What Heater?

[RyanG]

Ok so Im still getting used to marine aquria, what brand heaters do you all recommend. And what size should I get for a 235 gal total system volume. I know I should use multiples as well 2 or 3? Thanks for helping me out folks.

[McCrary]

I would get a couple 500 watt heaters and use a Ranco to control them, unless you have a controller for everything.

[RyanG]

No controller in the plans as of yet

[McCrary]

Then I would use a Ranco to control the heaters, as most heaters can eventually stick on and it would be a shame to lose your livestock due to a failure. The Ranco switches the heaters on and off based on the temperature of the tank, well worth it if you have some money in livestock.

[reeffreak]

I'm using three 200w Stealth heaters.Somebody here(forgot who) had a problem with them sticking.I been use them forever without a problem.I like that it is encased in plastic.Like with most heaters,they should be replaced once a year,maybe 18 months which I do.

[fatman]

Really all the heaters are pretty much doo doo if you are depending on their internal thermostats to control your heating. They all use bi-metal thermostats that are worth a few cents each. The place to put your money is in a temperature controller, then it does not really matter the brand or size heaters you buy. A ranco dual mode temperature controller is about the best you can do short of going up to a controller such as an AquaController or AquaDyne. A dual controoller such as the Ranco or AquaLogic will allow heating and cooling control as will the full controllers. A Ranco dual controller runs $160, and an AquaLogic $180. A Aquacontroller starts at $180 but you would need at least a $160 direct connect module to go with it.

[Altohombre]

I use Eheim Jager, heard nothing but good stuff about all the eheim products.

[sen5241b]

I have a couple visi-therms and the temperature will not go below what I set it at.

[fatman]

The problem with all the heaters with built in thermostats is that the have bi-metal controllers/thermostats. A bi-metal thermostat is to dissimilar metals bonded together. Each metal expands at different rates when heated, causing the metal strip to bend. This bent metal strip makes contact with the gap in the electical circuit therby causing the resistive metal (heater) to heat up thereby warming your water. As I wrote before these bi-metal strips cost pennies each and their dependability is of course directly proportional to their costs. They are inherently innaccurate over time and tend to return to their original straight selves less over time. They being hooked up directly to resistive heaters tend to occasioanlly weld themselves to their contact points. The heaters are fine the bi-metal controllers use to control them are junk.

[LionFish]

no heater here.
Havnt had the need
I have an eheim for back up but have yet to get er wet