# Cannister and heater decision help please!!!



## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

OK, 2 part help/advice needed.
1) Cannister decision--new 55 not yet setup. Will have corys, rummy noses, emperors and a couple of GBR.

Cant decide between the Rena XP3, or Marineland C220 or maybe C360 if I can find it for a good price. 

Is the C220 big enough?

Which is quieter, the C220 or the XP3?

Which would you go for?

OK now for the heater question. Still for the same 55 standard size tank.

I like the idea of 2 heaters. Remember, GBR will be there so it will be warm.

Can I use 2 100 watts or would 2 150 watts be better. I dont think I would need 2 200 watts would I?

FYI, I am thinking I will go with the Visitherm Deluxe model. Just based on reading reviews about it. Was originally thinking Jager, but quality has come into question since Eheim bought them.

Lets see lots of replies.


Thanks,


Dan


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Have you checked canister filters with embedded heaters. It's always good to have less equipment in a tank.


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

Love my Renas (XP1, 2x XP2 1x XP3). Hate my Marineland C360! 

Also throw one of these on the return line from your canister - as Igor says, keeping unsightly equipment out of the display tank is always a good thing:

http://www.hydor.com/prodotti/show/famprod/9/list/3

I have 2 of them (one on a 90G, one on a 65G) - they're both 2+ yrs and no issues/hiccups/glitches yet... expensive (compared to a regular heater) but they're consistent and reliable.

FYI: I run 2x XP2's on a 65G - one for biological filtration (plastic & ceramic bio-media), one for mechanical (various density foams). This combination runs great with crystal clear water for African Cichlids (Haps & Peacocks)


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

The Baron said:


> OK, 2 part help/advice needed.
> 1) Cannister decision--new 55 not yet setup. Will have corys, rummy noses, emperors and a couple of GBR.
> 
> Cant decide between the Rena XP3, or Marineland C220 or maybe C360 if I can find it for a good price.
> ...


Jager is good. It had issues for a bit but they're good now. Better than visitherm.

Get a 2217. The Marineland canisters are very poorly built IMO. The RENAs are good filters but I still like the 2217 better.


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## Octavian (Sep 30, 2009)

Rena XP3 for the filter


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Thanks all.

Now what about the question of the heater.

I want 2, but what size would be appropriate for this tank?

Remember I want to keep it around 82 for the rams.

A couple of 100,150 or 200's?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

You want ONE heater. A 200W Jaeger is sufficient if the room is always 20 celsius+

If you want to have the heater for a long time at high temp I'd go with a 250. 

Dual heaters are a bad move in anything other than a massive tank, and even there, not the best move. They don't both come on at the same time. It doesn't work like that. One heater will always take the brunt of the work.

It's 55G. Not a big tank.


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

AquariAM, interesting you say one heater when a lot of others
are praising two.

I just figure that with a 4' tank, you;d get better heat dispersion
with 2 or am I wrong???


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

The Baron said:


> I just figure that with a 4' tank, you;d get better heat dispersion
> with 2 or am I wrong???


I think your overstate importance of this  Your filter outflow will take carry about heat dispersion just fine.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

The Baron said:


> AquariAM, interesting you say one heater when a lot of others
> are praising two.
> 
> I just figure that with a 4' tank, you;d get better heat dispersion
> with 2 or am I wrong???


It's a four foot tank if you're that worried put it in the middle. Had a 55 4' for like 3 years with a heater on the far right never an issue.


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

OK, one it is.

What temp should I get 150, 200, 250 ???


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

The Baron said:


> AquariAM, interesting you say one heater when a lot of others
> are praising two.
> 
> I just figure that with a 4' tank, you;d get better heat dispersion
> with 2 or am I wrong???


Lot of others like 2 heaters is for insurance just incase 1 heater stops working and the second will help keep the temperature a bit higher than no heater and other think that 2 heaters will prolong the life of both heaters. Two heater in a 4 feet tank will not have better heat dispersion than 1 but your water circulation will take care the heat dispersion. I use 1 300watts Jager in my 6 feet tank at one end and the water is kept at 80F thru out the whole tank without any problem. 
For your 55gal if you go with two heaters then 2x 150watts or one 200 or 250 watts...this will depend on your room temperature and the temperature you want in the tank.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

dl88dl said:


> Lot of others like 2 heaters is for insurance just incase 1 heater stops working and the second will help keep the temperature a bit higher than no heater and other think that 2 heaters will prolong the life of both heaters. ...


I think that overheat is a bigger problem than cool aquarium water.
If your heater is broken, you will have home temperature in aquarium. It's 21-24C usually. It's fine for almost all fishes.
But if your heater goes nuts and starts working all the time, you can end up with 32C and more. This can easily kill tropical fishes.

Do not buy a heater that is more powerful than you need. And do not buy a 'no-name' heater 

If you have spare money, think about Aquarium Reptiles LCD Alarm Digital Thermometer or a similar unit.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> I think that overheat is a bigger problem than cool aquarium water.
> If your heater is broken, you will have home temperature in aquarium. It's 21-24C usually. It's fine for almost all fishes.
> But if your heater goes nuts and starts working all the time, you can end up with 32C and more. This can easily kill tropical fishes.
> 
> ...


Makes more sense IMO to turn the heater up to max and just plug it into an automatic controller that has no moving parts (heater has an analog thermostat) that digitally turns the heater on/off.
Extra $10-15 and works when you're not home.


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## Ice_14 (Jan 17, 2008)

I've been using an XP3 for the last 3 year, and so far it's given me no problems.
If you go with an XP3 I would recommend a Rena Smart Heater. It replaces the intake tube of the filter so there is less clutter in the tank. It's like an inline and submersable heater in one. When the filter is running the heat is circulated throughout the tank, when the filter is not running it will still heat the tank.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

personally, I would say get two heaters for a big tank.

get two that will add up to the wattage you need to heat the tank you have.

so this will not overheat your tank and you can have the heaters on opposite ends of the tank.

That's my opinion


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> personally, I would say get two heaters for a big tank.
> 
> get two that will add up to the wattage you need to heat the tank you have.
> 
> ...


Ever done it? I have. Never again.

55G is TINY. Big is around 100 gallons and up. 55G is nothing.

Its called a digital thermostat. You plug your heater into it and it turns your heater on and off for you. All digital microchip controlled no analog thermostat.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> Ever done it? I have. Never again.
> 
> 55G is TINY. Big is around 100 gallons and up. 55G is nothing.
> 
> Its called a digital thermostat. You plug your heater into it and it turns your heater on and off for you. All digital microchip controlled no analog thermostat.


Thats true. 55G isn't big.. but to me it is... 

I agree with you on that one then. But it's expensive for those digital thermostat heater. Are you talking about the Fluval ones?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> Thats true. 55G isn't big.. but to me it is...
> 
> I agree with you on that one then. But it's expensive for those digital thermostat heater. Are you talking about the Fluval ones?


Expensive yes. If you're that worried though how much is too much?

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/StoreCat...ery=digital+temp&queryType=0&hits=12&offset=0

Been running single quality heaters for years. Never cooked anything. Never had a cold fail either.

I change my heaters every year.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

well I don't mind the price if I had the bigger tanks and needed it.

That will be a while from now..

Wonder what Dan end up getting..


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Honestly a 200W jager (250 for COLD room ie basement where you always need a sweater) will be fine.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

how many tanks do you have AquariAM?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Fish_Man said:


> how many tanks do you have AquariAM?


Currently 2 set up in total over a number of years:

2 20G
2 15G
1 10G
1 15G rimless
2x 38
1x 55
2x5.5G
1x3.5G
1x2.5G
2x35G

Ran my 55 for about 3 years. Ran it on a 250W marineland visitherm then went to a 200W jager. 
temp was always set to 80F

why do you ask?


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

just curious


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