heater controllers

[r0bin]

Can someone tell me how heater controllers prevent heater malfunctions and consequently your tank over heating when the heater you are using has its own thermostat. I am thinking of getting the Aqua Medic Biotherm heater controller but would like to know before I buy it.

[JUNI0R]

My understanding is that the thermostat on the heater itself is cheap and it is common for it to not shut off the heater. An external controller is better made and will cut the electricity to the heater at a certain temperature. I don't personally have one but I have been looking into getting one, so if anybody else can explain better please do.

[r0bin]

Thats sort of how I understand it too but wanted to be sure, thanks for chiming in!

[kau_cinta_ku]

I have the ranco temp contoller (best item i ever got) and what it does is you set the temp on the controller to lets say 80 degrees +/- 1 degree. when you plug in the heater you turn the heater to anything above that (mine is all the way up) when the temp gets to 80 degrees the controller shuts power to the heater. when temp gets to 79 degrees it turn the power back on.

hope that makes sense

[JUNI0R]

robin can you give me the link to the controller you found? The only one i've seen is the ranco controller.

[r0bin]

http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/heaters_aquab.htm

[r0bin]

http://www.toofishy.com/reef_aquariu...r-p-80208.html




The price is a little more reasonable than the ranco.

[poppin_fresh]

I wouldn't max out the dial on the heater. I would have mine set to shut off a little higher than the controller. This is just in case the controller has an issue (like probe out of water), you got a chance the heaters built in will turn off the heater before boilage.

[fatdaddy]

I've been using the Aqua Medic Controller. The only small issue that I have is that it flips to Celcius on every power blimp, but it keeps the temp the same. Another downside is that it's a large, bright LED display. There's nothing subtle about it.

I like it because I sent the heat at 80 and it's 80. It's hard to get a decent setting with the knob at the end of the heater. I've also had numerous heaters stick in the on position which is an amazingly stupid design. If it's going to fail, then fail in the off position.

Like somebody mentioned, you need to be very careful about the probe coming out of the tank. I have mine attached so that if the suction cup fails, it won't come out of the tank.

For $60, but you can't beat it.

[r0bin]

What should I buy if I am planning to upgrade to a 125 gal in the next year or so. Do you just have to buy 2 controllers and 2 heaters since you can only plug in 1 heater to each controller?

[reefergeorge]

IMO the comercial controllers like ranco are going to be better made than a controller for the fish hobby. You can get them for pretty cheap off the selling forum or ebay.

[reefergeorge]

Originally posted by r0bin
What should I buy if I am planning to upgrade to a 125 gal in the next year or so. Do you just have to buy 2 controllers and 2 heaters since you can only plug in 1 heater to each controller?

I run a power strip off my ranco and plug two heaters into that.

[poppin_fresh]

what he said ^

As long as you dont exceed the wattage rating of the controller

[Bambalam]

FWIW I have a Medusa temp controller and it works great. If you're not planning on spending more on something like an ACjr that will control a lot more than temperature it's a great piece of equipment.