Schuber-Wright 6g office tank

[KFryman]

Haha, looks funny, put its functional. Sometimes we gotta make changes because of fish we're housing. The chili rasboras make this tank look much bigger.

[toastedtoast]

Disaster!

I added a 25W heater a few weeks ago (you can see it in the last set of photos I posted) since it was getting cool in the office over the weekends. This morning I came into work to find the water was 40 degrees and full of dead and dying fish. It was fine when I left the lab at 2200h last night, so it must have stuck on sometime between then and 0900 today.

I didn't have my camera with me so I couldn't document the carnage, but I'll try to take a few photos over the weekend.

So far, losses seem to be 4 chili rasboras and most of my shrimp. Also, the HC seems to be cooked and didn't pearl at all this afternoon. Hopefully it bounces back but I don't have high hopes.

[andrewss]

!!! that SUCKS!

what brand heater?

[Silmarwen]

Oh no! D: I wonder what happened

[toastedtoast]

Finally got around to taking a photo of the damage:



I've been fighting an aggressive infestation of bba that started to attack the plants weakened by boiling. I think the worst is past now, but you can see that between what the heater killed directly and what I've had to tear out, the HC is in a pretty sad state.

At least my fissidens and the other plants seem to be doing OK, so in person the tank isn't too ugly (until you start to look closely, or remember what it was a month ago).

I'm not sure what happened with the heater, since testing it in a bucket seems to give the proper temperature. Either way I'm not going to trust it. Thinking of buying a smaller one, and combining it with an external heater control unit. The last heater was a basic tetra 25w unit, anyone have suggestions for the replacement?

[brinks]

nice tank, but what happens when you open and close the files, does the water splash out

[laqu]

i have the same tank (your is cooler), couple of questions
1) from top to bottom what is the order of stuff in your filter?
2) is the "open" or funneled outlet 'softer' then the bar with holes that came with the filter
3) can you post some photo of the filter/co2 setup on the side?

thanks ...

[ReluctantHippy]

I've had the majority of my tetra automatic heaters fail on me; several times with disastrous results. Your safest option is using a separate external temperature meter to control your heater but I do hear the Fluval edge automatic heaters work decently - at least a bit more reliably than the tetra version.

Tank's looking great. Keep it up.

[talontsiawd]

Originally Posted by ReluctantHippy

I've had the majority of my tetra automatic heaters fail on me; several times with disastrous results. Your safest option is using a separate external temperature meter to control your heater but I do hear the Fluval edge automatic heaters work decently - at least a bit more reliably than the tetra version.

Tank's looking great. Keep it up.

I have had 3 tetra heaters and each has failed. I don't know why I tried 3 times, mainly because they are small. They always fail the wrong way, sticking on and getting very hot.

[ReluctantHippy]

Originally Posted by talontsiawd

I have had 3 tetra heaters and each has failed. I don't know why I tried 3 times, mainly because they are small. They always fail the wrong way, sticking on and getting very hot.

I'll second this. Two different tetra heaters on separate occasions raised my 5g tanks to over 110 killing all inhabitants.

[toastedtoast]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

This cabinet is more for long-term storage, so it probably only gets opened once or twice a month. So far there haven't been any issues with the tank getting shaken around too much, though I've been careful not to fill it too close to the rim.

For the moment, everything seems fine at room temperature so I'm going to leave it without heat--at least over the holidays. The tank won't get its usual level of supervision so I don't want to chance a new setup going crazy.

Originally Posted by laqu

1) from top to bottom what is the order of stuff in your filter?
2) is the "open" or funneled outlet 'softer' then the bar with holes that came with the filter
3) can you post some photo of the filter/co2 setup on the side?
thanks ...

In my filter, I have eheim media and a small purigen sack on the top, and the included foam on the bottom. I think there's also some filter floss in there somewhere, but I don't remember where I put it.

I never tried the included spray bar, so I can't say how this compares. my placement of drift wood prevented a bar going along the right side.

Sure, if I remember to bring my camera to work over the weekend I'll take a photo or two.

[Jonnywhoop]

what did you glue your manzanita wood to? Its pretty smart to make it stable like that.

[toastedtoast]

Originally Posted by Jonnywhoop

what did you glue your manzanita wood to? Its pretty smart to make it stable like that.

They're my favourite interlocking plastic waffles: pipette tip racks
We generate tons of the empty racks when we use the tips in the lab, so I try to find creative uses for them. I've also used a bunch for the substrate slopes in my 20g long: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=159478

[acitydweller]

consider the hydor theo heaters. i have two 50W running since january in a 5 and 10 g. both without drama so far.

[talontsiawd]

Originally Posted by ReluctantHippy

I'll second this. Two different tetra heaters on separate occasions raised my 5g tanks to over 110 killing all inhabitants.

Yup, mine didn't get that hot, only 101 degree's on the last one. Luckily, i spilled a bunch of food in the tank (5 gallon as well), so I removed all live stock quite literally the day before we left for the weekend. Only one plant survived. These shouldn't even be on the shelf.

Sorry, just want to make sure nobody replaces one, thinking that it's a fluke thing because it will happen again.


I have been not using heaters in many tanks successfully. Just stock accordingly. I am thinking about getting the Fluval one for the Edge as it's pretty inconspicuous. I expect more out if Fluval than some other companies and it is one of the smallest heaters I can find that sufficient for over a few gallons. I will let you know my thoughts if I buy one.

Can't wait to see how this recovers, I really enjoy the scape.