# Heater recommendations?



## Joey85 (Nov 27, 2018)

Hey guys,

On the market for a new heater as I bought a jager a while back and has never done a good job.. (calibrating sucks) 
what would everyone recommend? 
Has anyone had any experience with the externa heaters that connect onto your canister filter? 
Thanks in advance


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## Kipnlilo (Feb 23, 2018)

Deeda talked me into a Hydor external heater. Works flawlessly. The dial temp is within one degree of my tank thermometer. Can't thank him enough. I have since bought another for my next build.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I've had I think four of the Hydor 300W inline heaters over the past 7 years. They are great. Very accurate, hold temps perfectly without fluctuation, and never had any malfunctions at all with them. Biggest thing to remember with them is to unplug them when doing WC's because when you unplug your filter and the flow stops you don't want the heater running with no water flowing through it. I forgot to unplug mine more than I care to admit  I don't use them now but that's not because I don't want to, its because I run all fx5's these days and with the inlet on the inline heater being smaller than the fx5 hose you have to run reducers. Which I did in the past but just am not a fan of doing that. if your canister hose is same as the inline heater though then I say go for it you'll love the inline Hydor heaters.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I use a hydor inline with an Eheim 2262 on a 210g and it works perfectly. I have also used many Jager's in the past that worked flawlessly. I never bothered calibrating them.


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## Joey85 (Nov 27, 2018)

Steve C said:


> I've had I think four of the Hydor 300W inline heaters over the past 7 years. They are great. Very accurate, hold temps perfectly without fluctuation, and never had any malfunctions at all with them. Biggest thing to remember with them is to unplug them when doing WC's because when you unplug your filter and the flow stops you don't want the heater running with no water flowing through it. I forgot to unplug mine more than I care to admit  I don't use them now but that's not because I don't want to, its because I run all fx5's these days and with the inlet on the inline heater being smaller than the fx5 hose you have to run reducers. Which I did in the past but just am not a fan of doing that. if your canister hose is same as the inline heater though then I say go for it you'll love the inline Hydor heaters.


Hey mate, I have an fx5 and fx6 canister filters, would it be difficult to install a inline heater to them? I like the idea of them and have heard good things, and also elongates a bit of clutter in the fish tank


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## Kipnlilo (Feb 23, 2018)

I also run the FX6. I bought one of the cheap SunSun canisters with the same hose size as the Hydor and run it for heat. Has never skipped a beat. I also toss floss pads in it.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

> Hey mate, I have an fx5 and fx6 canister filters, would it be difficult to install a inline heater to them? I like the idea of them and have heard good things, and also elongates a bit of clutter in the fish tank


It's not hard if you want to run them on the fx5. You just need to get a pair of reducers that will reduce the 1" Fluval hose down to the 5/8" Hydor inlet size. So it basically goes 1" hose to reducer attached to that is a short section of 5/8" hose then your inline heater, then the reverse order on the other end. The reducers are cheap I bought mine online when I did mine and paid about .75 cents each for them. Shipping cost more than the reducers did.


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## Joey85 (Nov 27, 2018)

Seems easy enough, I will start looking into one.. so Hydor are the best? I've heard of the brand before I think I may of actually had a Hydor heater in the past (inside tank obviously) will probably cost an arm and a leg here in Australia as they seem to tax everything haha


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Never had any issues with the Hydor inline ones so they are good quality. Not really sure if I have ever seen other brands of inline heaters. Hopefully you can find one that won't cost you an arm & leg.


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## fish_gazer (Nov 9, 2017)

I use a 300 watt inline heater by ISTA on my 125 gallon aquarium. This is my second exterior heater as I had one on my 75 gallon that I sold.

I have about a year and a half experience using it and it works flawlessly. It automatically shuts off when water flow is turned off and holds water temperature perfectly.

I have read that a 500 watt unit should be used on my size aquarium but I have had no issues with the 300 watt heater to date. It displays the temps in celsius but I am not bothered by that. You can order the 1/2" version (12/16 mm hose) or the 5/8" version (16/22 mm hose). It remains attached to my canister hoses when doing water changes. I love it.


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## Joey85 (Nov 27, 2018)

Do you guys have any links to these heaters? 
Think I may drop the hint to the wife hope it goes well wish me luck haha


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## fish_gazer (Nov 9, 2017)

Joey85 said:


> Do you guys have any links to these heaters?


I couldn't remember if posting links is frowned on, so I sent it in a PM.


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## Joey85 (Nov 27, 2018)

I didn't think of that oops sorry hehe but thank you


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You can post links for equipment if it goes directly to the manufacturer's website and description of the product.


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