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out of tank heater

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  kherman 
#1 ·
I've been thinking of coming up with a plan to place my heater somewhere besides in my tank. Has anyone done this? I have a thing about having so many gadgets in my tank. There is just no way to hide everything. The heater is the biggest thing in there. Looking at some of the external reactors sort of gave me some ideas. My idea is to make some sort of a plexiglass box with an inlet and outlet and run it on my filter outflow line. The heater would be placed on the bottom panel of this box. If the inflow and outflow lines were above the heater then the heater would stay submerged even if the lines sucked air so the heater would never get exposed to air and crack this way. Maybe there is an easier way but I haven't thought of it yet. Any ideas on this?
 
#4 ·
The rainbow lifeguard heater module looks like it connects to a whole filter unit. Looks like it stands upright. Makes me wonder if air would collect in that chamber if the filter were to ever suck air and crack the heater.
I wish that Eheim made a smaller version of that filter with the heater built in, I like that idea. I think that when I plan my next tank I'll have to keep that one in mind.
 
#6 ·
There is a heater called a fireplug and Hydor makes an external. I don't know if the Hydor's are available in the US though.

Someone on the AB board made an external type heater. I don't remember who. You could search for it in the DIY section. Basically the outflow from his cannister flowed up into some approximately 2" PVC, then to a "Y" type fitting that was turned upside down so that the "leg" of it overflowed into his tank. A screw off cap with a slot for the cord allowed the heater to be placed in this. I believe he added a short section of PVC to the outflow of it to reduce surface turbulence. Make sense? I may go see if I can dig up the article. My explanations suck. lol

It was an ingenious solution though.
 
#9 ·
#10 ·
Thanks Jon, I saw the pictures. Thats a nifty idea, sealing around the cord was something I was wondering about. I'm sure my mind will be pondering all week at work on how to build some contraption.
There is always satisfaction for me to build something myself rather than just buy it, saving money isn't bad either!
 
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