Best Saltwater Aquarium Heater? You choose!

[afishbestservedcold]

HOT TAKE ; )

The best heater for a tank up to 10g is the Lifegard Preset Quartz Glass heater. I have the 50w, it is nearly half the size (see build thread) of the eheim jager/oase/hydor and keeps my 4g at a steady 79.

I used the 100w versions that come with the lifegard 7g tank for 3 years with no issues, I researched the hell out of heaters and bought/returned 5 before settling on the Lifegard. The downside is that it is preset and I'd prefer to keep the tank at 74-76, but to save the space its worth it.

I also picked up a cobalt neotherm 25w but I've seen too many R2R nightmares about it exploding to put it in a sw tank yet lol

 

[DRW0212]

I like using the JBJ heating system

 

[ubiq]

I like the Hygger HG series. Comes with a separate controller, effective fish guard, and in manageable lengths. Widely available and not too dear. I've had four in varying wattages for over a year without a hiccup.

 

[Basti2290]

Hello,

i using two Eheim Jäger Heater with an InkBird ITC-1000 Controller.

1st Heater has 300W
2nd Heater 200W

The Controller is for Heating and Cooling.


I used Eheim Jäger Heaters many Years without any Problems.

I had Sera heater a few years ago, brand new bought, after 6 months the Glas is cracked

Another heater (I think it was an Aquael heater) cooked my Freshwater Shrimps because he heated the water to 40°C -.- That was the last heater without an Controller

regards

Basti2290

(sorry for my bad english, i use it not often)

 

[Ketan]

I have 2 Ehiem 200W heaters without any external controller, I am running them without issues for 2+ years but now I am starting to get worried. Which controller should I get to control both of them at the same time? I don't want to buy 2 controllers, in that case, I would just buy 2 new heaters with external controllers.

 

[ubiq]

I have 2 Ehiem 200W heaters without any external controller, I am running them without issues for 2+ years but now I am starting to get worried. Which controller should I get to control both of them at the same time? I don't want to buy 2 controllers, in that case, I would just buy 2 new heaters with external controllers.

Both Inkbird ITC-306 variants have dual plug-ins and will control 2 separate heaters simultaneously.

 

[count krunk]

My cobalt neotherm can't heat a 5g bucket after two years. Tsk tsk

 

[josephxsxn]

Finnex Titanium Deluxe, used many sizes of this one and it's done well, out of 6 heaters I only ever had a problem with 1 leaking electricity into the tank (shocked myself putting hands on the tank.) Had one of them get covered in GSP and contributed working just fine.

+1 for external tempature controller

 

[FishDaddy]

Running two Finnex 500 watt titanium heaters connected to an apex one set fairly cooler temp as a backup only. Also run an Aqua Logic 1/4 hp chiller connected to an aqua logic controller (aka rancho); complete redundancy. It's been running for three years (display 180, frag 40, sump 130). Changing out the heaters because of age, but seem to hold up.

 

[Reefacist]

Got two eheim hooked up to a ranco that’s hooked up to the apex. Got ranco doing primary controls and then apex to shut off heaters if things go south and if apex goes south at the exact time as the dance then the sheiks will shut themselves off. In my opinion best heater are the eheims being controlled externally.

 

[Screwgunner]

I started out with the 800 watt finnex it did fine for 3years then my furnace went out it got very cold in the house and my controller melted . Went to the 500 watt it has been awsome.

 

[ReeferMaddne$$]

I just started a new nano tank a few weeks ago and just got the Innovative marine Helios PTC smart heater.

Has anyone else tried this heater? I'm really looking forward to working with it since it is the first time I have not used a standard glass heater in the 30 years I have kept fish tanks.

 

[Basementreefer]

I’ve got an Inkbird ITC-308 controller hooked up to a Schego titanium 200W heater. This thing is bulletproof, very reliable and the temperature is always spot on accurate from the Inkbird.

 

[[Cameron]]

I have seen far too many heaters fail, controllers lock up and temp probes fail. Two heaters with their own controller that are attached to an independent external controller are about as bulletproof as it gets.

For example put one Eheim Jager heater on the reef tanks smart controller say a Neptune. Put the other on an Inkbird. Set the Inkbird and the Neptune to the ideal temp. Set the Jagers a couple degrees warmer. Ideally the Inkbird and the Neptune will be on different circuits with their own breakers. I wouldn't do this unless I had some expensive livestock.

If either heater fails to heat, the other picks up the slack. If either temp controller locks up, the other picks up the slack. If either temp probe starts putting out false information, worst case the tank gets a couple degrees warmer but still within safe measure. If a circuit gets overloaded, the other circuit should still be working.

 

[HB AL]

Just realized this is a very old thread but you can't go wrong with Eheim Jager, been using them for 20+ years and not one has ever failed. Doesn't get any better than that. I do have my current plugged into an inkbird just to absolutely safe.

 

[Reefahholic]

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.

You see what I bought for my new tank. Cycling the rocks now. Jager’s never fail me like the others. Any heater will fail eventually though.

 

[Karliefish]

In earlier threads heard some swear by a ranco controller but others said when power goes out it defaults to cooling mode.

anyone know if this is still the case or fixed now?

also is the Aqualogic set to also default to cooling mode if the power goes out?

were you able to ever get an answer to your question? I’m thinking about going with either their Aqualogic or Rancho controller, but need to know that it doesn’t default to cooling mode if powered-off.

 

[Michael Biando]

Finnex 300w titanium with Neptune controller

 

[Jeffcb]

I wanted to use Ehiem but 2 350s would not fit in my sump because of length.

I ended up going with a JBJ 800. Working great so far. It has its own controller but is plugged into Apex for back up if it were to ever were to stick on.

 

[MartinM]

Shout out to the Helios heaters, I really like them. Coupled with the CoralVue Hydros computer also ^ ^