# Heater malfunction :(



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Woke up this morning to my entire harem of geophagus tapajos orange head's dead, including an L260 zebra pleco. They got cooked.

I'm so pissed. :x


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

That sucks sorry to hear about it.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

The worst part about heater malfunctions is the fact it's not always old ones that do it, and there's no 'symptoms' that you can see that lead up to it ... despite you wrack your brain trying to remember if there was something you missed.

uck, I was really enjoying the posts about their growth *DBS*. Wasn't you nourisatti in that tank too????


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Fortunately the nourisatt had been moved to a 75 gallon on his own with some bichirs.

I'm really bummed - but at the same time it opens up some tank space for a mated pair of vieja uffermanni if I can still get my hands on them - which are super rare.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Sorry to hear DBS and nothing you could have done to prevent this.


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## BlackShark11k (Feb 16, 2007)

Sorry to hear. Big loss.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Definitely my worst loss so far in terms of malfunctions and fish - out here these guys are very very very hard to come by and I had raised these ones up. But I'm over it now.

I picked up a mated pair of wild barred midas, one is the grandson of Rapp's "Big Head" and they've got an extraordinary amount of red in their bodies, I'll post photo's once they settle in.


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## edburress (Jun 9, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the losses, but there was nothing you could do about that. I was looking forward to exhanging experiences with the Geos as they developed.

Just out of curiosity what was the temperature?

Ed


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

99.4 degree's Ed. They were cooked - I don't know if it was from the water being too hot or just a lack of oxygen at that temperature.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

To everyone who reeds this post I want to add something abouth heaters. The problem with the heaters is that after a certain number of switching the contacts get burned, causing high temperatures and eventually the contact get welled becouse of this and thats the reason why it doesn't turn off any more. The number of switching and the qualety of the contacts along with the power of the heater determines lifespan of the heater. If the heater is oversizes it switches on and off for short periods. If its malfunction and doesn't turn off, the heater will raise the temp to a high temp. If the heater is on the edge of keeping the tank at stable temperature it will turn on and off for longer periods so a reduction in turning on and off (=longer lifespan). If the heater malfunction and doesn't turn off the temp raise but not as high as an oversizes heater. Something to consider when you buy a new heater. Unfortunately some species need a stable temperature and for that need a bit oversizes heater. Just an example. Keep in mind that a 300 Watt heater on a 55 gallon is to much and a 200 Watt will be more than sufficient even for temps up to 82 F and a 150 Watt will be fine in most situations. Selecting a good qualety heater is important! Don't save 10 bucks on a cheaper les reliable heater. Jaeger turns out to be reliable along with a stable temperature. On the package you can check minimum and maximum tanksize for the several types along with the power consumption.

Unfortunately we never know when the heater breaks down. Some spirals break down so it won't heat any more and some doesn't turn off any more. Unfortunately both situations can couse death of your fish. Perfect would be to observe your fish at least every day and check the temp and check if the filter is still running.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

So sorry, DBS...

The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I cooked a tank full of fish in just a matter of hours.

After that, I decided to go with two smaller wattage heaters in each tank rather than one larger wattage heater. This way, if one malfunctioned, it wouldn't overheat the tank to that extent.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

It's happened to me in the past but this is by far the worst one - these were my favorite fish.

This was one of those hydor inline heaters, which I have never heard anyone having malfunction - in fact it's supposed to have a built in safety for this type of stuff that just shuts the entire thing off.


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## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

Cool, thanks dutch dude, I was kinda wondering what the deal was. I wish they made a device that would turn off a plug when it got to a certain temp. Basically a thermometer with a switch. Would be nice.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

kingpoiuy said:


> Cool, thanks dutch dude, I was kinda wondering what the deal was. I wish they made a device that would turn off a plug when it got to a certain temp. Basically a thermometer with a switch. Would be nice.


Look into reptile thermostats


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

I use this[/quote] kind of thermostat/thermometer and have good luck with it. The thermostat isn't underwater or in the heat of the thermostat. I've had several work very reliably for years.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Man that sucks...poor fish. And I love L260 Queen Arabesque plecos, not to mention the orange heads as well.


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## takasumi (Apr 19, 2008)

*DirtyBlackSocks*
Hey! The same thing happened to my me! It was a HYDOR heater! and IT SUCKED! Cooked my Julidochromis mated pair! UGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just hate to hear this from other people! I feel the pain of your loss. I'm truely sorry to read about this!


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Dutch Dude said:


> To everyone who reeds this post I want to add something abouth heaters. The problem with the heaters is that after a certain number of switching the contacts get burned, causing high temperatures and eventually the contact get welled becouse of this and thats the reason why it doesn't turn off any more. The number of switching and the qualety of the contacts along with the power of the heater determines lifespan of the heater. If the heater is oversizes it switches on and off for short periods. If its malfunction and doesn't turn off, the heater will raise the temp to a high temp. If the heater is on the edge of keeping the tank at stable temperature it will turn on and off for longer periods so a reduction in turning on and off (=longer lifespan). If the heater malfunction and doesn't turn off the temp raise but not as high as an oversizes heater. Something to consider when you buy a new heater. Unfortunately some species need a stable temperature and for that need a bit oversizes heater. Just an example. Keep in mind that a 300 Watt heater on a 55 gallon is to much and a 200 Watt will be more than sufficient even for temps up to 82 F and a 150 Watt will be fine in most situations. Selecting a good qualety heater is important! Don't save 10 bucks on a cheaper les reliable heater. Jaeger turns out to be reliable along with a stable temperature. On the package you can check minimum and maximum tanksize for the several types along with the power consumption.
> 
> Unfortunately we never know when the heater breaks down. Some spirals break down so it won't heat any more and some doesn't turn off any more. Unfortunately both situations can couse death of your fish. Perfect would be to observe your fish at least every day and check the temp and check if the filter is still running.


I wrote an article for the GPAS newsletter describing this and how to clean the contacts of a heater to prevent failure. The article hasn't been printed yet but as soon as it is I'm going to try and get it out to different fish clubs for reprint in their publications. I only go through the overhaul of a Marineland Visitherm as that was the only heater I had in need of repair at the moment but it appears that the dissasembly and repair of most heaters is very similar and can be done with few or no tools. The downside as with any attempted repair of a sealed device is that there is a risk you'll destroy the seal, I recommend only attempting to clean the contacts of a heater that has already shown condensation inside the heater as the seal is already compromised and won't be made worse by dissasembling the heater.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

aw shat man, that sux, real sorry for your losses, must have hurt.


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## PoohBear (Oct 9, 2005)

I plug all my heaters into temperature controllers. A temperature controller will shut the power to the heater if it goes over the temperature you set it to. Well worth the peace of mind when you have a large tank of expensive and/or hard to replace fish.


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