Heater recommendations

HI Guys

Im back after taking some time out.......

Just wanted some advice/recommendations of heaters.

I currently have an Elite mini submersible 25 w heater, only used for two weeks (tank 25litres) but have been reading some horror stories about heaters going wrong and cooking fish! I think this model may be one of the culprits, they have some great reviews and some not so great ones.......

Am I okay with this heater or should I buy a new model? I was looking at a Visi-therm or maybe a Rena Smartheater, but not sure if these would be any good. I was going to get 50w as in the winter our house temp can drop to 8-10c in the evening/overnight and I think you need a higher rated heater if it goes ablow standard room temp of 21c??????? Smartheaters only come in 50w smallest size, visi-therms start from 25w.......

What ones do you use and you feel are the best, also which would you avoid like the plague.....

hugs
babyd

Glad to see you back Babyd

Personally I wouldn't get another Elite as we were one of the people who's fish got boiled one night !!!

At the moment we have visi-therms and aqua one heaters in our tanks.

I think with all heaters you need to keep a close eye on them. You can get alarms which will sound if it get's too hot or cold which are great when you are there to hear them, but at night you may not.

Always have a glass thermometre in your tanks so you can keep an eye on the temps.

Our house gets very cold too at night in the winter and our 25W heaters work fine. It just means that they will stay on longer to keep the temp correct.

thanks Netty, I do keep glass thermometers in my tanks as well as the stick on ones. I just bought a digital one with temp alarms and reminders for water changes too, love gadgets lol

:lol!: hope you can still see your fish once all your gadgets are in place!!

rofl, just about

Well after hearing this morning of another person who lost their fish to an elite heater I have now ordered a visi-therm. not worth the risk to me, the money is worth the peace of mind.

Good idea With the visatherms, they come with a large holder with the suckers on. Sometimes the edges can be a bit rough, but this is easily sorted with a bit of sandpaper or even use the edge of a knife

thanks for the warning Van, will be sure to get the old sandpaper out. I also ordered the guard made for the visi-therm heaters, looks really neat the way it all clips together. Much better than my old one with the universal guard, geez that is ugly lol

My husbands got one of those indusructable rena heaters, it was so funny when we bought it cause the bloke in the fish shop started beating it against the counter to prove it wouldn't break!

yea lol 1 of my first heaters was like that and i went in the end of the day after the heater had been smashed on every surface goin he accidently dropped it on the floor and smashed it :lol!:

I saw those Crystal, was going to get one but the smallest is 50w and in a 25litre tank I thought it was maybe a bit too risky........love them tho..

Hi
A 50w in a 25ltr would be fine. It just means that it will heat the water to your temperature quicker :D

I was going to go for a 50w but Underworld who distribute the visi-therms in the UK said 25 litre was the minimum for a 50w and it might be better to go for the 25w to avoid heating mistakes and boiled fish lol so I followed their advice, but may get a 50w later if the 25w struggles come winter. After all, more heaters means more tanks mwahahahaha lol

The 25w shouldn't struggle at all :D The only way a heater will boil the fish, is if the thermostat goes wrong, in which case all wattage heaters would just keep raising the water temperature. The only difference being is that the 50w would raise it quicker.

it wont hurt havin the 50w in. ive got a 100w heater in a 28l tank

oh well, have the 25w ordered now, wish I just went with my gut and got the 50w but to late now. Mind you the 25w elite is at the lowest setting at moment so it should be fine and more reliable, the visi-therms have 5 year warranty too. May get the 50w later as a backup, you never know when you need one, new fish maybe..........lol plus will have 2 25w elites as short-term backups also......mmmm here new fishy, fishy, fishy....... :D

I think Marineland heaters are great! I have a 300 watt one in my 55 gallon turtle tank and it takes a lot of him accidently hitting his shell on it. I am also getting a 50 watt Marineland for a new 10 gallon I am setting up. I think they work great!