Best Saltwater Aquarium Heater? You choose!

[Blue Spot Octopus]

If room is temperature controlled that is half the battle, but it depends on what temp you keep the room at. Heaters use a lot of electricity and are expensive to operate, so budget is always important, the electric rates vary greatly in the states, obviously we do not know what your rates are. Do you have natural gas, is it cheap?

 

[Impetus]

If room is temperature controlled that is half the battle, but it depends on what temp you keep the room at. Heaters use a lot of electricity and are expensive to operate, so budget is always important, the electric rates vary greatly in the states, obviously we do not know what your rates are. Do you have natural gas, is it cheap?

Its a country house and air-to-air heat pump is the cheapest available option.

 

[Mark Gray]

Orphek, Radion and other aquarium led cost 4k USD for an aquarium this size.

Diesel generator cost 2k USD.

If I have spend 20k USD on an aquarium Im willing to spend 2k USD or 10% on security.

You also might look at heat exchanger units I would not be confident that the floor heating will do it. I really like my Innovative Marine Helio I believe they make a 300 gallon unit and the come with a 5 year warranty. Good luck post pictures

 

[trevorhiller]

I'm researching some options for a tank build that I am working on. About 200 gallons total.

I love the heat exchanger idea - mainly because it keeps the heating element out of the tank. Has anyone used one of these on a tank this size? I know most use them on large systems tied to their water heater.

Also looking at the Cygnet Mini by AquaLogic - I can't find much information on that one though, but my aqualogic controller is nice.

Edit:

It seems there are small point of use electric water heaters as well. I know Reefgrrl on YouTube uses one with a PEX Loop. I don’t want a massive loop of pex in my sump, but this could also be a potential option to keep the AC electricity out of the tank with a heat exchanger. Hmmmm…..

 

[Lebowski_]

This won’t be popular but I switched to Aqueon presets with a temp controller, and I’ve been really impressed.

They have such a small form factor that they are one of the few non ceramic options for people with built in sumps. They are not expensive but seem to be very accurate and the auto shut off chip does work I recently found out.

The low price allows you to run two without spending way over your budget. Multiple heaters + controller eliminates some of the biggest risk with “lower end” heaters.

If space and price weren’t options, I would just go with one of the Helio dual heaters and call it a day.

 

[mushroom_dude]

I started with cobalt aquatics Neotherm, that went out and went with Eheim Jager haven't looked back.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I started with cobalt aquatics Neotherm, that went out and went with Eheim Jager haven't looked back.

Neotherm can be a problem child. Best heaters are titanium units with thermostat or connect to an inkbird heater controller

 

[mushroom_dude]

Neotherm can be a problem child. Best heaters are titanium units with thermostat or connect to an inkbird heater controller

currently running the Eheim Jager with ink bird controller has been flawless

 

[TheFunnyFarm]

What about in-line heaters?

I’m in the process of building a 240gal DT with a remote 190gal (nominal) basement sump and was thinking an in-line before the return under DT would be best for temperature stability, especially in New England. Then a couple element heaters in the sump itself to maintain parameters for the refugium, etc.

If this has already been discussed my apologies, just saw this thread and haven’t read through all 31pages.

 

[Doctorgori]

Fully realizing the original question was heater choices but ….
I’m gonna play “contrarian” here and just say it: I don’t install heaters on anything over 40g…. (I own heaters for emergencies only)….
and granted that depends on ambient room temps (and your thermostat use)
Anyway, the reason why I skip heaters is the risk/reward just isn’t there for me. esp. given the higher risk of heater failure vs the odds of “Snowball Earth” or no home heat scenarios/emergcies/gas outages et et……. moreover pumps, lights, UV add a decent amt of heat to your tank anyway…

IME I haven’t seen any upside for temps above 78F, nor have I ever witnessed any negative symptoms between 69ish - 72F …

I respectfully disagree with the overused/misapplied “stability” idioms and disagree that daily fluctuations + or - 1-2 F stresses livestock (I agree with stability but to what degree?)

….Again this depends on you ambient room temp fluctuations and HVAC situation, but large volumes of water simply don’t temp fluctuate that much daily in most normal situations…

 

[Screwgunner]

My eheim took a crap on me but I took it apart and fixed it. The element shorts out on the bottom of the heater. I only use it to heat my 32 gallon trashcan full of fresh salt water for water changes. But for my dt I use finnex titanium. I will not use anything else .

 

[adinath]

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.

+1 Ehiem Jager

 

[CoralB]

Two finnex titanium heaters hooked up to the controller

 

[Screwgunner]

Finnex 800 watt 800watt controler the old house was cold in the winter. So, my controler melted . Finnex said it should have had a over heat protection. Well, it was stock and it blew a rod. Got a new controler finnex of course and went with 500 watt titanium and I have been running it for 10 years.

 

[CBonito]

Neotherm can be a problem child. Best heaters are titanium units with thermostat or connect to an inkbird heater controller

That's what's going in my new one.

 

[jbc6262]

Something I wonder about is heater guard with titanium heaters. After seeing finnex melted it on YouTube. I've had the old eheim types and yes very good. The condensation issues with glass heating puts me off.

 

[InsaneClownFish]

I prefer Finnex Titanium HMA heaters- no nonsense dials.

I've used Eheims for years, but I've had bad luck with more recently build ones leaking current over years.

Cobalts/Neotherm aren't great products.

Beware of the following heaters:

Innovative Marine Helios- they leak current(IM was very good at replacing them and then refunding my money. They admitted it was within their design parameters to have some stray current)

The new line of Sicce Scuba- just no. The app is terrible and you can't control them while they are underwater unless they are sitting next to glass. It is the most bizarre design and some of the most deceptive marketing I've seen in this industry.

 

[jason2459]

Wow, what an old thread. I don't even remember if I ever replied in this one before.

I'll take any heater that's not epoxy and plastic.

Currently, I run a couple titanium heaters with their own controllers plugged into two different Rancos with their own temp probes, plugged into two different Apex energy bars, and finally plugged into two different receptacles on two different AFCI/GFCI circuits with three apex temp probes connected to 3 different models.

I replace the heaters every couple years or so.

 

[Fish Styx]

Dual Finnex 800w titanium heaters controlled via Apex, and changed every year.

 

[Rafik]

Wow, what an old thread. I don't even remember if I ever replied in this one before.

I'll take any heater that's not epoxy and plastic.

Currently, I run a couple titanium heaters with their own controllers plugged into two different Rancos with their own temp probes, plugged into two different Apex energy bars, and finally plugged into two different receptacles on two different AFCI/GFCI circuits with three apex temp probes connected to 3 different models.

I replace the heaters every couple years or so.

Your comment cracked me up! No offense to epoxy and plastic, but it seems titanium is definitely your heating soulmate. The multi-layered tech setup you described sounds impressively intricate, like a symphony of temperature control. Two Rancos, two Apexes, two AFCIs – you're basically the conductor of thermal comfort!