titanium heaters

[cootwarm]

Originally this topic was posted by Matt, asking about others experiences with this type of heater.

I've had one for a couple months and just installed it a couple weeks ago. Before the server crash, I posted the following experience on the Cichlid Health Forum:
I set-up a new 34 gallon aquarium with a new undergravel filter, new gravel, new titanium heater, and new floating thermometer with rubber suction cup. Overnight a 'skin' of slime formed on the rubber parts of the heater (end caps, etc.), including the suction cups (but not the plastic clip). I cleaned it off and it formed again the next day.

Someone replied to my post and wrote me that they had the same problem but it went away after a few days and never came back. Anyhow, I left mine set for about 8 days now and it seems to have finished this 'cycle' of what ever and the 'skin' is peeling off on it's own. Underneath the rubber is staying clean and what ever it was is not growing back. I also noticed that the rubber suction cup on the floating thermometer did the same thing.

So it appears to have been some sort of bacteria or other microbe that was feeding on something on or in the rubber. I haven't added my fish to the tank yet, but as the problem seems to have come to an end, I was going to do a large water change tomorrow and add the fish. Maybe to satisfy my curiousity, I might dig out my microscope and see what there is to see.

I've still got 2 new titanium heaters that I haven't installed yet. Most of my tanks are still between 73F and 75F, with occasional dips down to 70F or 71F at night. The fish are all very active and seem to like it alright. In another month or so, when the outside temp avg is 0F to 20F, I'll be installing the others. I curious if the same thing will happen then in a seasoned tank.

Anyhow, other than that I really like this heater. The temp doesn't fluctuate at all. I think this is mostly due to the fact that the thermostat is on another cable, mounted on the opposite end of the tank from where the heater is mounted. The 'control box' on the outside of the tank is a great thing also. It's very easy to adjust and seems to be very accurate.

Any other experiences with the titanium heaters?

Michael

 

[farm41]

I am now convinced that any new heaters that I buy will be the titanium type. Mainly for the adjustment on the outside, and the remote probe. I have never had a glass heater break, but I'm sure someday one will.

 

[Christine-FishGrrl]

i was the person who posted that they had a similar experience. Bought a titanium heater when I set up my 25 gallon long, followed the directions and set it to 77°F. Had a whitish/greyish slime that developed on the rubber suction cups that I wiped away and never grew back. I'm assuming that 'stuff' grew and fed on whatever residues were there. Even saw some fish nibble on the slime. It looked like the same sort of slime that would develop when I had wood airstones on my DIY CO2. Fish nibbled that too with no harm.

 

[Ray McCaleb]

I've been using titanium heaters exclusively for about three years. The brand I use is WON Brothers...simply because it was the first one to hit the market in my area. I decided on this type of heater because of the number of water changes I do on my discus tanks, 50% every other day. There is always the fear of forgetting to turn off a heater and the glass shattering. With the titanium heaters, I just leave them on and go on with the water change. No problem, no heater failure in three years...I have seventeen of them on at present, ranging from 75 watts to 350.

What sold me initially was the demo I saw. The local dealer, and at the time distributer for the southeastern states, threw a titanium heater over a rafter in his storage room. He plugged it in and turned the rheostat to the highest setting...the heater was DRY. The next day (24 hours later) at noon I went back to see the progress of the "test". Without unplugging, cooling, or anything he dropped the heater in a bucket of cold tap water. The next day at noon I went back to see the conclusion. He used a digital thermometer and measured the temp. As I recall it was within a degree or two of what the rehestat was set on. He then moved it to a saltwater sales tank where it stayed in service.

Just last weekend I put the probe of a digital thermometer in one of my 55s that has a three year old titanium heater. This thermometer is the indoor/outdoor type available form Radio Shack (cheap) and has three modes, current temp, high temp, and low temp..for both "outside" (probe/tank) and "inside", room temp. The thermometer indicated that the water had changed four tenths of one degree over a 24 hour period.

It happens that the titanium heater is the featured "gadget" on the Gadgets and Gizmos page of my web site (URL below) currently. You might want to check it out.

NOTE - I have no affiliation whatsoever and receive no compensation, perks, discounts, etc. from anyone. This is not an endorsement...just the viewpoing of a satisfied (RETAIL) customer.

Ray