Starting Over

[Night61]

i used to be very active a few years ago until the great tank disasters of 2010, i lost two tanks that year a 26 gallon that leaked and destroyed a very nice dresser. the survivors were placed into a 20 gallon with a stealth heater in the basement, (about two weeks before i moved my khuli back upstairs because i missed them) the stealth heater blew killing all in the tank except two green tetras (who later passed due to natural causes) and the 7 khuli that i had brought upstairs. heart broken...i gave up only caring for the survivors. until this year.

now two years later, with the survivor tank starting to leak (if i didn't have bad luck with tanks i would have no luck at all)
i ventured back to my fish stores and bought a complete tank set up (forgoing everything i had in storage.) a brand new 20 gallon tank marineland set up with the day night settings on it (pretty darn cool if i say so) it came complete with a heater, filer with the bio wheel its pretty quite thank god. i even fufilled one of my fishtank dreams and bought it a stand which i put together with my mother over the weekend. i set the tank up again with sand knowing that its my khuli's favorite and thankfully my air pump still works and that piping is cheap (my brother ran off with my original air pump wires)

my question is it came with a 100 watt subirsable heater, and i am naturally a bit skittish of all heaters now. which ones is the best most reliable (and most reasonable) heaters on the market? i really don't think i could take another big tank disaster. so any help would be wonderful

I am including a picture of the new tank and stand

 

[DJH584]

I can understand where you are coming from on this issue.
I have never been happy with the heaters that have been supplied with complete kits.
When we first got into this hobby, I had a good look around to see what others recommended.
The consensus of opinion, I found, was that the visitherm was one of the best.

We run an 80 litre water volume tank with a 100 watt visitherm in it and currently a 30l water volume quarantine tank with a 50 watt.
So far, touch wood, neither have let us down.

If you would look to have a look at them, then this is the page to go to http/www.underworldproducts.co.uk/index.php/aquatic/heater-thermostats/visi-therm-heater-stats

Regards

David

 

[KISSfn]

Eheim has a good reputation and are reasonably priced. I run a spare to prevent a disaster.

 

[Lufbramatt]

If you have an external filter get a Hydor ETH external heater. They're one of the best bits of kit ever. Found out that my one had been plugged in and turned on with no water in for 3 days (had set up tank, stand, filters etc with no water in, fiance turned on the plug so she could plug a phone charger into the 4-way socket i had used!). Couldn't work out what the clicking was until I saw the orange light come on one evening. Turned it off quick. Heater has been in use (with water!) for ages and works perfectly.

 

[mhancock]

I hope you enjoy your new tank!

One safe way is to have two heaters, so if one stops working the other will carry on. This will not prevent overheating, though.......

 

[Night61]

Overheating is my biggest worry, its what destroyed my tank...and my desire to keep fish with it.

I know this i will never again trust stealth