DARN HEATER!!!!!

[bra8ndy8]

I was walking through my living room last night....and all my fish were looking at me strange, and it was real quiet!
I looked closer and NONE of my equipment was working! I woke up the hubby.....and the power strip had blew.
Looked closer and the darn heater it looks like the glass thing slide off or caught on fire!!!!!!!!
It was just the cord and the top part!!!
I will take pics later and post them when I get it out of the bottom of the tank! I am still lost how all the fish didn't get electricuted or die.
The water was not low....I'm sooo lost!
I don't know the brand yet......:confuzeld: but I will update and let you know!

[guppyfreak2]

sorry man but i am glad your fish were all ok

[Phonetic Diabetic]

Definitely interested as to the brand.....

[dcacjc]

At least you did not wind up with a tank of fish soup like I did.

[Phonetic Diabetic]

At least you did not wind up with a tank of fish soup like I did.

Same thing happened to you? What brand?

[masroberts9]

for future reference i wonder if a gfci outlet prevent electricusion? wouldnt it getting wet trigger the shut off?

[biggin]

There are a few reasons they did not get electrocuted....

Buy good heaters, do not buy used heaters and swap them out on a regular basis....brand does not matter on heaters....

I have had cheap ones break on me, I have had name brand new expensive ass heaters break on me.... glass heaters = suck....

There are a couple metal heaters I like and I like inline heaters other then that I hate them….

[bra8ndy8]

It was hooked up to a GFI..........
It was probably a Walmart brand!!
And I am soooo glad I didn't wake up to fish soup!

[Incaico]

I've always wonder if it breaks does the heater stay on or does it just not turn on? I guess it could go either way but dam that would blow if just stayed on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[biggin]

It can stay on....

It can shut off....

It can start a fish fry....

It can start a fish fry with side of human....

It can shatter....

Not much good comes from it...

[Incaico]

I've had one shatter but that was b/c i forgot to unplug it when I drained the tank!!!!:mad::mad: not a pleasant experience cleaning out the glass bits.

[biggin]

I had 2 shatter becuase well....I guess they were having a bad day and wanted to quit but the union was not strong enough and I made them keep working and they cracked on me...

[wesbee]

I'am glad you and your fish are ok. I'am with evreyone on used heaters + cheap. I go with visi-therm stealth heaters and have had good luck with hydor in-line heaters.

[Incaico]

that union should learn from the major league baseball player's union! :D

[EAST_TX_RN]

You are so lucky, Brandy!

[TxBabyCat]

Wow, that was lucky Brandy. Glad all is ok with the fish, so you could tell they had that look, looking at ya, like Help!

[Padronis]

The GFCI prolly didn't trip because the wires in the heater shorted out directly to each other. A GFCI will only trip if it sees an imbalance of current between the hot and neutral wires (black and white), or the hot and ground(green). It prolly didn't fry your fish because water itself is an awesome insulator. It's just the extra minerals and other stuff in most water that conducts electricity. So all it did was short out and pop the surge protector and not shock the whole tank because electricity is lazy and takes the shortest path to ground. With all that said, the GFCI is DEFINITELY recommended when dealing with electricity and water. Now that you are bored, carry on.:flipa:

[bra8ndy8]

LOL Thanks guys!!!!!

[dcacjc]

There are a few reasons they did not get electrocuted....

Buy good heaters, do not buy used heaters and swap them out on a regular basis....brand does not matter on heaters....

I have had cheap ones break on me, I have had name brand new expensive ass heaters break on me.... glass heaters = suck....

There are a couple metal heaters I like and I like inline heaters other then that I hate them….



X2

I don't remember what brand but Blake hit the nail on the head.

[OOwl]

There's a new little digital thermometer that has an alarm if the temp goes a few degrees over 80-something or under 70-something (still at the survivable stage if a heater fails off OR on). They're not expensive. I think they're made my Tom Aquarium Products. I know they work because when the water level drops and the probe is exposed to air when I'm doing a water change, they sound off (run off a cheap watch battery). Might want to get one.

I'm BAD about not unplugging heaters when I do water changes, so I now get the ones that say they have the auto shutoff. Of course the Stealth ones (mostly what I have in all my tanks now) don't have a light to confirm that they're actually not on. Just like setting the temp and trusting it on those. With the alarm thermometer, I don't worry so much now.

Glad your fish are okay, Brandy. You're a good fishkeeper to recognize their abnormal expressions like that. Kudos to you!

[AndrewH]

I had a Rena Smart heater for my 90 and loved it. Didn't have to worry about glass in the tank or it shattering if I forgot to unplug it for a water change (being on while outta water doesn't hurt them).

I'd highly recommend one for an in tank heater, but the external heaters will clean up the tank by getting some of the equipment out of the tank ;).

[sjivani]

Another vote for the Hydor in-line. Mine is like 5 years old and doing fine...

I'am glad you and your fish are ok. I'am with evreyone on used heaters + cheap. I go with visi-therm stealth heaters and have had good luck with hydor in-line heaters.

[bra8ndy8]

Well I will be looking for one soon!

[FishDaddy]

i've wanted to go inline, may do it someday...I've got all kinds of master plans for the fish room/office. <--that used to be the other way around. For now, my vote is for Rena smart heaters. I use them almost exclusively.

[pam916]

Do you have to have a canister filter to use the inline heater?