# Heater replacement...yearly?



## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

I was looking at some old threads and realized our hobby is filled with a lot of do's and dont's. Some very rigid but really what works for one person might not work for another. There are some great foundation rules but a lot of diversity amongst our tanks even when they look the same. 

One of the do's I came across was to replace your heaters every year. I've had the same 2 eheim heaters in my tank for 7 years. 

Do you replace? How often?

Thanks. Steve


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## superfish (Jan 16, 2017)

The original old school ehiem lasts for a very long time. I used mine for over 10 years. The newer ones don't last as long. Just keep an eye on your actual water temperature. As long as it is in check I wouldn't replace if you are really paranoid you can buy 2 smaller wattage heaters and put one in each end of the tank. Hope this helps.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*Heaters*

Yes it's true most of us do not replace heaters yearly..it is the weakest link of out aquariums one malfunction can completely ruin a aquarium and everything inside it. 
There a few things u can do ..replace every year but that does not mean that the new heater will malfunction...
You can replace heater with 2 lower wattage as previous member has said.you can purchase a heater controller which will not let heater go past set temp...
There are a few aquarium power bars .ie reefkeeper and apex that can send u noticed when temp rises or lowers 
At a hi cost but totally worth it ...
I run a heater controller ...

https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Digit...=1488629934&sr=8-3&keywords=finnex+controller

http://www.digitalaquatics.com/saltwater/systems/rkl-reefkeeper-lite/

https://www.neptunesystems.com/
Cheers 
Tom


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

Amazon.ca has inkbird controllers. It is my first controller and so far I'm very happy with it. Had it for a few months. It's gotten good reviews on other forums


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

Controllers can eliminate heater malfunctions. I used one for a large tank where I need two heaters. On my smaller tanks I just monitor the heat. Over the past 6 years I have found all my heaters to fail in the on position. I was always lucky and caught the tanks at about 86, I typically feed and check the tanks quickly twice a day which seemed sufficient.


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

I have the digital thermometer hanging on the side of the tank I constantly pass. I always glance at it at least three or four times a day. I'm tempted to replace. I use two in my 125g as a precaution in case one fails. Fails hopefully off. Maybe a controller is the way to go. Hmmmm

Steve


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

Forgot to mention the price, it's what made the decision easy if you need more than one heater. It's $60 canadian


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

What model do you have? Just went to the Ink-Bird website and there are about three different versions. 

Thanks. Steve


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01ASYNO00/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*heater controller*

this is what I am running .....

http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Finnex-500W-Deluxe-Titanium-Heater-Tube-TH-0500.html


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

What size tank do you have SD?


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## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

I have heaters that have lasted 30 years or more and some new ones that screwed up in a few weeks. The older they are the better the quality. Whether you buy a so called well known brand or an under the counter cheapie they are probably made in the same factory in China.


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

My big tank is 125g. The new nano is 13.5. It's the fluval evo 13.5. 

Steve


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## Sandeep (Aug 10, 2009)

Just get an Inkbird controller, they are only around $50 cdn on amazon.ca. This way, cheap or expensive heater it does not matter. Just set the Inkbird to auto shutoff if the temp rises a few degrees (in case the heater sticks), and a few degrees lower for a audio alarm (in case the heater stops working).

This way you can continue to use any heater and its own built in thermostat with complete safety protection from the Inkbird.

Here is a nice detailed review of the Inkbird 308.
http://spec-tanks.com/inkbird-itc-308-temperature-controller-review/


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

I replace mine yearly. It's 30 bucks for a bit of extra safety, I also have mine hooked up to a controller. My brother had a heater Crack and release stray voltage through his tank killing all fish. Heaters have been one of the largest killers of tanks from overheating to exploding to leaking stray voltage. For the amount of cash I drop on my tank. 30 bucks is just part of yearly maintenance.

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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

I think that inkbird controller is the way to go. And for extra insurance a new heater...or in my case 2. 

I'd love to have the apex Neptune controller but their latest and greatest is $1200. I don't dose and so I would really only need it for temp and the rest would be nice to be warned about but...

Thanks. 
Steve


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## garwood (Oct 27, 2012)

I have 2 ebo-jager heaters that I have had for about 25 years now and never had a problem with them. I am using them with the ink bird controller just in case

View attachment 230817


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

I was just wondering on the limits of the inkbird. I was going to get the dual heater setup as I have two heaters in my sump. However I thought what if I split the heaters and add a fan to the 2nd plug on the inkbird? Has anyone else done this? Will the unit be able to handle it electrically?

Thanks. Steve


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Why would you replace something that's working perfectly fine? Doesn't make sense to me.

Forget "do's" and "don'ts". These rules were written for people who do not understand the underlying processes of aquariums. Once you have enough experience to know what's happening in your tank, you can make your own decisions.

A properly sized heater should only be able to raise your water temperature 10F from ambient air temperature. If the heater "cooks" the tank when it malfunctions, then it's probably oversized.

Using two lower wattage heaters is a good idea, but not an absolute necessity for smaller tanks. Fishes and corals can usually withstand a short temperature swing of a few degrees. After all, it happens all the time in the wild.


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

You know what...well said. We do try and do too much sometimes instead of just enjoying. However, nothing wrong with being prepared or cautious.

Steve


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

solarz said:


> Why would you replace something that's working perfectly fine? Doesn't make sense to me.
> 
> Forget "do's" and "don'ts". These rules were written for people who do not understand the underlying processes of aquariums. Once you have enough experience to know what's happening in your tank, you can make your own decisions.
> 
> ...


How do you explain a cracked heater leaking stray voltage or if it explodes? Watching your tank doesn't count for these heater malfunctions and buying them yearly won't prevent it either. But at least with newer equipment it's less of a chance that it will happen.

People can do whatever they want. Just Cuz a piece of equipment works today doesn't mean it won't break tomorrow.

Each person is different I like to be prepared for every worse case scenario ahead of time. Not just sit there and enjoy my tank and take failures as they come but to try and prevent any before the equipment fails. That's my 2 cents.

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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

nc208082 said:


> How do you explain a cracked heater leaking stray voltage or if it explodes? Watching your tank doesn't count for these heater malfunctions and buying them yearly won't prevent it either. *But at least with newer equipment it's less of a chance that it will happen. *


That's the problem: it doesn't. It's just as likely that your old heater will keep working perfectly well while your new heater will fail.

Especially, if you are concerned about heater explosions, new unused heaters have a much higher chance of "exploding" than old tested heaters.

Thing is, if you're worried about the heater exploding, why not worry about the tank leaking? The light fixture catching fire?

Would you replace your pump yearly because it might fail? How about your skimmer?

I mean, anything can happen, doesn't mean it will. I still see those infamous exploding "stealth" heaters on sale at Pet Smart...


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

I had a maxi jet fail which was very old and caused stray voltage to bleach every coral in my tank. 

I'm talking about a 30$ heater vs a 600$ light or tank or skimmer. We are talking about heaters and whether people replace them as a preventative measure because they are one of the most common piece of equipment related to tank malfunctions. 

I got the idea from a bunch of ppl on RC and R2R a while ago. BRS even did a segment on it about how important it is and how it's such a cheap thing to replace.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

nc208082 said:


> I had a maxi jet fail which was very old and caused stray voltage to bleach every coral in my tank.
> 
> I'm talking about a 30$ heater vs a 600$ light or tank or skimmer. We are talking about heaters and whether people replace them as a preventative measure because they are one of the most common piece of equipment related to tank malfunctions.
> 
> ...


I don't mean to argue, but I can't agree with that line of reasoning. Just because something is relatively inexpensive doesn't mean we should be replacing it more often..

Worse, there is no guarantee that new heaters are less likely to fail than a heater that has been used for years. It's just as likely that you'd be throwing away a perfectly good piece of equipment and replacing it with a dud.


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

I just got a brand new aqueon and it failed after 3 weeks. Doesn't heat up anymore


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

solarz said:


> I don't mean to argue, but I can't agree with that line of reasoning. Just because something is relatively inexpensive doesn't mean we should be replacing it more often..
> 
> Worse, there is no guarantee that new heaters are less likely to fail than a heater that has been used for years. It's just as likely that you'd be throwing away a perfectly good piece of equipment and replacing it with a dud.


I don't think your understanding the reasoning. I'm not saying replace it yearly because it's cheap. I'm saying since it's the most common piece to fail which leads to disaster I replace it yearly because it's not a significant amount of money to take the extra insurance. I use eheim jagers. 
I also change my t5 bulbs while they still are perfectly good and throw those away. Same with my RO filters. Yet no one complains about that stuff.

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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

nc208082 said:


> I don't think your understanding the reasoning. I'm not saying replace it yearly because it's cheap. I'm saying since it's the most common piece to fail which leads to disaster I replace it yearly because it's not a significant amount of money to take the extra insurance. I use eheim jagers.
> I also change my t5 bulbs while they still are perfectly good and throw those away. Same with my RO filters. Yet no one complains about that stuff.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


You're assuming that a new heater is less likely to fail than an old heater. There is no evidence to support that assumption.

(By old, I mean a 1-year-old heater, the time length at which you are recommending replacement. If we're talking about 30-year-old heaters, then that's another matter.)

On the other hand, it is a fact that fluorescent bulbs lose their luminosity over time, and that filters get clogged and need to be replaced.

Not the same thing at all.


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

solarz said:


> You're assuming that a new heater is less likely to fail than an old heater. There is no evidence to support that assumption.
> 
> On the other hand, it is a fact that fluorescent bulbs lose their luminosity over time, and that filters get clogged and need to be replaced.
> 
> Not the same thing at all.


Yes they lose efficiency and spectrum but they still light. They can still grow corals. Same with my RO filters I change them at 6 months but they are still working and cleaning water. So actually my point is valid.

And yes it is a known fact that electrical equipment does not last forever. Components start to degrade over time. 
So an older heater has a higher chance of malfunctions than a brand new one would.
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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

Solarz has made some great comments and I respect them for being open to discussion.


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

Well, if nothing else we aquarists are a passionate bunch...

Steve


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

Yes we are. We all feel we do it the right away but we learn from each other every day. Discussions like this are great for both people saying their reasons and others can make educated desicions. The important thing to remember is it is a discussion and everyone is allowed their own point of view. Solarz and myself did get in to a heated conversation but I highly respect him for saying his reasons and being very civil. 

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## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

Dis said:


> I just got a brand new aqueon and it failed after 3 weeks. Doesn't heat up anymore


I had a Life Guard put my tank to 100 after a month.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*heaters*

hey there again ,, I think the conversation is turning into whats the better method , I don't think there is a better method.. I think the heaters are the weakest link in our aquariums .. due to failure ..so as hobbiests and people who care about there fish and inhabitants .. its up to us to either trust the heater we have in our tanks .. or doing what we can afford .. weather it be a controller of some sort the reefkeeper ..a controller .. or a apex .
at the end of the day if we have peace of mind that our heaters are stable and cant COOK a tank that's all that matters .it is preventive to plan it out as OP 
has requested a opinion .. can a heater last years yes .. can it last a few weeks and fail .. for sure ..can a controller of some type prevent a failure yes ..
just my opionion ..
cheers 
tom


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## sdergar (Nov 11, 2010)

And just so I can plan, does anyone using an inkbird have two heaters hooked up to one receptacle and a cooling fan to the second receptacle? Was going to get the model that has both for heaters but started thinking of summer. 

Thanks. Steve


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I own five heaters but use two in my system. I've had the backups for years, waiting for mine to break but they are still going.

The heaters are hooked up to my Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper Lite. Set it and forget it.

No need to change heaters since the head unit monitors the system and heaters. If one goes out, I'm alerted


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## Sandeep (Aug 10, 2009)

Using an Inkbird controller as a redundant safety, helps ensure that a heater is never going to cook your tank by sticking on, or kill your tank because it never turns on, so it provides peace of mind because there is no guarantee that a new vs old, or cheap vs expensive heater will not fail at any time.

In terms of stray electricity killing your tank. That's a valid concern especially given the amount of electrical equipment that we all have in tanks these days. Every tank should have a aquarium grounding probe. a cheap and effective way to counter stray electrical charges in your tank.

Here is what they look like:
https://www.amazon.ca/Rid-volt-Titanium-Grounding-Probe/dp/B0002DGSWE

I've never had a aquarium heater glass break, but if your are worried about that, just buy a titanium heater, no glass=no breakage. Many titanium heaters don't have a thermostat, so in that case the inkbird controller would serve as your thermostat for the heater.
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_n...s=aps&field-keywords=titanium+aquarium+heater


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