Another newbie question....this time heaters.

pstanley

pstanley

Member
My tank is 60 gallons with a Trigger Systems 30 sump. I have read that two heaters are better than one (which makes sense). I currently have one 100W heater from an old tank which I am not sure if it can be used. What size heaters should I be using if I wanted to use two in the sump? I know ambient room temp makes a difference....should be around 70-75 degrees year round. Would I need two 125W heaters or something larger (or smaller)?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Let me see... Ohio... yeah, it gets cold up there. I'd say two 100w heaters would be best.

I recommend any titanium heater. Avoid glass heaters or in-line heaters. I have had three heaters break on me in the last 15 years that I have been an aquarist. First was in a freshwater system and two in salt. Definitely not fun seeing electricity arch with blue light under, around, or inside your tank at any point of the day or night.


They sell titanium heaters with separate controllers on them for like $40 each, on top of the cost of the heaters themselves... Very expensive to buy heaters, but they are a much needed piece of equipment in any tank. I have a single 400w glass heater in my 75g planted tank right now - and I have it controlled with an Apex Jr. Aquacontroller, where the temp probe on it monitors the water temp and turns it on and off as necessary. I like my little Apex Jr.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
The reason for 2 heaters is that if one should fail, the other would kick in. I agree about the titanium heaters, they don't break like the glass ones do. Salt is so corrosive.
To be honest, unless your home heat is way low, even if a heater breaks, it won't cool the tank enough to hurt a thing. SW fish are not like the freshwater tropical fish, that get sick every time they are exposed to cool water. As long as temp change doesn't happen instantly, they manage without a hiccup.

Maybe it's just me..... Titanium heaters do get hot, don't try to touch it with your hands, even when it's in the water. It wasn't hot enough to cause a burn, but I couldn't hold onto it for more then a second, and released it pronto, which made me worried about the heater touching glass or acrylic. This is why I advise to not have the heaters touch the glass, the glass will heat up, and with the cooler water ... it could make the tank crack (that's a personal opinion, not anything I read happening). On an acrylic tank it may melt that spot where the heater sits, so make sure to use the rubber feet and place it correctly as instructions tell you.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
In addition to what Flower said, if a heater fails it seems to be a rule of the universe that it will fail in the ON position. If neither heater is large enough to heat the tank alone you won't be having very expensive boiled fish for dinner.
 
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