my sump/refugium combo, but I'm wondering if the rapid temperature change would kill any copepods, zooplankton, and phytoplankton being pumped through them.

I know rapid salinity change can kill, but what about the almost instant change of a couple of degrees experienced inside the return lines?

Thanks again!

 

[Subsea]

Hello and thanks in advance for your answers/advice.

I'm thinking of using some in-line heaters on the return lines from my sump/refugium combo, but I'm wondering if the rapid temperature change would kill any copepods, zooplankton, and phytoplankton being pumped through them.

I know rapid salinity change can kill, but what about the almost instant change of a couple of degrees experienced inside the return lines?

Thanks again!

Can't say none would be damaged. They are pretty hardy critters. It should not be significant except in immediate area of heating element. Any heating element in salt water will precipitate calcium carbonate scale. I would not recommend in line because of the scale potential with increasing temperature of water. Make sure to inspect your heating elements weekly.
Patrick

 

[CjBurden]

Don't know, but the only tank that I know of that ever used an inline heater couldn't grow any SPS until he ditched it.

He did tons of troubleshooting and even took the whole thing offline and rebooted before he got around to just getting rid of that heater, and then the tank took off immediately and he never had the problem again.

Not worth even trying for me now.