Do I need a new heater?

monty67 · 12-08-2012, 08:40 PM

So I was just doing some trimming and maintenance on the tank and saw there is a bunch of condensation in my heater. Should I be planning on replacing this pretty soon? I want to say it's about 4 or 5 years old.

WestHaven · 12-08-2012, 10:09 PM

It wouldn't hurt to have a backup heater just in case the current heater fails. What kind of heater is it?

monty67 · 12-08-2012, 11:27 PM

submerged marineland visitherm, was thinking about getting an Aqueon Pro 100 watt if I needed to get a new one.

DaveK · 12-09-2012, 09:45 AM

Since it's a submerged heater and a Visitherm, It should be a sealed unit and not subject to condensation.

I would assume that it's bad or going bad, and I'd replace it right away. No point in risking the tank getting too hot or too cold due to a heater.

My personal preference would be an Eheim Jager heater, but I don't see anything wrong with the Aqueon. After I had a bad experience, I'd never get another Visitherm.

Sluggo · 12-09-2012, 01:06 PM

I've been using Visi-Therm heaters for almost 10 years with no trouble. The only bad experience I had with one was actually self-inflicted. It seems I got distracted in the middle of a large water change that had left the heater out of the water. I never unplugged the heater, and 20 minutes or so after I siphoned out the old water, I went to pour the new water in and the heater exploded.

Pearl2011 · 12-11-2012, 01:06 AM

Sluggo: It exploded?! OMG!! Was everything okay

And i would replace it right away since condensation mean there is water in it, which could cause some electrical mishap or a fire (I'm so paranoid about fire)

12-08-2012, 08:40 PM	#1
monty67 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NE Posts: 162	Do I need a new heater? So I was just doing some trimming and maintenance on the tank and saw there is a bunch of condensation in my heater. Should I be planning on replacing this pretty soon? I want to say it's about 4 or 5 years old.

12-08-2012, 10:09 PM	#2
WestHaven Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 327	It wouldn't hurt to have a backup heater just in case the current heater fails. What kind of heater is it? __________________ 29 Gallon Tank ------------------------------------------------------ Amazon swords, Wisteria, Anubias, Crypts, Moss balls, Argentine swords, 15 neon tetras, 3 Emerald Green cory cats, 8 Schwartzi cory cats, 3 Dwarf Gouramis, 1 Apple snail, 5+ Assassin snails, numerous other snails

12-09-2012, 09:45 AM	#4
DaveK Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Outside Philadelphia, PA Posts: 785	Since it's a submerged heater and a Visitherm, It should be a sealed unit and not subject to condensation. I would assume that it's bad or going bad, and I'd replace it right away. No point in risking the tank getting too hot or too cold due to a heater. My personal preference would be an Eheim Jager heater, but I don't see anything wrong with the Aqueon. After I had a bad experience, I'd never get another Visitherm. Last edited by DaveK; 12-10-2012 at 01:00 AM.. Reason: Fix grammer

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12-08-2012, 11:27 PM	#3
monty67 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NE Posts: 162	submerged marineland visitherm, was thinking about getting an Aqueon Pro 100 watt if I needed to get a new one.

12-09-2012, 01:06 PM	#5
Sluggo Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Portland, Me. Posts: 187	I've been using Visi-Therm heaters for almost 10 years with no trouble. The only bad experience I had with one was actually self-inflicted. It seems I got distracted in the middle of a large water change that had left the heater out of the water. I never unplugged the heater, and 20 minutes or so after I siphoned out the old water, I went to pour the new water in and the heater exploded.

12-11-2012, 01:06 AM	#6
Pearl2011 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 70	Sluggo: It exploded?! OMG!! Was everything okay And i would replace it right away since condensation mean there is water in it, which could cause some electrical mishap or a fire (I'm so paranoid about fire)