Michigan Cichlid Association

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: four_by_ken on February 25, 2014, 11:10:50 AM

Title: Submersible Heaters
Post by: four_by_ken on February 25, 2014, 11:10:50 AM
What is your preference for a heater?  A GOOD heater.

 >:(
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: African cichlid Keeper on February 25, 2014, 11:59:45 AM
fluval heater m series.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: danielratti on February 25, 2014, 12:12:20 PM
Eheim jagers are prly some of the best out there right now.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Ron on February 25, 2014, 12:15:10 PM
Eheim jagers are prly some of the best out there right now.
What about Ebo jagers?  :P
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: cranialdisturbance on February 25, 2014, 12:28:42 PM
I only use Eheim Jager heaters in all of my tanks. 
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: rcombs on February 25, 2014, 12:51:36 PM
I have the titanium viaaqua. has digital read out on the power cord. No issues yet. I did forget to shut it off when doing a water change. Caused it to burn a bit but it still works just fine.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: jcunningham0295 on February 25, 2014, 03:16:55 PM
I am switching mine from Marineland to Eheim jagers.  Have seven Marineland ones to send back now.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Marty on February 25, 2014, 03:49:54 PM
I've only had one Ebo Jager heat fail in over 12 years.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Steve on February 25, 2014, 04:26:54 PM
I only have one submersible heater which is in my fry tank, I use Hydor inline on my main tanks, but hearing some of you guys say you are getting rid of your marineland ones I think I may pick up an Eheim and switch it out just to be on the safe side and avoid any problems.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Ron on February 25, 2014, 11:53:06 PM
Years ago I had a variety of heaters fail and invested in going all Ebo Jager. That company has now been bought by Eheim (or whomever owns them) hence the name change. I'm not sure if the actual heater changed or not. In pictures it looks the same, but that doesn't always mean much.

IMO all heaters eventually fail in some fashion. Hopefully they fail off and it'll become apparent over a period of time that the tank has gone cold. The ones that fail on are a disaster IME.

Some of my Ebo started to show condensation inside the glass tube around the heater element over time. I'm not sure exactly how they'll fail, if at all, but suspect it's not good. I've been gradually throwing out the worst ones. Luckily I've insulated my fishroom well enough  that I don't need a heater in every tank at this time.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Arturtle on February 26, 2014, 09:35:37 PM
I have bought at least 4 of the marineland heaters in the last 5 years and everyone one of them has shown condensation inside of them, I do not plan to buy anymore of them.

I bought a bunch of those viaAqua titanium heaters with external controllers almost 10 years ago now, and they all malfunctioned to some degree after a year of use.

I have recently bought some of the Jager heaters, and am impressed/satisfied.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Bremmon on March 03, 2014, 12:14:18 AM
I'm using Aqueon Pro's now, I was using Hydor Theo heaters, but I had 4 out of 5 die within 3 months of purchasing them. I have friends that swear by Jager
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Dan K on March 03, 2014, 08:15:45 AM
Jehmco has some sale prices on 150w, 200w, and 300w right now. I just ordered one along with my bag order.
Even without the sale prices their Jager heaters prices are good.
They also have dirt cheap prices on other submersible brands but for the money I went with Jager.

http://jehmco.com/html/heaters.html
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: jcunningham0295 on March 03, 2014, 02:50:56 PM
Guess I will be placing my order tomorrow for more Jager heaters and some box filters.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: breaktime on March 03, 2014, 05:27:26 PM
Jehmco has some sale prices on 150w, 200w, and 300w right now. I just ordered one along with my bag order.
Even without the sale prices their Jager heaters prices are good.
They also have dirt cheap prices on other submersible brands but for the money I went with Jager.

http://jehmco.com/html/heaters.html

Dan what else do you get from Jehmco?
Has anyone used their controllers they offer for multiple heaters. They give a plausible reason as to why a controller will prevent one heater from doing most of the work.


Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Ron on March 03, 2014, 06:32:06 PM
They give a plausible reason as to why a controller will prevent one heater from doing most of the work.
What is wrong with one heater doing most of the work? A watt is a watt.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: breaktime on March 03, 2014, 11:47:37 PM
They give a plausible reason as to why a controller will prevent one heater from doing most of the work.
What is wrong with one heater doing most of the work? A watt is a watt.

I think the idea is to have 2 heaters controlled by a controller so that both heaters work together. I was told that the thermostats in the heater are not of the same quality that a good controller has. Sales pitch possibly, but I do like the idea of having 2 heaters controlled at the same time. I would like to bat this subject around to read other comments people may have.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Ron on March 04, 2014, 06:32:48 AM
Quote from: breaktime link=topic=5131.msg44590#msg44590 I was told that the thermostats in the heater are not of the same quality that a good controller has.
[/quote
I would agree with that portion of your post. Typically they cost more, so it's presumable they'll have components of a higher quality or greater accuracy/resolution. How critical that is, I'm not so sure. How accurate is your thermometer? I don't think you'd need a heater any more accurate than your thermometer.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: four_by_ken on March 04, 2014, 09:02:53 AM
They give a plausible reason as to why a controller will prevent one heater from doing most of the work.
What is wrong with one heater doing most of the work? A watt is a watt.

It allows you to use two smaller heaters instead of one large one.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: four_by_ken on March 04, 2014, 09:03:43 AM
I would agree with that portion of your post. Typically they cost more, so it's presumable they'll have components of a higher quality or greater accuracy/resolution. How critical that is, I'm not so sure. How accurate is your thermometer? I don't think you'd need a heater any more accurate than your thermometer.

Precision is not what I am willing to spend for, but usually comes along with superior components.

I want a heater that is the least likely to fail.

Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: four_by_ken on March 04, 2014, 09:04:10 AM
Two Eheim 250w should arrive tomorrow at my house
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Dan K on March 05, 2014, 04:41:58 PM
I received my 150w Eheim Jager heater today and was surprised to read on the package that it is for tanks up to 79 gallons.

I wanted a heater for 29 -38 gallon tanks, and based on the gallon rating on the Fluval heaters that I already have, I went with 150w.

Does anyone know why two companies have such different ratings? Is the Eheim Jager so much better than a Fluval?
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: four_by_ken on March 05, 2014, 04:44:53 PM
I noticed that also when I ordered mine.

I just went with the industry typical standard

Having a little more heating power is better than not enough
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: Ron on March 05, 2014, 05:24:41 PM
Does anyone know why two companies have such different ratings? Is the Eheim Jager so much better than a Fluval?
They have such different ratings because there is no standard. If all companies were measured against a standard from a testing company, then they'd be comparable.

The price difference is likely based on components used in construction, and to a less extent brand name (or at least it was - typically smaller name products that get recognition for quality and become popular are bought up by larger named companies who squeeze them for all the profit they can get by cutting corners). I'm not certain about Fluval, but I had what I thought was a nice Visitherm heater clink against a tank lightly and the glass shattered into pieces. I've had a number of Jager heaters bang against the tank, but they've got a thicker glass case and have never shattered.

The argument I can see for multiple heaters is that there is a less likely chance that they'll both fail at the same time, in the same way. That is negated though if they are both controlled by the same controller, as it's my impression that the controller/regulator is the part that tends to fail most often.
Title: Re: Submersible Heaters
Post by: cranialdisturbance on March 05, 2014, 05:36:35 PM
I had a Buttikoferi crack one of my old Ebo Jagers once.  He had to ram it a couple hundred times though.