preventing a heater from cooking your fish?

[four_by_ken]

Reading a post on Facebook has me thinking about this.

Always a fear of mine.

How do you prevent this?

[linuxrulesusa]

1) don't use in-tank heaters, which then means heating the room

2) have some kind of warning alarm with narrow parameters to measure temperature (doesn't work if you're gone)

3) buy high quality heaters and replace yearly or every two years or whenever you see any noticeable wear

- related to this, I don't generally use heaters I find on Craigslist etc because it's too risky.  I especially don't use the Tetra non-adjustable ones as I had one of those cook a whole tank of fry early on for me.  I like Aqueon Pros but I've heard Ebo Jager are solid as well. 

[four_by_ken]

I have tanks throughout the house... would make for a hell of a heating bill.   

I was thinking about the alarm actually.  Hmmm.... I could build some of those up I think.

The Aqueon Pro is actually the kind that I buy now.  Most my tanks have them.  I like that they are not glass.  I also try to use multiple heaters i the larger tanks instead of the giant ones.




How do you notice wear on a heater?  

[linuxrulesusa]

I have tanks throughout the house... would make for a hell of a heating bill.   

I was thinking about the alarm actually.  Hmmm.... I could build some of those up I think.

The Aqueon Pro is actually the kind that I buy now.  Most my tanks have them.  I like that they are not glass.  I also try to use multiple heaters i the larger tanks instead of the giant ones.

How do you notice wear on a heater?

I hear you - my setup is the same way, so central heating is not really practical.

You can buy the thermometer/alarm combos cheap as well at various places...I can't remember where but a friend of mine had one that was pretty cool - you set a range that is acceptable and then too high/too low it lets out an earsplitting beep.

I like that they are not glass also.  Good plan on using more smaller heaters vs. larger ones (as to not cooking fish). 

The only downside I've experienced with multiple heaters, besides the possibility of a slightly higher electricity usage, is that it's hard to get them calibrated exactly the same.  So you have to fiddle with it, or else settle for one running more than the other.  Not a huge deal, but it was frustrating to me.

[four_by_ken]

I'll look more into the  thermometer/alarm combos.  With the fish we now have... and how many... I would flip out if a heater malfunctioned and cooked them.

The tanks that I have the multiple heaters in... I see them all cycling on and off and dont seem to have one on longer than another.

With my basement... its COLD in the winter time.  COLD.  I heat the upstairs with a pellet stove and the furnace never really comes on.  So, no heat in the basement.  It gets COLD.

I am thinking about moving the pellet stove to the basement next winter.  Now that we are in the basement much more, and my son loves to be down there... I think it would be a better solution for next year.

[Regalblue]

Keep native species.

[four_by_ken]

Keep native species.

Now, THERE's an idea!!!

[Stan M.]

Use top of the line hearters. Its worth the extra buck!

[whiteram98]

keep the room warm, don't use heaters!!!!!

[four_by_ken]

keep the room warm, don't use heaters!!!!!

Not everyone has a room.

I have a tank in the living room, two in the bedroom and the rest scattered around the basement.

[mightieskeeper]

lots of great heaters out there to use.  the best tool to have is a thermometer.  I check mine daily.

[four_by_ken]

lots of great heaters out there to use.  the best tool to have is a thermometer.  I check mine daily.

Thats how I am trying to keep safe.  Quality heaters and I am obsessive about checking the temp.

[runawaypencil]

When i was using heaters I really liked the finexx titanium heaters with a digital read out with the control built in they worked great.  I had a great source for them but you had to buy alot to get the great deal but it was like $45 for 300watts. 

[African cichlid Keeper]

Use top of the line hearters. Its worth the extra buck!

I agree 

[Ron]

IMO the best way to prevent this catastrophe from happening is to only keep fish that can sustain high heat!

I lost a community tropical tank to a heater years ago. Came home late one night ready to crash into bed and the room just reeked of cooked fish.     I forget what the temperature was, but it was really, really high! Somewhere around 95F IIRC. 1 fish survived though .... the angelfish!