Best Saltwater Aquarium Heater? You choose!

tvu

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Eheim are great. I've used them forever but with my recent built had to go with finnex titanium do to eheim 300w being huge and not fitting my sump.
Finnex if using an apex controller is what I'm using. So far so good.
 

Orcus Varuna

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I love my Cobalt neotherm. I run a sumpless system [emoji33]and it blends into the tanks black background very well. Regardless of the heater I disagree with others on keeping temperature locked at a specific number. I purposely fluctuate mine via apex to mimic seasonal and daily changes. The ocean isn't 78.5 degrees 24/7/365 and adding a little variation IME makes your live stock less sensitive if something does break and that stability is lost!
 

BCSreef

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2 or 3 Eheim Jagers on RKE controller. I have a Finnex on the shelf and will give that a try if any of the Jagers ever die.
 

burly

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I'v used several types, including Eheim and Finnex. (Finnexs died pretty fast for no good reason) But I have settled on Marineland glass heaters (I currently have four of them in my sump.) Here is why: customer service- even after 5+ years of use, when they have failed, like all eventually do, Mainland just send me free replacement heaters no problem. They just need the serial number that's painted on the heater. Even when I could only read a few of the letters, they were able to identify it knowing the approximate time of purchase, and send me a replacement. I did not have to go to the trouble of sending it in. I didn't need the box or receipt. One of them ( from my SW mixing tank) was even seriously covered in calcium deposits. And I agree with many that a separate temp controller is a must. (I use my Apex) I did actually call about replacements for my other heater brands and no other would send me a replacement free, especially after years of use. I am happy knowing that I never have to purchase another heater after going with Marineland. Plus they are not too expensive in the first place.
 

sneub

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RULE 1: You must use a temperature controller, regardless of the brand of heater.

RULE 2: Use two heaters in your tank. This way, when one craps out (and it will) the other will maintain temperature, or at least close to temperature.

NOW, as far as choice of heaters:

I believe Ehiem Jager’s are the best. The glass on these things is real thick. The only problem is that they are long.

If you can’t fit a Jager, my second choice is Sera.

I agree with both rules
 

Larry L

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So do you just set the thermometer 2 max temperature and let the controller decide when to turn them on and off

This is a really old thread, but I'm not sure I ever saw anyone answer your question. You *do not* want to set the heaters to max, because then if for some reason the controller fails and is stuck on, you'll cook your tank. Set the controller where you want your tank to be, and set the heaters to just above that. That way when things are working well the controller keeps the tank from getting too hot, but if the controller gets stuck on the heater thermostats will (hopefully) do their job.

It's still a good idea to run two smaller heaters (instead of one big one) even with a controller, because then if the controller fails and one of the heaters also gets stuck on, you won't cook your tank. And if one of the heaters quits, regardless of what's going on with your controller, you at least have the other one helping keep things from getting too cold (bonus points in that case if you have something like an Apex that can alert you if the temp goes too low or too high).
 

FLSharkvictim

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YIKES, coldest weekend of the year and i just noticed my current temp is at 76 degrees and both heaters have crashed on me.. Thank god I have a back up to raise it a little until I can get a new one! Any recommendations on a 500 watt heater? I have read good reviews on this one!
JBJ - True Temp - 500 Watt (100-160 Gallon) Titanium Heater System

nnnnnn__68386.1446923297.1280.1280.jpg
 

Orcus Varuna

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I would just get two 300 watt Ehiem Jager's and call it a day. I have one in a freshwater tank at work that I have owned and used since around 2006.
 

Turbo's Aquatics

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YIKES, coldest weekend of the year and i just noticed my current temp is at 76 degrees and both heaters have crashed on me.. Thank god I have a back up to raise it a little until I can get a new one! Any recommendations on a 500 watt heater? I have read good reviews on this one!
JBJ - True Temp - 500 Watt (100-160 Gallon) Titanium Heater System

nnnnnn__68386.1446923297.1280.1280.jpg
This one worked OK for me for a while, until the probe apparently went nuts and it stopped working (JBJ replaced it for free), then the head end unit konked out and I went to the finnex digital titanium, now I have 3 or 4 of those and 2 of the Jagers.
 

Tyreef2016

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This one worked OK for me for a while, until the probe apparently went nuts and it stopped working (JBJ replaced it for free), then the head end unit konked out and I went to the finnex digital titanium, now I have 3 or 4 of those and 2 of the Jagers.
my temp probe just started shooting all over the place last night. guessing this is a sign this is about to go?
 

Swoody

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I have used the JBJ true temp titanium's on both of my freshwater tanks ( 50g and 29g) for over a year. IMO they would need to be used with a controller on a marine tank as there can be like a 2 degree variance + - from your set temp on their controller. For my freshW tanks it has been no problem and they have operated perfectly for me. On my 135g marine tank, I have 2 Eheim-Jagers (in sump) on a RKL controller....the biggest variance I have seen is .3 degrees from my set temp of 77.
 

Swoody

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I have used the JBJ true temp titanium's on both of my freshwater tanks ( 50g and 29g) for over a year. IMO they would need to be used with a controller on a marine tank as there can be like a 2 degree variance + - from your set temp on their controller. For my freshW tanks it has been no problem and they have operated perfectly for me. On my 135g marine tank, I have 2 Ehiem-Jagers (in sump) on a RKL controller....the biggest variance I have seen is .3 degrees from my set temp of 77.
 

Swoody

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I have used the JBJ true temp titanium's on both of my freshwater tanks ( 50g and 29g) for over a year. IMO they would need to be used with a controller on a marine tank as there can be like a 2 degree variance + - from your set temp on their controller. For my freshW tanks it has been no problem and they have operated perfectly for me. On my 135g marine tank, I have 2 Ehiem-Jagers (in sump) on a RKL controller....the biggest variance I have seen is .3 degrees from my set temp of 77.
 

Swoody

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I have used the JBJ true temp titanium's on both of my freshwater tanks ( 50g and 29g) for over a year. IMO they would need to be used with a controller on a marine tank as there can be like a 2 degree variance + - from your set temp on their controller. For my freshW tanks it has been no problem and they have operated perfectly for me. On my 135g marine tank, I have 2 Ehiem-Jagers (in sump) on an RKL controller....
 

Swoody

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I have used the JBJ true temp titanium's on both of my freshwater tanks ( 50g and 29g) for over a year. IMO they would need to be used with a controller on a marine tank as there can be like a 2 degree variance + - from your set temp on their controller. For my freshW tanks it has been no problem and they have operated perfectly for me. On my 135g marine tank, I have 2 Ehiem-Jagers (in sump) on an RKL controller....
 

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