Back from a weekend trip...two nasty surprises

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Moloch

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2010
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Raleigh, NC
Went to charlotte this weekend and left my fish to their own devices since it'd only be 2 or 3 days out. came home and there's about an inch maybe 2 of glass broken off of my heater (luckily it didn't shatter, mostly a clean break, I've pulled the large piece & found 2 small shards so far) and my (wife's) pleco is dead.


Not too concerned about the pleco, sad that it died, but things happen. I couldn't tell if it died on its own and then got eaten (its carcass was still there, just stripped) or if something killed it to eat it, who knows.

The heater...no idea HOW it broke, I might have actually done it myself messing with a large piece of driftwood...gotten the crack started and then it finished itself off or something. Or maybe one of my fish somehow broke it, no idea. Luckily I have no casualties (except maybe the pleco) and my water is right at 75 (usually keep it at 80) so no REAL crisis, but now I need a new heater.

Is there a good, reasonably priced heater with a digital temp setting? Or some other good recommendation?
 
It was a neptune 300w. It was many years old (not certain...maybe 7 or 8 if it was bought new) we got it from my sister-in-law for free so its not a great loss.

I think I'm gonna go with a rena smartfilter. I've got an xp3 so that would mean one less thing on the back wall of my tank and it looks like a good heater anyways...win win.
 
i like titanium heaters, the controller stays outside the tank and there is no glass to break.

i also have a few 250 watt stealth heaters that i've never had a problem with. but i hear that others have had issues with them.
 
I have an Eheim Jager and its quite rock solid. If you have a canister filter I highly recommend Hydor ETH heaters.
 
Anybody got comments on the rena smartfilters? I'm really turned on by replacing the intake on my filter with the heater...
 
Morledzep;4575593; said:
i like titanium heaters, the controller stays outside the tank and there is no glass to break.
=

-i agree!
 
Titaniums are unbeatable, they dont break and theyre so awesome. Just get a good thermostat.

The Smartfilter: seems like a great idea, but i have not heard of anyone that uses one. So if you do, keep us posted on it.
 
Hydor ETH heaters

I like that, not to hyjack or anything, but how would I plumb that in with my Fluval 305. They use that weird black crinkly hosing with the weird ends on them that you just force in. I dont like how it attaches to begin with because I feel it could knock off easily but they have worked this first 6 months.
 
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