BRS titanium heaters - 2x300 or 1x600?

[Jstn]

So I am looking to upgrade/replace my heaters and have been looking at these titanium units. My tank is ~130 gallons and currently run 2x Finnex external controllers with 500w titanium elements. Both are plugged into there own apex outlets. One heater outlet remains on 24/7 unless the temp goes above 80 (failsafe) and the other kicks on at 75 Incase the primary fails. It’s worth noting I am in Minnesota and my house is 60-70 depending on the time of day. The single 500watt has handled my demands without issues.

My current setup sounds ideal but with two controller and two 500w heaters plugged into two outlets is a bit much clutter (room
Is premium in my stand) not to mention a few years old. So the new ink bird BRS controller is attractive, it can handle up to 1200w and provides two outlets, while only needing one of my apex outlets.
Previously to running my finnex I ran ehiem Jagers and had to run 2 smaller 250w (due to length constraints). The smaller units were nice to prevent overcooking if one of them failed on, which leads me to thinking buy 2x300w, especially with the dual
outlets on the inbird. On the other hand, a heater element such as these titanium ones can only fail by dying, not stuck on, therefor would running a single 600w for simplicity (less wires). With both the Inkbird and the apex I can’t see an issue with running the single larger unit, especially with the 3 year warranty. I would still replace them after 2 year as I have done in the past so in theory I should be “safe”.

So would running 2 smaller be more ideal than one larger in this case? And would anyone recommend a different wattage such as 2x200w?

Thanks !

 

[don_chuwish]

2 x 300W have been perfect in my 120G (+sump). I went for the best redundancy I could manage - two Inkbirds, each plugged into separate energy bars. Each with their own temp probes and Finnex titanium heaters. I set a max temp of 81 on the Inkbirds and let the Apex control when they come on 77.8 - 78.2 degrees. Each heater is used half the day by some snazzy programming taken from zombie on the Neptune forums:

Inkbird1:
Fallback OFF
If Temp < 77.8 Then ON
If Temp > 78.2 Then OFF
If Time 00:00 to 11:59 Then OFF
If Temp < 77.6 Then ON
If Temp < 75.0 Then OFF

Inkbird2:
Fallback ON
If Temp < 77.8 Then ON
If Temp > 78.2 Then OFF
If Time 12:00 to 23:59 Then OFF
If Temp < 77.6 Then ON

"Failsafes are:
Only 1 heater runs at a time under normal conditions splitting the load so they alternate every 12 hours. If one alone is not able to keep up, they will both turn on at a slightly larger hysteresis.

In the event the temp probe falls out of the tank or fails, only one heater will keep the tank temp on it's own thermostat setting.

In the event the energy bar fails to communicate, only one heater will keep the tank temp on it's own thermostat setting."

But you could also go with just the one BRS branded Inkbird controller and let it control two heaters. Then have Apex be the 'too hot' failsafe - having it kill power to the controller above 80 degrees.

 

[Jstn]

2 x 300W have been perfect in my 120

Thanks for your reply, it seems you had two ink birds with both 300w in a similar fashion to my current finnex setup (great minds think alike). not sure your climate but it sounds 300w is plenty. So if you wanted to do the single ink bird would you do 1x600 (there isn’t really a point to running 2 on the same inkbird or is there ?) or 2x300, and my case it sounds if I wanted to do 2 do 2x200. Since both would be on at the same time it would provide 400w (plenty) and if one died still has 200w to keep it warm and trigger a low temp alarm from the apex.

I know the dual setup is preferred but the space is a premium in my case. I am trying to minimize the rats nest long terms.

Thanks !

Justin

 

[EddieM]

So I am looking to upgrade/replace my heaters and have been looking at these titanium units. My tank is ~130 gallons and currently run 2x Finnex external controllers with 500w titanium elements. Both are plugged into there own apex outlets. One heater outlet remains on 24/7 unless the temp goes above 80 (failsafe) and the other kicks on at 75 Incase the primary fails. It’s worth noting I am in Minnesota and my house is 60-70 depending on the time of day. The single 500watt has handled my demands without issues.

My current setup sounds ideal but with two controller and two 500w heaters plugged into two outlets is a bit much clutter (room
Is premium in my stand) not to mention a few years old. So the new ink bird BRS controller is attractive, it can handle up to 1200w and provides two outlets, while only needing one of my apex outlets.
Previously to running my finnex I ran ehiem Jagers and had to run 2 smaller 250w (due to length constraints). The smaller units were nice to prevent overcooking if one of them failed on, which leads me to thinking buy 2x300w, especially with the dual
outlets on the inbird. On the other hand, a heater element such as these titanium ones can only fail by dying, not stuck on, therefor would running a single 600w for simplicity (less wires). With both the Inkbird and the apex I can’t see an issue with running the single larger unit, especially with the 3 year warranty. I would still replace them after 2 year as I have done in the past so in theory I should be “safe”.

So would running 2 smaller be more ideal than one larger in this case? And would anyone recommend a different wattage such as 2x200w?

Thanks !

2x300w and offset the trigger by a degree. Not only will you have redundancy, but the 2nd heater will only kick on when needed.

 

[Jstn]

2x300w and offset the trigger by a degree. Not only will you have redundancy, but the 2nd heater will only kick on when needed.

I’m not sure a single inkbird could do this ?

 

[don_chuwish]

The BRS branded Inkbird they sell on the site has two outlets and both are meant for heaters. Unlike the regular Inkbirds where one plug is meant for a cooling device. Using the BRS controller on my nano tank I plugged in two heaters - each one capable of heating the tank alone. That way if one fails 'off' the other one will keep the temp up. If one fails 'on' the controller will turn it off anyway.
So I'd still suggest 2 x 300W, with the BRS controller, if you don't want so many devices.

 

[Jstn]

I am leaning that way, if one of the 300s dies (unlikely but not impossible)I still have 300 vs 600. And with the inkbird and apex it should be a very low probability that they fail on and cook the tank.

Side note I have a Qt with a Jager 100w for 20 in my basement. I run and eb8 in my basement connected to my main system via 15’ aqua bus cable. The long cable got disconnected and my heater outlet was fallback On and my Jager was set to what I though was 80 yet the tank was 86 when I finally realized it got disconnect from the base.
I had a rhomboid wrassse in the tank, thankfully I was able to catch it in time and the fish is fine, but definitely a reminder of the fickle relationship with heaters.