out of tank heater

mr hyde · 08-10-2003, 01:50 AM

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?

**GDominy** · 08-10-2003, 02:08 AM

Rainbow Lifeguard make modules for enclosing standard aquarium heaters. You could run one of these in line with a canister filter to do this for you.

Momotaro · 08-10-2003, 02:24 AM

Eheim makes a filter with a built in heater.

Mike

mr hyde · 08-10-2003, 06:28 AM

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.

Rex Grigg · 08-10-2003, 02:06 PM

There are some external heaters available.

JonMulzer · 08-10-2003, 02:29 PM

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.

Slaigar · 08-10-2003, 05:39 PM

You do what most saltwater keepers do and make sump for the filtering and heating. All that would be visible in the main tank would be pipes leading to the sump. I would like to do this myself but I lack the patients to start =).

mr hyde · 08-10-2003, 06:08 PM

Those fireplug heaters look ideal, I checked them out after you mentioned them. Made for larger tanks though, the 500W is the smallest they had @ $200.
I would like to see that DIY article on the heater module if you could find it.
Thanks

JonMulzer · 08-11-2003, 12:06 AM

http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.c...2&m=2186040343

There ya go, unfortunately the pictures are not showing up anymore. Unfortunately the AB board has no photo gallery for members (it is coming soon). So the pictures are not up any longer. But perhaps Mike (ekim) will put them back up for you to see? I asked but it wouldn't hurt for you to ask also.

mr hyde · 08-11-2003, 06:26 AM

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!

kherman · 08-20-2003, 02:30 PM

I have the firplug. I bought it off of EBay for $50. I still don't have it set up though. In another month, I can give a full report

08-10-2003, 02:24 AM	#3
Momotaro Doesn't like Kool-Aid (View User Tanks) PTrader: (52/100%) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Hawthorne, New Jersey Posts: 10,108	Eheim makes a filter with a built in heater. Mike __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

08-10-2003, 02:29 PM	#6
JonMulzer Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 213	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. __________________ Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors.

08-10-2003, 05:39 PM	#7
Slaigar Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 214	You do what most saltwater keepers do and make sump for the filtering and heating. All that would be visible in the main tank would be pipes leading to the sump. I would like to do this myself but I lack the patients to start =). __________________ -Mark Mendoza

08-11-2003, 12:06 AM	#9
JonMulzer Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 213	http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.c...2&m=2186040343 There ya go, unfortunately the pictures are not showing up anymore. Unfortunately the AB board has no photo gallery for members (it is coming soon). So the pictures are not up any longer. But perhaps Mike (ekim) will put them back up for you to see? I asked but it wouldn't hurt for you to ask also. __________________ Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors.

08-20-2003, 02:30 PM	#11
kherman Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Centerbrook, CT Posts: 12	I have the firplug. I bought it off of EBay for $50. I still don't have it set up though. In another month, I can give a full report __________________ Convert my 125 to something new.

08-10-2003, 01:50 AM	#1
mr hyde Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USA Posts: 150	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?

08-10-2003, 02:08 AM	#2
GDominy Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Victoria,British Columbia, Canada Posts: 3,276	Rainbow Lifeguard make modules for enclosing standard aquarium heaters. You could run one of these in line with a canister filter to do this for you.

08-10-2003, 06:28 AM	#4
mr hyde Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USA Posts: 150	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.

08-10-2003, 02:06 PM	#5
Rex Grigg Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (65/100%) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 9,600	There are some external heaters available.

08-10-2003, 06:08 PM	#8
mr hyde Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USA Posts: 150	Those fireplug heaters look ideal, I checked them out after you mentioned them. Made for larger tanks though, the 500W is the smallest they had @ $200. I would like to see that DIY article on the heater module if you could find it. Thanks

08-11-2003, 06:26 AM	#10
mr hyde Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USA Posts: 150	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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