Heater recommendations for 180 gallon system

frankpayne32 · 10/26/2009, 08:05 AM

Hi everyone, I'm looking for recommendations on heaters for a system that will have approximately 180 gallons of water. I have never heated a system this size so I wanted to ask for advice. I will have two heaters for redundancy. Please provide me with recommendations for total wattage and favorite brands. I have always used Visi-Therm Stealth heaters. Thanks.

Tracey2 · 10/26/2009, 08:18 AM

I would like an answer to this as well. I haven't been at this very long and I already have a bucket of heaters that don't work.

I do now have 2 heaters on each tank to avoid disaster. So far I am liking my fluval one that has a digital temp ready in green if all is good, red if too hot and blue for too cold and flashes LF if there is not enough flow.

Beaun · 10/26/2009, 08:20 AM

I would say 4 - 250 watt heaters would do you fine for 180 gallons. I like the Stealth heaters as well.

frankpayne32 · 10/26/2009, 08:37 AM

Thanks Beaun. Anyone else?

wetWolger · 10/26/2009, 01:05 PM

I personally use 2 500watt finex heaters. I know there are lots of failure stories out there, but I choose finex because I could purchase only the heating tube, and plug that directly into my controller. Thus allowing the controller to be the only thermostat (and reducing the cost slightly).

Amoore311 · 10/26/2009, 02:23 PM

I've got a 250 watt and a 200 watt plugged into my controller. Those work just fine for me.

downhillbiker · 10/26/2009, 02:30 PM

I have a 200g tank/300g total system volume and use a 1000w jebo titanium heater. It is a cheap one that I have heard failure stories on, but that is with the jebo controller. I just plug the heater strait into my controller. For your size tank I would recommend getting a 500w heater. When you under size heaters they work harder and stay on longer, which causes them to stick on. I would ditch the controller that the heater may come with, use a external controller, such as aquacontroller or reefkeeper. if you dont have one already you should get one. you can get the RK lite for $99, and the peace of mind is great. its a no brainer to spend $99 to keep your tank safe when you spend thousands on the rest of the system and livestock.

frankpayne32 · 10/27/2009, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by downhillbiker

I have a 200g tank/300g total system volume and use a 1000w jebo titanium heater. It is a cheap one that I have heard failure stories on, but that is with the jebo controller. I just plug the heater strait into my controller. For your size tank I would recommend getting a 500w heater. When you under size heaters they work harder and stay on longer, which causes them to stick on. I would ditch the controller that the heater may come with, use a external controller, such as aquacontroller or reefkeeper. if you dont have one already you should get one. you can get the RK lite for $99, and the peace of mind is great. its a no brainer to spend $99 to keep your tank safe when you spend thousands on the rest of the system and livestock.

Thanks I am definitely going with a reefkeeper. I think I will get a 500 W heater and a 250 W as a backup in case of failure.

sjames · 10/27/2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetWolger

I personally use 2 500watt finex heaters. I know there are lots of failure stories out there, but I choose finex because I could purchase only the heating tube, and plug that directly into my controller. Thus allowing the controller to be the only thermostat (and reducing the cost slightly).

I have the same heaters for the same reasons.

I have had one die on me though.

mnchartier · 10/27/2009, 09:08 AM

I use the fluval E series also connected to a ReefKeeper Lite. I have 2 250 Watters, with about 180-200 gal total volume.

SkyPapa · 10/27/2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjames

I have the same heaters for the same reasons.

I have had one die on me though.

I did the same with 3 finnex 500W on 2 rancos.
I had 2 failures. One for each ranco.
I am going to try the Jalli if I can find it in stock.

10/26/2009, 08:05 AM	#1
frankpayne32 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,177	Heater recommendations for 180 gallon system Hi everyone, I'm looking for recommendations on heaters for a system that will have approximately 180 gallons of water. I have never heated a system this size so I wanted to ask for advice. I will have two heaters for redundancy. Please provide me with recommendations for total wattage and favorite brands. I have always used Visi-Therm Stealth heaters. Thanks. __________________ Frank Payne Advice to new hobbyists: listen to people that have a tank you would like to have one day, not to those with a high post count. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon in-wall (build thread is my homepage).

10/26/2009, 08:20 AM	#3
Beaun It's pronounced Bone Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Hampton, NY Posts: 1,967	I would say 4 - 250 watt heaters would do you fine for 180 gallons. I like the Stealth heaters as well. __________________ -Tyler "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." -Eugene Jarvis Current Tank Info: None

10/26/2009, 08:37 AM	#4
frankpayne32 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,177	Thanks Beaun. Anyone else? __________________ Frank Payne Advice to new hobbyists: listen to people that have a tank you would like to have one day, not to those with a high post count. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon in-wall (build thread is my homepage).

10/26/2009, 01:05 PM	#5
wetWolger Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,955	I personally use 2 500watt finex heaters. I know there are lots of failure stories out there, but I choose finex because I could purchase only the heating tube, and plug that directly into my controller. Thus allowing the controller to be the only thermostat (and reducing the cost slightly). __________________ cheers, jent d-_-b Current Tank Info: 66gal = 32x24x20

10/26/2009, 02:23 PM	#6
Amoore311 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ulster County, NY Posts: 2,521	I've got a 250 watt and a 200 watt plugged into my controller. Those work just fine for me. __________________ 30 Gallon FOWLR 2004-2006 90 Gallon LPS Reef 2006-2008 180 Gallon SPS Reef 2008-20012 100 Gallon Custom Rimless Mixed Reef 2012-2014 29 Gallon Biocube Reef! Current Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon Biocube, StevesLED Upgrade, Neptune Apex

10/26/2009, 08:18 AM	#2
Tracey2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 860	I would like an answer to this as well. I haven't been at this very long and I already have a bucket of heaters that don't work. I do now have 2 heaters on each tank to avoid disaster. So far I am liking my fluval one that has a digital temp ready in green if all is good, red if too hot and blue for too cold and flashes LF if there is not enough flow.

10/26/2009, 02:30 PM	#7
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	I have a 200g tank/300g total system volume and use a 1000w jebo titanium heater. It is a cheap one that I have heard failure stories on, but that is with the jebo controller. I just plug the heater strait into my controller. For your size tank I would recommend getting a 500w heater. When you under size heaters they work harder and stay on longer, which causes them to stick on. I would ditch the controller that the heater may come with, use a external controller, such as aquacontroller or reefkeeper. if you dont have one already you should get one. you can get the RK lite for $99, and the peace of mind is great. its a no brainer to spend $99 to keep your tank safe when you spend thousands on the rest of the system and livestock. __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

10/27/2009, 09:08 AM	#10
mnchartier Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oh look a river Posts: 458	I use the fluval E series also connected to a ReefKeeper Lite. I have 2 250 Watters, with about 180-200 gal total volume.