Heater Explosion

**ken_wied** · 12-10-2009, 10:29 PM

Something interesting happened to my mom's tank. We set up a new 90g for her this weekend, and on my way home in a blizzard she called FRANTIC. Her heater BLEW UP in her tank. She said it looked like a lightning storm and sounded like a shot gun in her living room. She lost a Kole Tang, Blue tang, Sebae Anemone, Short Spined urchin, Tuxedo Urchin, Pep shrimp, cleaner shrimp, all of her coral and snails look to be checking out too. It was a Marineland heater - the new plastic one. She called Marineland and complained, they are sending a new one, and they need an estimate of livestock lost so they can replace it. Just a solemn reminder of what CAN happen in this hobby. Sucks, we worked so hard to get that tank where it was at. She had all kinds of leathers in it.

**MSU Fan** · 12-10-2009, 10:38 PM

that's sucky Ken. I hope that Marineland can make good (as much as is possible) on reimbursing for the tank.

Of course, that doesn't make up for the fact that tank got blowed up.

**Cuda** · 12-10-2009, 10:53 PM

I had a glass one do that . If it comes out of water and heats up and gets wet it blows.

**ken_wied** · 12-10-2009, 10:59 PM

Yeah, but the new ones are supposed to shut off when water level got too low. At least that's what I thought. But we had it unplugged, and she plugged it in and then a little while later BOOM. The box said "Shatter Proof"... Didn't think about EXPLOSION proof :/

**condiman** · 12-11-2009, 12:28 AM

I am glad she is ok and Please keep us updated if they do follow threw with the replacements

**2FarNorth** · 12-11-2009, 06:58 AM

I also had a glass one do this, but I ended up sticking my hand in while it was.....

Not good..

**Sikryd** · 12-11-2009, 07:13 AM

Sorry to hear that.

Heater just plain SUCK in this hobby!

$40 piece of equiptment can take out THOUSANDS in minutes for no apparent reason. I lost $5k+ of SPS due to something similiar.

**eskymick** · 12-11-2009, 08:36 AM

That sucks, Ken. I'm glad it didn't start a fire. It's cool that Marineland will pay for the livestock. It wasn't THE Kole tang was it?

I'm in the market for a new heater myself. Just yesterday, I came within an eyelash of ordering a Marineland heater from Dr. Foster. Is there such thing as a dependable heater??

**shananigans** · 12-11-2009, 10:09 AM

Wow, that's scary! I just had one fail on me and my temp dropped like 6 degrees. I'm glad it wasn't the opposite. I'm always digging in my sump around the heater, I guess I will be more careful about it being out of the water. I would also like to know if there is a dependable heater I should buy. I believe I currently have a glass marineland and it is looking a little rough..

**revhtree** · 12-11-2009, 10:24 AM

Wow let us know on Marineland paying for the loss. I hope they do!

**Jhildebrand** · 12-11-2009, 11:01 AM

Bummer man, our condolences on the losses. Ranco controller and several smaller titanium heaters for me until I can find a better way. I wouldn't mind spending a little more for a reasonable guarantee it can't cause a nuclear meltdown. Was this on a GFI? Would it have mattered in this case?

Super interested to know what could make it explode - I'm guessing a leaky case that let water get into the wire contacts? Leah plugged a vacuum into an outlet she inadvertantly sprayed with cleaner and the outlet exploded once. It melted the prongs on the plug and that was a very small amount of liquid.

**stunreefer** · 12-11-2009, 11:06 AM

WOW, a Marinland Stealth blew up!?!

Crapola! I generally swear by these things and have never had any issues with them in over 6 years using them, although I've never tried the "new" ones, to my knowledge the only difference was the fact that they had an "indicator" light on them.

So was the water level low and it just didn't shut off, or was it completely submerged in the tank and just "exploded"?

I'm assuming it was in the display tank and not in a sump?

**ken_wied** · 12-11-2009, 09:57 PM

Thanks for all the well-wishes. I got an update. Foster and Smith called her and advised her that there was now a re-call for that heater. Apparently marineland issued something to the vendors. She just sent it in yesterday and already they came out with that ruling.

**Fishcrazy06** · 12-11-2009, 10:13 PM

Wow thats kind of like a double edged sword. good and bad. A day late for the recall on the other hand it seems they are taking responsibility and doing a recall!

Best of Luck Ken!

inactive · 12-11-2009, 10:18 PM

Oh man I hope mine takes out my tank, daddy needs an upgrade.

**Sikryd** · 12-11-2009, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by ken_wied

Thanks for all the well-wishes. I got an update. Foster and Smith called her and advised her that there was now a re-call for that heater. Apparently marineland issued something to the vendors. She just sent it in yesterday and already they came out with that ruling.

I guess Dr. Foster and Smith forgot their own ruling.

I can't find anything on the web about it - and they are still selling them.

I'm trying to find out definitetive information on this since I just about one of them as well.