Heaters / Heat-controllers & Thermometers

Not sure if this is the right forum, but I wanted to start a discussion about what the best type of heating is for a larger system.

In the past what I would do is the following.

Based on 5watts per gallon, I would buy 2 heaters capable of heating my tank and add a third, same wattage, heater as a redundancy rule.

1 heater fails (keeps heating) it never has enough power to overheat the tank
1 heater fails (doesn't heat at all) the other 2 can keep heating the tank..

2 heaters fail.. well.. tough luck, but at least 1 can still prevent a disaster!


I would use Titanium heaters simply because they were shatterproof, i would keep 2 in the sump and 1 in the DT (in case pump fails)

Never had issues with the above, but I'm quite curious to find out how other people have it set up.


Thermometers is a different story, I've tried many different ones, without luck.. I generally purchase 2-3 different ones (the digital kind with probe) and generally get 2-3 different readouts...

What thermometer have you guys/gals had good luck with?



I'm currently in the process of purchasing equipment for a new 120 gallon build with 55-60 gallon sump... I'm very open to suggestions regarding heating/monitoring.. Perhaps there's a controller out there that's not ridiculously expensive or worth the $$....

Sincerely,
Rudy

 

I've always spent the bucks and got a controller. I've used your 3 Heat system but attached to a controller. Right now I'm running a profilux so it is also a temp controller.
Most aquarium controllers will run as a temp controller among many other things.
When I was able to sell my PH monitor, light Timers, Temp controller, pump controllers. The cost of the profilux was not that much.
Plus it give me piece of mind

J

 

Can never go wrong with a controller.

Also you might want to consider Cobalt Aquatics
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Aquarium Heater w/ LED Display