heater guards use and any problems?

[nintri]

Hello,
I am currently preparing my 100 gallon tank for a couple of stingrays which I bought and will be picking up in 3 or 4 weeks.
I get the impression that having heater guards is quite commonly advised. However, I was at a LFS the other day and they said that they don't carry the gaurds because they create hotspots on your heater that commonly burn out the heater.
My questions:
- Are there different kinds of heater guards available out there and does anyone have a preference for a certain type?
- Is this hot spot issue really something I need to concern myself with? While I would rather burn out a heater than burn a ray, I would still preferr not to have to regularly replace heaters.
Thanks.

 

[redtailfool]

I have been using a heater guard on some of my heaters ( Tronic Brand ) and i have never
had a problem like that. Make sure that you place your heater on where the current is pretty strong so the heat circulates properly.

 

[DiXoN]

I have been using a heater guard on some of my heaters ( Tronic Brand ) and i have never
had a problem like that. Make sure that you place your heater on where the current is pretty strong so the heat circulates properly.

same here i use tronic heaters with plastic heater guards and have no problems at all.
been using them for years.

 

[Brent]

me too
i have used a heater guard for 2 years with no problems
use one