Heater blew up :(

[Skunk141]

Hi I'm new and found this via google

I just had to let some steam off.

This is the worst thing to happen to me in 15 years of keeping fish and will haunt me for a very long time.

I got back 2 days ago from working outside my house and sat down to watch my fish as I often do and saw a dead guppy floating about, so went to get a net to fish him out, I came back and he had dissapeared somewhere in the tank, I went downstairs for 20 minutes to cook something and when I came back up 5-7 small fish were all floating about, then I knew something was wrong.

I put my hand in the tank and it was hotter than I take a bath, immediatly I started getting water out the tank and replacing it with cold water.

I finally got the temperature down to normal levels but was too late for most fish, I felt like crying, the biggest loss was my clown loach which had a unique and amazing personality that can never be replaced and gave me many hours of enjoyment with his various tricks in the tank and 2 Plecos that I had since they were very young and both had amazing personalities, the biggest 12 inch pleco survived but you can tell he is devastated at losing both his friends, hes just sulking in the corner and not eating much, he really misses bullying them...

I still cant belive it has happened, the heater was only 2 years old and showed no signs of defect, I'm going to replace heaters every year weather they need it or not, worth the £25 in my opinion

My biggest pleco 2 dwarf guramis and an angel fish are the only things to survive and I have no idea how they pulled through as it really was hotter than a bath.

My tank is 3 1/2 ft wide 1 1/2 width and 1 1/2 ft deep and carried many fish, some that cant be replaced

 

[Phreaxer]

that really sucks... im sorry to hear that.

 

[Crusty Barnacle]

OMG So sad to hear that. I cant even begin to imagine how you feel. I think if a heater breaks it should have a back up overload shut off to prevent such tragedy. thats how I would make em. I have to go look at mine now its a click and set fully submersed tube heater 1 degree error allowance. Do you also keep a Thermometer in the tank. I look and check temp every time I feed them and when just gazing in. Sorry again to hear of your loss

 

[bigfish]

I'm so sorry skunk to hear of your tragdey, that must of been awful. I don't really know what to say.

Did you bury all the bodies?

 

[CFC]

This is a little like bolting the barn door after the horse has bolted but a good way of insuring no serious problems with heaters is to use 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 large heater.This way if one heater should become jammed on it will not be powerful enough to overheat the tank and in reverse if one heater should fail the remaining heater will stop the water from getting too cool.

So for instance if your tank requires a 300 watt heater buy 2x150 watt heaters and so on.

 

[dolphin]

Hi Skunk141

I'm with CFC on this one. I always use two smaller heaters, rater than one large one.

 

[PJGuppies]

I am so sorry to hear about your lost..I would too be devastated...

 

[Skunk141]

thanks for your comments, I will do the two heater thing, sounds like a good idea.

now I have to re stock my whole tank, going to cost a fortune

 

[kevin007]

i really feel sorry for u and um........ i never used any heater but my water temp is always 79 or 80 maybe it is my room temp so now i have 1 advantage!

 

[Tanked]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. but on a positive note would like to you to the forum

 

[Jamnog]

they sell some electronic thermostats that have an alarm bell on them when it goes out of your set range it will sound this may be a cheaper option than buying a new heater each year as it would take about 3 or 4 hours to heat up to that sort of leval at the bare minimum. the heaters wont tend to appear defective the thermostat just goes ive had it happen to me before and ive just taken the old one out as it happens but i spose i was lucky. sorry to hear this happened to you.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

man that would really suck

hopefully that will never happen again

what brand was the heater???

 

[gadazobe]

Oh my,how awful for you. I feel really bad when I lose 1 fish (taps on wood to make sure) let alone several at once. Are you interested in sailfin molly fry to help restock. I have loads and loads and loads (I have to try to get rid of them somehow)


Sorry forgot my manners Welocme to the forum and hope you spend lots and lots of time with us

 

[snotirl]

ah thats bad maybe u should complain to the makers of the heater

 

[wetwetwet]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. but on a positive note would like to you to the forum

:stupid:


....gutted for you m8