I’ve recently gotten into the hobby. I’ve become addicted. I’m in the process of designing a 600 gallon frag farm in my basement and this channel has been an inspiration and one heck of an educational tool. Thank you Ryan and everyone else of the BRS team. I don’t think you all understand just how much you guys squash the learning curve. Thanks again. -Keith (Future owner of Keefs Reefs)
i gotta give it to you guys. Temp is indeed one of the most important factors of keeping a successful aquarium. Marine or freshwater, temp is critical for the habitats and life to thrive within the aquarium. Good Job BRS!!! informative as usual.
Yes! please get the manufacturers to make a more reliable heater that won't fail in a year! We keep live stock, corals etc. That cost thousands to keep and a heater is one of the main life support. Thanks BRS :)
I came across your channel while researching weirs and overflow systems because i purchased an acrylic tank for a heck of a steal, and it came reef-ready. I am not running a reef, rather freshwater... but your videos are certainly the most helpful ones I have come across. I now feel confident in setting this bad boy up. Thank you!!!
I think you’re all missing a major, really easy trick regarding the accurate temperature calibration, and a way to add some good science to it rather than relying on an average of multiple thermometers! I just calibrate mine as compared to a water and ice mixture, which maintains a universal temperature of 0 degrees Celsius until either all the ice has frozen or all the ice has melted. I don’t know the name of the principle, but I know that during the melting process, the temperature remains constant at 0 °C. Hopefully this will help the whole reef hobby be better and save money! #BOOMSCIENCE Here is an explanation: When water is freezing it makes sense to think that the water is getting colder. When you think of the word freezing you think of it being cold. Actually, when water freezes it stays at a constant temperature. That constant temperature is the freezing point of 32 F (0 C). Suppose you have a small cup of water that has a temperature of 50 F. You place that cup of water outside where the temperature is 20 F. There is also a thermometer in the water to record the temperature. When the water is placed outside the temperature of the water will gradually cool. The thermometer will start at 50 F and it will gradually cool. Once the temperature reaches 32 F the temperature will stop cooling. At that point the liquid will begin to turn to ice. During the entire time the liquid is converting to ice the temperature will stay at a constant of 32 F. Once all the liquid is frozen then the temperature will resume the decrease. The temperature of the ice will continue to decrease until it reaches the same temperature as the outside air which is 20 F. Liquid water has more energy than frozen water. When water freezes it gives up some of the water's energy. This energy that is given up is the latent heat of freezing. When the water was freezing latent heat of freezing energy was being released. Heat energy was actually being released. It is this heat energy that prevented the temperature from continuing to cool once the temperature reached 32 F. The way to think of this is that the heat energy does not warm the temperature but rather stops the cooling. The cooling that would have occurred is perfectly offset by the latent heat energy release and thus the temperature remains constant. When a latent heat process occurs the temperature remains constant. Energy is being transferred even through the temperature is constant. A mixture of water and ice will always have an equilibrium temperature of 32 F. Only when it is only liquid or only ice will the temperature increase or decrease.
Good point about heaters. They all seem cheap and never last. I had one stick in the on position and literally cooked my FW fish overnight. The thing was only months old.
Ryan, thanks so much for doing these videos. I look forward to your next one every week. I'm a relatively new reefkeeper (started in May), and I have a Red Sea Reefer 350 that is just getting to that "stable" point. I find your help invaluable, and I've already altered various aspects of my tanks layout and components based on what I've learned here. I also would pay a decent premium for a heater that was ultra reliable for a multi-year period. I hope the mfgr's listen to you! Thanks again, and can't wait until next week! Dave
Ryan - one question. If I already do have a Neptune Apex, then would you recommend using a controller-less heater like a Finnex tube, or would you still want a built in controller as the backup? I'm thinking heater only, with my old heater serving as my backup, set two degrees lower than the main. But I'd like your recommendation here. Thanks!!!
Another Great Video! Ryan I can’t say this enough but you videos are so helpful and informative. I started off watching them a few weeks back when I first decided I wanted to try a marine tank and working my way through all of them. Even though informative, it was hard to watch some of the early videos and I was literally shocked when I came across the newer productions. I don't want to come off mean but whatever flipped switch/acting class you attended was well worth it. BRStv and your retail site are my go to choices for honest opinions and reviews. No matter how many forums or books I read I consistently come back to your TH-cam channel to compare and get a good visual of things. Great Jobs Guys and Keep It Up! Corey
Corey Tillery PS When are you getting more Radions in? That deal cant be beaten. Oh and I know you can preorderd the new Ecotech Vectra but when will they actually Ship?
I've been using the Cobalt Neo Therm for over a year and like you Ryan I think they are the best. I'm just getting ready to order one for my nano that I've been using a back up Jager on that has a mind of its own.........lol Love the series so far
Had two Hydor Theos. Both seemed ok for nearly a year. Then one got so far off that it basically never turned off. If you cranked it all the way down, it would turn off, so the calibration just got WAY off somehow. The second one busted open by itself. It was always completely submerged and in an area without equipment moving around or anything like that. I've got a Jager now. Great so far and I must say the build quality instantly feels night and day better.
Nice timing on video! I was about to buy a heater, but after watching this video, I changed my mind on which one! Going ith the Cobalt Neo-Therm now. Thanks!!
R I I am also about to buy a Heater and i saw at first he was recomending the NEO plastic heater but at the final part of the video he used the Titanium Finnex heaters.
Hmm, guess ill have to look more into it, thanks! I originally chose the cobalt, because of the all black color and built in temp control. I guess I should look at function instead of looks more :P Back to the Finnex titanium I go.. thanks guys!
Ryan, you are right about not relying on the stars and should read the comment for the reasons you mentioned. but also there is another reason i found a lot; some people will rate a product that they are satisfied with but still give it one star or less if they can just because of shipping issues like maybe arriving late a day or two.
Good presentation (as usual) . . . people are getting some good information in this series. I think for the serious, a high quality, reliable heater is just a case of common sense -- especially when so much is dependent upon it. I would push for a higher quality and higher capacity heater. People may grumble about price, but those whose cheapness also causes bigger losses and costly ones, at that, would agree based upon the value of some experience learned the hard way. Funny how wisdom upon other's expense is ignored that could prevent . . . until it becomes wisdom based upon one's own losses, but after the fact; consequently, either the person gives up the hobby or pays out a whole lot more than if he had bought the more reliable and expensive in the first place. Can't talk sense into a bullhead.
These guys no there stuff, i'm really impressed with the entire series of videos. I will be definitely buying my gear from them that's if they can deliver to Australia.
Ehiem has gotten much better with temperature control in 2022 I just bought a 100w Eheim heater from BRS two weeks ago. It’s been in the tank for 2 weeks and the temperature doesn’t vary more than 0.1
It sounded like you suggested to set your heater temp a little higher than your target temperature (as a backup) when using a controller like an Apex and then program the controller to maintain the temp at your target temperature with it's more accurate temp sensor. While this does provide a more stable temp it can open you up to more risk than using the heater's thermostat and using the controller to monitor and disconnect the heater if the thermostat fails. I was initially using a ViaAqua Titanium heater set a little higher than my target temp and my Apex to maintain a lower temp precisely were I wanted. Unknown to me though the ViaAqua's thermostat began drifting out of calibration. It thought 96F was 80F. This wasn't a problem as the Apex kept the proper temp until one day a quick power flicker caused my Apex to freeze which left the outlet for the heater on and due to the failure of the heater raise the tanks temp and killed half my fish. If I had used my heater's thermostat for primary temp control instead of backup control and the Apex as a monitor and protector I would have known when the thermostat went out and could have replace the heater with know issues. A failure of the Apex is much more noticeable and less devastating (with the proper setup).
My preferred method is what you posted - use an external controller with the heater thermostat set a couple of degrees higher as a backup. That way the heater thermostat doesn't cycle on and off leading to fused contacts and it's available as a backup if your primary controller fails. Use caution with the larger cobalt neotherms - there are a lot of reports of the case cracking and spewing goo into the tank causing livestock deaths. Only seems to be an issue with the 150 & 200W models.
I have tried so many different heaters trying to find the most accurate, durable and cost effective heaters. I currently am using a Hydor, but I am having an issue with the temperature in the tank much higher than the setting on the Hydor. I would LOVE a heater that is reliable, accurate and long-lasting.
the heater is like a light bulb, the heating and cooling is what kills them over time. if you want to make it more reliable you can use an undersized heater so that its always on and a cold plate that has no need for a compressor to turn on if the temp becomes too high.. these in combination. (for proof just look at the oldest working light bulb, it is never turned off) it worked for me for 3 years so far
It would be a great thing to have a heater that you can count on for many size aquariums. I also would be willing to pay for a quality made heater that will last me years.
A tip with heaters Place your heater horizontally or diagonally rather than vertically. The censer Is in the top of the heater so it will turn on and off less and will last longer
I've been waiting for years for heater tech to catch up to the rest of the tech we have in the industry. Funny how most of us invest all this money but still use 30 year old tech in one of the most critical aspects
I recently suggested to one of the EcoTech support representatives that they should look into some sort of heating system that would take care of the problems you mention about in this video. I'm so frustrated with the 1000 watt JBJ heating elements! I've been actually buying backups at two at a time!
Helpful, little scary frankly how bad they all are as well as basic thermometers. I've never owned a heater I trusted in the least over the last 18yrs.
I'm running the same heaters two finnex hmo 300w titanium, very happy with them, only thing they need different is slightly longer cables from the controller and better mounting tabs on the controller unit, putting the controller in an awkward spot is not ideal. I think i would get one of the cobalt ones for in the tank
Couldn't agree more that heater options could be better. I would watch those Finnex digital controllers. I had two of them fail on me in a matter of a few to several months after installation. Fortunately, I was only using them for top of water. I prefer the Eheim heaters and have not noticed the temp fluctuations you noted, but they are regulated by my controller and I have a very large water volume of ~500g so temp stays very stable.
At about 10:00 mark there was an amazing tank with a really small fish that almost resembled butterfly wings on the right side...anyone know what that was??? I'd love to get one!
@BRStv What is the name/brand of the NIST thermometer you used to verify temperature? I’m not certain if the current one I use is accurate and would love to be 100% certain.
I use two 500 wt jbj tubes and a reef keeper one set at 78 and one at 77. This takes two spots on my controller but uses less energy and I have a back up if the 78 fails. It would be great to have a dependable heater so we wouldn't have to do all that
I would pay for a high quality heater! also a chiller with a high amp 12v plug would be nice, since the plug in the jbj can't really support a heater of appropriate size. while I do agree with trying to avoid use of a chiller for main temp control. I keep my chiller at 82f set up as a fail safe , and for that it is invaluable!
Great Video! I use a Raspberry Pi (a mini computer the size of a credit card) and a waterproof temperature senor to keep track of my tank. It then reports to a website so I can see it whenever I want! Also will email and text me if it gets too high. Soon I'll be programming in a relay to turn my heater, fan, and lights on or off if it gets too hot!
Daniel Canham that's sounds awesome I've just got my first marine tank and now I'm just trying to research everything but using a raspberry pic sound like a really fun and creative way to diy your tank
I started my first reef tank with lots of DIY and microcontrollers too. The only reason I stopped is because everything looks much cleaner when it's pre-built.
If a thermometer certified to provide accurate results is prohibitively expensive, one could calibrate a less expensive thermometer, if it can be calibrated, using a glass of ice water, which should read 32°, or check its accuracy using a glass of ice water and compensate when taking other readings as necessary if it can't be calibrated.
Since this video was filmed, Hanna released their CheckTemp, which is a super affordable and accurate way to check temperature within 0.5 degrees F. www.bulkreefsupply.com/hi98509-checktemp-1-digital-thermometer-hanna-instruments.html
I would also like a quality heater that last. It seems I am constantly going through heaters no matter what the brand. I had an eheim last a long time but the fluctuation in temperature is one reason I will not be getting one of these again. Hope you guys can bring us one in the not so distant future.
i run ehiem trutemp but the biggest ones i never have more then a half degree swing in the water i normally stay at 76.5 i get a swing up to 77.2 but it generally depends on room temp in the house and not much the heater i run two just incase one fails
Hey, great video..just wondering if you guys can add in Celsius, Litres/LPH and millimetres when you do your videos as it'd help us out a bit for those of us in the metric world :) looking forward to the next episode
Yes. I'll buy 3 $20 thermometers, but not one accurate $70 thermometer. And next to the $200 RO/DI and the $300 skimmer a nice thermometer isn't that bad.
never was able to get the titanium's to last very long. Use regular lifetime warranted heaters (2) attached to reef keeper lite controller. So if for some reason the controller does not shut off the set thermostat on the heaters will override it.
hi quick question... i installed a 200 w heater on my 30 gal biocube and i did notice that even tough the heater is set at 82, the thermometer reads 76. I initially though that the issue was maybe the heater but i m getting the same number using another thermometer. 200 W heater should be more than enough to handle a 30 gal biocube, what s going on? any ideas?
I agree. I would certainly pay more for a high quality heater. I've been using the Finnex HMO headers in my two tanks. And wouldn't you know. I left last week for a week long trip and the older Finnex failed. The temperature reading on the Finnex HMO controller was 91 degrees. But the good news is that it seems that what failed was the controller and no heat was added to the tank. And the HMO heater also has an alarm on it that was sounding off. And yes, it was more than a year old, probably more than two. Should have replaced it on the yearly schedule. I will from now on.
***** Yes! With the cheap heaters and the horror stories we hear all the time it would be crazy not to back up the heater with some sort of controller. I roll my own with an Arduino and a food grade temp sensor and program it to cut off if the temp goes too high. I have it controlling other stuff as well. One day I'm going to invest in an Apex. I truly wish the heater manufactures would make a quality heater, or at the very least would make one that is 100% guaranteed to fail OFF and hopefully give us an alarm signal at the same time. Now this is exactly what the Finnex HMO heater did, but I'm not sure it was by design. The Finnex HMO heaters are my favorite so far, but... After watching your tests I really want to replace my heaters with the Cobalt Neo-Therm heaters because that flat stable temperature is very impressive. But the horror stories in the reviews on your website give me great pause. My question about this is has Cobalt improved their quality so they won't split and leak into the tank? Our controllers can stop an overheat situation, but not them splitting and leaking into the tank. I wonder if those that had them split had them completely submersed in their tanks. I could see them splitting if they were exposed to air due to low water levels. In any case if I try one I will replace it after one year. Please let us know your opinion on this. Since you endorsed them as your favorite I assume this failure is rare and certainly people will post problems more than they will when things are great. And I do want to thank you for going that extra mile and doing those tests. I've never seen anyone do that and it really showed what the heaters can do for maintaining stable temperatures. I would have never guessed any heater was capable of doing what the Cobalt one did.
I just wanted to ask a question, I understand that the neostats have there own thermostat. So why add the cobalt thermostat as backup. If the cobalt sends power to the neostats heater that failed, then how will it turn on these heaters as backup if there internal thermostat did not turn on in the first place. I did not know if the heaters could be powered my a secondary thermostat. I just want to know how this works?
Hi, i'm currently in the process of upgrading my tank, i've bought a neptune apex for it, and i'l have a look at the cobalt and finnex heaters you showed. but what i would link to know is what would you recommend setting as the primary Temperature control, the Apex as Primary and the Internal on the Heaters as Secondary or the other way arround with the internal heater one as primary and the Apex as secondary? Thanks Justin
Since you guys used the Finnex heater on this build (at least for now), have you considered offering the Finnex Heater Controller? It's the same controller that comes with the Finnex heater you're using here, and is readily available on other sites for about a third of the cost of the Cobalt controller.
I really wanted a Cobalt Easy-Therm when I set up my salt tank ~2 years ago. Sadly 100 Watt's doesn't do it. Still waiting for them to bump it up a couple hundred watts, oh and for the record, YES I would pay for it!!
This was great! However, in larger systems with larger volumes of water, that would be the test I'm looking for. Or is it safe to assume that the 5 gallon buckets can easily translate to the larger volumes of water? Anyway, thanks again!
I have small and big size of neo cobalt in my 91g Red Sea Reefer, I set the small to 77°F and the big on to 88°F, the temp goes to 77.6°F to 78.5°F do you consider this OK. Ty
Making a DIY Canister in a Closed Loop with a Cobalt inside - The question I have is about Flow rate as it will be a member of a 5 Canister Daisy Chain running with a Eco Tech Vectra L1 return pump @ approx 950 gph flow-rate - Will that rate of water flow render the heater useless ? - If so - I guess I could run a valve gate to run water through it on it's own "Loop" at a slower Rate. ?.
By Daisy Chaining - I mean plumbing them in a series - Like in a "U" shaped configuration with the last one supplying the Return Pump - I am thinking of tying in a valve or gate to siphon a slower flow to and thru a encapsulated water heater then tying the return out from that heater back into the return plumbing prior to returning to the tank., If possible I could send you a diagram I drew up. The Canister Filters are a DIY Project - See You Tube "The King of DIY" DIY Canister Filter (New Version). Though I have improved techniques on his version, it is for all intents and purposes the same theory and design.
Help! My tank over heated today due to an error I made. It got up to 100 degrees F for possibly a couple hours. I got it down with bags of ice but I have already lost a few corals and 2 fish. I plan on doing a water change tomorrow. Anything else I can expect in the long run from this incident? Do I need to worry about the beneficial bacteria being killed by the heat spike? Any input will help.
BulkReefSupplyCom okay thank you for the pointers. I’ll keep an eye on the perimeters. And I’ll go grab maybe some turbo start to have on hand. I’m pretty upset because I lost all my mushrooms, hammers, and chalices as well as 2 fish. It looks like the zoas, paly’s, and the galaxea are the only things that pulled through. I tried to remove as much of the die off as possible before it broke down into the system. It did kill the little bit of aptaisia that I had so I guess that’s a plus.
These videos have helped me so much! Can you let me know what NIST thermometer you were using to validate the temps? Would like to get one to calibrate my apex thermometers. Thanks
Personally, I adore Rena Smart-heater's and I was wondering why I've never seen it mentioned by most people on the internet.. Is it just not a thing in America-land? I think they're great heaters.
It's been two years since I started my first reef tank, and at the time I bought a cheap 20$ heater that has lasted this whole time. I've been looking to replace it because I'm horrified of the day it will break. The Cobalt seems like a great option, but after looking at some reviews I've found it's been known to explode! Thoughts?
Hi for a 25g tank with some corals is it a must to have a chiller or cooling fan ia just fine..im living in asia my tank is placed about 2 feet away from my windows but always closed..
my tank is currently stabilized at 82.2 degrees Fahrenheit. is that safe if i wanted to add clownfish or anemones? ps. setting up my first saltwater tanks. please help me.
I need a heater good enough for my 120 tank with sensor and controller, any ideas?. I t will be difficult to have 2 heathers , that aren't enough or a 3rd, it will be too much. Cobalt , maybe in the future?.
Guys I'm sorry the question does not relate to this week's topic but I am sure this will come at some point. It concerns the kalkwasser adding I read and heard some people mix a small amount of white vinegar to the RO water to which they mix the kalk and use the auto-top-off system to add this mix as the water evaporates (system you recomanded in different videos). The question concerns the use of vinegar. Do you recomand this or is it not a good idea?
just wondering if there is a reason you guys don't carry aqueon pro heaters or aquatop heaters? I recently bought a 200 watt aquatop titanum heater because it was the only heater I couldn't find pictures of it exploding haha 😂
+BulkReefSupplyCom I read a lot of reviews and watched videos and some people just had heaters stick on and cook fish and others actually had heaters expand and crack and some glass ones had water get into them. I bought a separate temperature controller just to be safe haha
I’ve recently gotten into the hobby. I’ve become addicted. I’m in the process of designing a 600 gallon frag farm in my basement and this channel has been an inspiration and one heck of an educational tool. Thank you Ryan and everyone else of the BRS team. I don’t think you all understand just how much you guys squash the learning curve. Thanks again.
-Keith
(Future owner of Keefs Reefs)
One year later how’s the frag farm
i gotta give it to you guys. Temp is indeed one of the most important factors of keeping a successful aquarium. Marine or freshwater, temp is critical for the habitats and life to thrive within the aquarium. Good Job BRS!!!
informative as usual.
Yes! please get the manufacturers to make a more reliable heater that won't fail in a year!
We keep live stock, corals etc. That cost thousands to keep and a heater is one of the main life support.
Thanks BRS :)
I came across your channel while researching weirs and overflow systems because i purchased an acrylic tank for a heck of a steal, and it came reef-ready. I am not running a reef, rather freshwater... but your videos are certainly the most helpful ones I have come across. I now feel confident in setting this bad boy up. Thank you!!!
I agree Ryan! We do need a more reliable way to heat our systems! 😎👍
YES to high quality thermal regulation components for reefs!! Your videos are on point.
Agree to an impressive heater that has the technology to be reliable long-term.
Awesome! Great to see the heater tests, the Cobalt was surprisingly good! May have to pick one up.
Spot on Ryan!
I think you’re all missing a major, really easy trick regarding the accurate temperature calibration, and a way to add some good science to it rather than relying on an average of multiple thermometers!
I just calibrate mine as compared to a water and ice mixture, which maintains a universal temperature of 0 degrees Celsius until either all the ice has frozen or all the ice has melted. I don’t know the name of the principle, but I know that during the melting process, the temperature remains constant at 0 °C.
Hopefully this will help the whole reef hobby be better and save money! #BOOMSCIENCE
Here is an explanation:
When water is freezing it makes sense to think that the water is getting colder. When you think of the word freezing you think of it being cold. Actually, when water freezes it stays at a constant temperature. That constant temperature is the freezing point of 32 F (0 C). Suppose you have a small cup of water that has a temperature of 50 F. You place that cup of water outside where the temperature is 20 F. There is also a thermometer in the water to record the temperature. When the water is placed outside the temperature of the water will gradually cool. The thermometer will start at 50 F and it will gradually cool. Once the temperature reaches 32 F the temperature will stop cooling. At that point the liquid will begin to turn to ice. During the entire time the liquid is converting to ice the temperature will stay at a constant of 32 F. Once all the liquid is frozen then the temperature will resume the decrease. The temperature of the ice will continue to decrease until it reaches the same temperature as the outside air which is 20 F.
Liquid water has more energy than frozen water. When water freezes it gives up some of the water's energy. This energy that is given up is the latent heat of freezing. When the water was freezing latent heat of freezing energy was being released. Heat energy was actually being released. It is this heat energy that prevented the temperature from continuing to cool once the temperature reached 32 F. The way to think of this is that the heat energy does not warm the temperature but rather stops the cooling. The cooling that would have occurred is perfectly offset by the latent heat energy release and thus the temperature remains constant. When a latent heat process occurs the temperature remains constant. Energy is being transferred even through the temperature is constant. A mixture of water and ice will always have an equilibrium temperature of 32 F. Only when it is only liquid or only ice will the temperature increase or decrease.
Love all of your videos. From a customer for life
I went with the titanium heating system. It works great. Best heater I've used to date.
Good point about heaters. They all seem cheap and never last. I had one stick in the on position and literally cooked my FW fish overnight. The thing was only months old.
Ryan, thanks so much for doing these videos. I look forward to your next one every week. I'm a relatively new reefkeeper (started in May), and I have a Red Sea Reefer 350 that is just getting to that "stable" point. I find your help invaluable, and I've already altered various aspects of my tanks layout and components based on what I've learned here.
I also would pay a decent premium for a heater that was ultra reliable for a multi-year period. I hope the mfgr's listen to you!
Thanks again, and can't wait until next week!
Dave
Ryan - one question. If I already do have a Neptune Apex, then would you recommend using a controller-less heater like a Finnex tube, or would you still want a built in controller as the backup? I'm thinking heater only, with my old heater serving as my backup, set two degrees lower than the main. But I'd like your recommendation here. Thanks!!!
Another Great Video! Ryan I can’t say this enough but you videos are so helpful and informative. I started off watching them a few weeks back when I first decided I wanted to try a marine tank and working my way through all of them.
Even though informative, it was hard to watch some of the early videos and I was literally shocked when I came across the newer productions. I don't want to come off mean but whatever flipped switch/acting class you attended was well worth it. BRStv and your retail site are my go to choices for honest opinions and reviews. No matter how many forums or books I read I consistently come back to your TH-cam channel to compare and get a good visual of things.
Great Jobs Guys and Keep It Up!
Corey
Corey Tillery PS When are you getting more Radions in? That deal cant be beaten. Oh and I know you can preorderd the new Ecotech Vectra but when will they actually Ship?
I've been using the Cobalt Neo Therm for over a year and like you Ryan I think they are the best. I'm just getting ready to order one for my nano that I've been using a back up Jager on that has a mind of its own.........lol
Love the series so far
Thanks for another great video BRS!
Had two Hydor Theos. Both seemed ok for nearly a year. Then one got so far off that it basically never turned off. If you cranked it all the way down, it would turn off, so the calibration just got WAY off somehow. The second one busted open by itself. It was always completely submerged and in an area without equipment moving around or anything like that. I've got a Jager now. Great so far and I must say the build quality instantly feels night and day better.
Yes! Took me awhile to notice the calibration error on the one. Controller kept it in check for the most part. :)
Nice timing on video! I was about to buy a heater, but after watching this video, I changed my mind on which one! Going ith the Cobalt Neo-Therm now. Thanks!!
biggest mistake ever. check the public forums for evidence of nuked tanks. plastic heaters are a bad idea.
R I I am also about to buy a Heater and i saw at first he was recomending the NEO plastic heater but at the final part of the video he used the Titanium Finnex heaters.
Hmm, guess ill have to look more into it, thanks! I originally chose the cobalt, because of the all black color and built in temp control. I guess I should look at function instead of looks more :P Back to the Finnex titanium I go.. thanks guys!
Ryan, you are right about not relying on the stars and should read the comment for the reasons you mentioned. but also there is another reason i found a lot; some people will rate a product that they are satisfied with but still give it one star or less if they can just because of shipping issues like maybe arriving late a day or two.
great vídeo agree temperature highly important
Thumbs up on the dependable heater 👍🏻👍🏻
Good presentation (as usual) . . . people are getting some good information in this series. I think for the serious, a high quality, reliable heater is just a case of common sense -- especially when so much is dependent upon it. I would push for a higher quality and higher capacity heater. People may grumble about price, but those whose cheapness also causes bigger losses and costly ones, at that, would agree based upon the value of some experience learned the hard way. Funny how wisdom upon other's expense is ignored that could prevent . . . until it becomes wisdom based upon one's own losses, but after the fact; consequently, either the person gives up the hobby or pays out a whole lot more than if he had bought the more reliable and expensive in the first place. Can't talk sense into a bullhead.
These guys no there stuff, i'm really impressed with the entire series of videos. I will be definitely buying my gear from them that's if they can deliver to Australia.
We don't ship to Australia yet, but maybe that'll change in the future. Regardless, we appreciate the kind words!!
Ehiem has gotten much better with temperature control in 2022
I just bought a 100w Eheim heater from BRS two weeks ago. It’s been in the tank for 2 weeks and the temperature doesn’t vary more than 0.1
I have used several dozen ehiems recently and disagree.
Thanks to you im getting a couple temperature controllers with my 300 watt eheim jager heaters.
Another great video!
Superb video as always.
It sounded like you suggested to set your heater temp a little higher than your target temperature (as a backup) when using a controller like an Apex and then program the controller to maintain the temp at your target temperature with it's more accurate temp sensor. While this does provide a more stable temp it can open you up to more risk than using the heater's thermostat and using the controller to monitor and disconnect the heater if the thermostat fails.
I was initially using a ViaAqua Titanium heater set a little higher than my target temp and my Apex to maintain a lower temp precisely were I wanted. Unknown to me though the ViaAqua's thermostat began drifting out of calibration. It thought 96F was 80F. This wasn't a problem as the Apex kept the proper temp until one day a quick power flicker caused my Apex to freeze which left the outlet for the heater on and due to the failure of the heater raise the tanks temp and killed half my fish.
If I had used my heater's thermostat for primary temp control instead of backup control and the Apex as a monitor and protector I would have known when the thermostat went out and could have replace the heater with know issues. A failure of the Apex is much more noticeable and less devastating (with the proper setup).
wicked video man! !!!
Welcome back Ryan
My preferred method is what you posted - use an external controller with the heater thermostat set a couple of degrees higher as a backup. That way the heater thermostat doesn't cycle on and off leading to fused contacts and it's available as a backup if your primary controller fails.
Use caution with the larger cobalt neotherms - there are a lot of reports of the case cracking and spewing goo into the tank causing livestock deaths. Only seems to be an issue with the 150 & 200W models.
+Patrick Testerman The supposed DIY king Uraposjoey can attest to that one lol
That problem has since be adressed and now is said to be resolved.
Thanks for the awesome video.
I have tried so many different heaters trying to find the most accurate, durable and cost effective heaters. I currently am using a Hydor, but I am having an issue with the temperature in the tank much higher than the setting on the Hydor. I would LOVE a heater that is reliable, accurate and long-lasting.
The thermometer I use is the glass one with alcohol inside. I use my body temperature to check if it's accurate.
the heater is like a light bulb, the heating and cooling is what kills them over time.
if you want to make it more reliable you can use an undersized heater so that its always on and a cold plate that has no need for a compressor to turn on if the temp becomes too high.. these in combination. (for proof just look at the oldest working light bulb, it is never turned off) it worked for me for 3 years so far
It would be a great thing to have a heater that you can count on for many size aquariums. I also would be willing to pay for a quality made heater that will last me years.
A tip with heaters
Place your heater horizontally or diagonally rather than vertically. The censer Is in the top of the heater so it will turn on and off less and will last longer
I've been waiting for years for heater tech to catch up to the rest of the tech we have in the industry. Funny how most of us invest all this money but still use 30 year old tech in one of the most critical aspects
I recently suggested to one of the EcoTech support representatives that they should look into some sort of heating system that would take care of the problems you mention about in this video. I'm so frustrated with the 1000 watt JBJ heating elements! I've been actually buying backups at two at a time!
Helpful, little scary frankly how bad they all are as well as basic thermometers. I've never owned a heater I trusted in the least over the last 18yrs.
I'm running the same heaters two finnex hmo 300w titanium, very happy with them, only thing they need different is slightly longer cables from the controller and better mounting tabs on the controller unit, putting the controller in an awkward spot is not ideal. I think i would get one of the cobalt ones for in the tank
agreed but the cobalts are only good to 200w. that maxes about 55 gal as long as temp isn't over 10f ambient. over 10 it only good for about 40g
TASK NICE VID, GREAT listen
Couldn't agree more that heater options could be better. I would watch those Finnex digital controllers. I had two of them fail on me in a matter of a few to several months after installation. Fortunately, I was only using them for top of water. I prefer the Eheim heaters and have not noticed the temp fluctuations you noted, but they are regulated by my controller and I have a very large water volume of ~500g so temp stays very stable.
At about 10:00 mark there was an amazing tank with a really small fish that almost resembled butterfly wings on the right side...anyone know what that was??? I'd love to get one!
Great vid! I like the neo therm heaters but I keep reading how they blow up/crack/smoke.....
like to support reliable heaters in various wattages to be put on the market
@BRStv What is the name/brand of the NIST thermometer you used to verify temperature? I’m not certain if the current one I use is accurate and would love to be 100% certain.
You Rock bro!!!
thank you very much but will you deliver this to the UK? if not will you ever?
Another great video. What are your thoughts on the ViaAqua Titaniums? I've had good luck with those
I use two 500 wt jbj tubes and a reef keeper one set at 78 and one at 77. This takes two spots on my controller but uses less energy and I have a back up if the 78 fails. It would be great to have a dependable heater so we wouldn't have to do all that
I would pay for a high quality heater! also a chiller with a high amp 12v plug would be nice, since the plug in the jbj can't really support a heater of appropriate size.
while I do agree with trying to avoid use of a chiller for main temp control. I keep my chiller at 82f set up as a fail safe , and for that it is invaluable!
Great Video!
I use a Raspberry Pi (a mini computer the size of a credit card) and a waterproof temperature senor to keep track of my tank. It then reports to a website so I can see it whenever I want! Also will email and text me if it gets too high. Soon I'll be programming in a relay to turn my heater, fan, and lights on or off if it gets too hot!
Daniel Canham that's sounds awesome I've just got my first marine tank and now I'm just trying to research everything but using a raspberry pic sound like a really fun and creative way to diy your tank
I started my first reef tank with lots of DIY and microcontrollers too. The only reason I stopped is because everything looks much cleaner when it's pre-built.
I have an aqueon preset heater and it's always 2 degrees off but a like there products.
Yeah for sure I still think I need a new thermometer though.
How do you like the D.C. Return pump ?
If a thermometer certified to provide accurate results is prohibitively expensive, one could calibrate a less expensive thermometer, if it can be calibrated, using a glass of ice water, which should read 32°, or check its accuracy using a glass of ice water and compensate when taking other readings as necessary if it can't be calibrated.
Since this video was filmed, Hanna released their CheckTemp, which is a super affordable and accurate way to check temperature within 0.5 degrees F.
www.bulkreefsupply.com/hi98509-checktemp-1-digital-thermometer-hanna-instruments.html
what would the recommendation be now for a 160 tank for heat and redundancy? Would it be the BRS titanium heater with the helio?
I would also like a quality heater that last. It seems I am constantly going through heaters no matter what the brand. I had an eheim last a long time but the fluctuation in temperature is one reason I will not be getting one of these again. Hope you guys can bring us one in the not so distant future.
i run ehiem trutemp but the biggest ones i never have more then a half degree swing in the water i normally stay at 76.5 i get a swing up to 77.2 but it generally depends on room temp in the house and not much the heater i run two just incase one fails
I can use the cobalt neotherm heater with the ink bird controller right ?
What do you think about using a thermo-scan to calibrate temperature? That's what I use, the same thing I use to take my kids temperature.
Hey, great video..just wondering if you guys can add in Celsius, Litres/LPH and millimetres when you do your videos as it'd help us out a bit for those of us in the metric world :) looking forward to the next episode
Nice
Yes. I'll buy 3 $20 thermometers, but not one accurate $70 thermometer. And next to the $200 RO/DI and the $300 skimmer a nice thermometer isn't that bad.
never was able to get the titanium's to last very long. Use regular lifetime warranted heaters (2) attached to reef keeper lite controller. So if for some reason the controller does not shut off the set thermostat on the heaters will override it.
hi quick question... i installed a 200 w heater on my 30 gal biocube and i did notice that even tough the heater is set at 82, the thermometer reads 76. I initially though that the issue was maybe the heater but i m getting the same number using another thermometer. 200 W heater should be more than enough to handle a 30 gal biocube, what s going on? any ideas?
I agree. I would certainly pay more for a high quality heater. I've been using the Finnex HMO headers in my two tanks. And wouldn't you know. I left last week for a week long trip and the older Finnex failed. The temperature reading on the Finnex HMO controller was 91 degrees. But the good news is that it seems that what failed was the controller and no heat was added to the tank. And the HMO heater also has an alarm on it that was sounding off. And yes, it was more than a year old, probably more than two. Should have replaced it on the yearly schedule. I will from now on.
***** Yes! With the cheap heaters and the horror stories we hear all the time it would be crazy not to back up the heater with some sort of controller. I roll my own with an Arduino and a food grade temp sensor and program it to cut off if the temp goes too high. I have it controlling other stuff as well. One day I'm going to invest in an Apex. I truly wish the heater manufactures would make a quality heater, or at the very least would make one that is 100% guaranteed to fail OFF and hopefully give us an alarm signal at the same time. Now this is exactly what the Finnex HMO heater did, but I'm not sure it was by design. The Finnex HMO heaters are my favorite so far, but...
After watching your tests I really want to replace my heaters with the Cobalt Neo-Therm heaters because that flat stable temperature is very impressive. But the horror stories in the reviews on your website give me great pause. My question about this is has Cobalt improved their quality so they won't split and leak into the tank? Our controllers can stop an overheat situation, but not them splitting and leaking into the tank. I wonder if those that had them split had them completely submersed in their tanks. I could see them splitting if they were exposed to air due to low water levels. In any case if I try one I will replace it after one year. Please let us know your opinion on this. Since you endorsed them as your favorite I assume this failure is rare and certainly people will post problems more than they will when things are great.
And I do want to thank you for going that extra mile and doing those tests. I've never seen anyone do that and it really showed what the heaters can do for maintaining stable temperatures. I would have never guessed any heater was capable of doing what the Cobalt one did.
I just wanted to ask a question, I understand that the neostats have there own thermostat. So why add the cobalt thermostat as backup. If the cobalt sends power to the neostats heater that failed, then how will it turn on these heaters as backup if there internal thermostat did not turn on in the first place. I did not know if the heaters could be powered my a secondary thermostat. I just want to know how this works?
I see 2 Koralia heaters in the video. Are they different heaters or they're the same product, just different presentation??
Hi, i'm currently in the process of upgrading my tank, i've bought a neptune apex for it, and i'l have a look at the cobalt and finnex heaters you showed. but what i would link to know is what would you recommend setting as the primary Temperature control, the Apex as Primary and the Internal on the Heaters as Secondary or the other way arround with the internal heater one as primary and the Apex as secondary?
Thanks
Justin
Why did you put two heaters into the tank? was one just a backup if the other failed?
Since you guys used the Finnex heater on this build (at least for now), have you considered offering the Finnex Heater Controller? It's the same controller that comes with the Finnex heater you're using here, and is readily available on other sites for about a third of the cost of the Cobalt controller.
How much did the BRS160 vary in temp with this heater config?
Where is the best location to place heater in the display tank?
I really wanted a Cobalt Easy-Therm when I set up my salt tank ~2 years ago. Sadly 100 Watt's doesn't do it. Still waiting for them to bump it up a couple hundred watts, oh and for the record, YES I would pay for it!!
I had no idea that they had made any improvements to the aquarium heater world.
I have added the Cobalt Neo-Therm to my wishlist.
This was great! However, in larger systems with larger volumes of water, that would be the test I'm looking for. Or is it safe to assume that the 5 gallon buckets can easily translate to the larger volumes of water? Anyway, thanks again!
I have small and big size of neo cobalt in my 91g Red Sea Reefer, I set the small to 77°F and the big on to 88°F, the temp goes to 77.6°F to 78.5°F do you consider this OK. Ty
Making a DIY Canister in a Closed Loop with a Cobalt inside - The question I have is about Flow rate as it will be a member of a 5 Canister Daisy Chain running with a Eco Tech Vectra L1 return pump @ approx 950 gph flow-rate - Will that rate of water flow render the heater useless ? - If so - I guess I could run a valve gate to run water through it on it's own "Loop" at a slower Rate. ?.
By Daisy Chaining - I mean plumbing them in a series - Like in a "U" shaped configuration with the last one supplying the Return Pump - I am thinking of tying in a valve or gate to siphon a slower flow to and thru a encapsulated water heater then tying the return out from that heater back into the return plumbing prior to returning to the tank., If possible I could send you a diagram I drew up. The Canister Filters are a DIY Project - See You Tube "The King of DIY" DIY Canister Filter (New Version). Though I have improved techniques on his version, it is for all intents and purposes the same theory and design.
what is that calibration thermometer called? as I have 3 different readings and would like to know the true temp.
Help! My tank over heated today due to an error I made. It got up to 100 degrees F for possibly a couple hours. I got it down with bags of ice but I have already lost a few corals and 2 fish. I plan on doing a water change tomorrow. Anything else I can expect in the long run from this incident? Do I need to worry about the beneficial bacteria being killed by the heat spike? Any input will help.
BulkReefSupplyCom okay thank you for the pointers. I’ll keep an eye on the perimeters. And I’ll go grab maybe some turbo start to have on hand. I’m pretty upset because I lost all my mushrooms, hammers, and chalices as well as 2 fish. It looks like the zoas, paly’s, and the galaxea are the only things that pulled through. I tried to remove as much of the die off as possible before it broke down into the system. It did kill the little bit of aptaisia that I had so I guess that’s a plus.
just put a 150watt neo therm on my bio cube. I like it so far.
@Bulk Reef Supply How do you feel about inline heaters like the hydor 200 watt inline?
We've never used an in-line heater here at the BRS office, but have seen them used on larger tanks, usually with larger basement sumps.
Good info
How do you know what wattage of heater to used for your tank?
I have the Inkbird heater controller and you can not set it for less than half degree swing . Is that ok ?
0.5 degree F swing is perfectly acceptable.
I'm curious why don't you recommend the heater on your website that you are using in this video?
+BulkReefSupplyCom Thank you that makes a lot of sense.
These videos have helped me so much! Can you let me know what NIST thermometer you were using to validate the temps? Would like to get one to calibrate my apex thermometers. Thanks
you should mention the jaeger has a calibration ring to correct the error you state. Others do not.
Personally, I adore Rena Smart-heater's and I was wondering why I've never seen it mentioned by most people on the internet..
Is it just not a thing in America-land?
I think they're great heaters.
I have a 500 gallon Fishtank how many watts do I have to have!!!!
Please reply... need help....
4:40 open box 5% off.
It's been two years since I started my first reef tank, and at the time I bought a cheap 20$ heater that has lasted this whole time. I've been looking to replace it because I'm horrified of the day it will break. The Cobalt seems like a great option, but after looking at some reviews I've found it's been known to explode! Thoughts?
Hi for a 25g tank with some corals is it a must to have a chiller or cooling fan ia just fine..im living in asia my tank is placed about 2 feet away from my windows but always closed..
Thanks
my tank is currently stabilized at 82.2 degrees Fahrenheit. is that safe if i wanted to add clownfish or anemones? ps. setting up my first saltwater tanks. please help me.
I need a heater good enough for my 120 tank with sensor and controller, any ideas?. I t will be difficult to have 2 heathers , that aren't enough or a 3rd, it will be too much. Cobalt , maybe in the future?.
I agree 100% -- manufacturers, make us a REAL DAMN HEATER!
Guys I'm sorry the question does not relate to this week's topic but I am sure this will come at some point. It concerns the kalkwasser adding I read and heard some people mix a small amount of white vinegar to the RO water to which they mix the kalk and use the auto-top-off system to add this mix as the water evaporates (system you recomanded in different videos). The question concerns the use of vinegar. Do you recomand this or is it not a good idea?
just wondering if there is a reason you guys don't carry aqueon pro heaters or aquatop heaters? I recently bought a 200 watt aquatop titanum heater because it was the only heater I couldn't find pictures of it exploding haha 😂
+BulkReefSupplyCom I read a lot of reviews and watched videos and some people just had heaters stick on and cook fish and others actually had heaters expand and crack and some glass ones had water get into them. I bought a separate temperature controller just to be safe haha