What Heater?

[RyanG]

Well I just got back from doing a little shopping and it turns out that the only thing available for cash and carry in Buffalo are 300w marinelands so I grabbed one until I can mail order one.

[Piggy]

I have two heater in my tank. I replaced my Theo heaters with Stealth because the Theos were not working properly.Tank always way to hot even when set at lowest temp. The hardest part for me is trying to figure out how to keep the tank at a consistent temp (give or take a few degrees) when the daily weather changes.

[fatman]

The only simple solution is, as usual, an expensive solution. A two stage temperature controller. It controls both cooling and heating. For small temperature decreases have it turn a fan(s) on when the temperature gets to hot. Single stage controllers will only control the heat or cooling not both at the same time. Of course a systems controller will do even more, but costs substantially more. The will actually control a fan, more fans, shutting down part of the lights, shutting down all the lights, turning on a chiller. You just program it so that if one doesn't work it tries the next, and if that doesn't work then the next and so on. Or there is the hope you notice it and can do something manually method. That gets pretty frustrating and tiring though.

[RyanG]

Fatman are these contollers compatable with electronic ballasts?

[fatman]

Originally Posted by RyanG

Fatman are these contollers compatable with electronic ballasts?

A temperature controller such as a Ranco is not effected by electronic ballasts as the heating and cooling units are plugged directly into the control units outlets. When using systems controllers there are two options, either the controller, by a small hard wire, control a remote outlet strip(s) which is not effected by an electronic ballast or you can use the controller to electronically control X-10 units that are effected by electronic ballasts.

[Ironman]

I personally had great success with visitherm and jager heaters for alot of years, they were very dependable and I found to be accurate. The down side as fatman has stated is there thermostats. I learned the hard way about a year ago when one of my small reefs I had setup for my son had the heater stick on and boiled everything, the water was 120 degrees and soupy when I found it. So I took out all the heaters from my tanks and installed titanium heaters and used my controllers to turn them on and off. that being said, there are good heaters out there. if you cant afford a controller then buy a good standard heater and before it gets very old save your money for a descent controller of some sort.
I would say the total wattage you may need depends on alot of variables such as how low your temperature gets. I would guess if your just maintaining nightime temps a 500 watt might be good, I have a 300 watt in my 120, if it ever runs it isnt much, my temps stay pretty stable, my chiller runs several times a day though.

[jhnrb]

I use visitherm on a Ranco controller.