Glass everywhere! Heater broke, help!

[Kindredspirit]

I just notice that my heater broke in my 55gal! There was glass all over the bottom and the insides of the heater was everywhere...omg...

and yes I am trippin...I just did a wc , but I did another to syphon all the glass...what if i do not get it all out? Tell me they are not that dumb? and does anyone know why that would happen?

I had two heaters in there, thanks to the people on this site! I would have never done that, or I would be up shytz creek without a paddle right now, yes? How long can they go without a heater? Well now I only have one, til morning.. Is that okay? Im thinking that there wasnt anything inside this heater to like, spill in the tank?

Oh *******...I am in a state...Ya know, I work in a crisis situation everyday, police, blood, restraints, danger, destruction...

but drama over these fish i so can not handle... I don't do well with drama in my fish I dont~



M~

[Willie]

Usually, there's no damage. You need to remove the glass, which poses a danger to yourself. I doubt the fish are going to get cut up. Heaters tend to break into larger pieces, so its shouldn't be a problem. There are no dangerous chemicals released when heaters break.

If the temperature drops too much, just make a W/C in the morning with hot water. The fish can handle 70F with no problem.

There are two things to learn from your experience:

1. Buy multiple heaters each time and always have a spare
2. Titanium heaters never shatter

Good luck, Willie

[Kindredspirit]

Willie thank you!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_20_3.gifTitanium, huh? OKay, man...will do!! I swear my hands are shaking...Why do you suppose that happened? Does that Titanium heater say that on the heater? Im gonna go and look..and have a drink!



They can handle 70degrees? That is really good to know! Hey, Willie, I have been meaning to ask you something, was that you that posted on here a while back , pictures on your 100% wc? You had your hand in the tank and all the discus were lying flat? That was an incredible picture...Was that you?


OKay...thanks again for the quick response...I pm DaveC, thinking that would be quicker...tell me what if i didnt have that second heater at all? I would be in trouble?


Marie~

[RyanH]

Marie,

If your heater was exposed to air while turned on even for a short period of time or if it somehow got a crack in it that you weren't aware of, it can shatter.

I agree with Willie in that I also like Titanium heaters a great deal. I've had good luck with the Pro-heat titaniums. IMO, you should avoid the Via Aquas.

http://kensfish.com/proheattitaniumheaters.html

hth
-Ryan

[Cosmo]

Hey Marie,

Just a couple of other alternatives... Ego Jager are made with something akin to Pyrex... never break. The new Stealth heaters are plastic... no problem with broken glass there either :)

Only problem I ever had with titaniums is the fish seem attracted to spawn on them for some reason :confused:

Jim

[justafishguy]

Same experience. I've had a couple heaters crack from being exposed to air while hot. It sucks. But always keep a spare.

[JMArtist]

Don't panic Lucy.
Pick out the glass, vaccum up any small peices if you have to.
The heater did not release any harmful stuff into the tank.

Make sure you unplug the heater when doing water changes, as the glass can get super heater and shatter when returning water to the tank.
No matter what new type of heater you get, it is good practice to always unplug your heater and filter when changing water.
You can leave the air pump on, just don't spill water on the plug.

Your fish will be fine, so don't panic. You can get a new heater tomorrow.

[Willie]

Marie;

I switched to titaniums because of those semi-weekly 100% W/C's. The Visi-Therms always popped. The Ebo Jaegers were better, but even they will pop if I don't refill immediately. The titaniums will do just fine. Just don't touch it!!!

Willie :D :D :D :D :D

[Spices]

Marie,

Get some hot boiling water and a few glass jars with covers. You can keep the tank at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit using this method of filling them glass jars with hot boiling water. Personally I wouldn't keep the tank no where near the 70 degree Fahrenheit mark. Or, if you keep an alarm clock, set it every two hours and remove some water to install hot water in the tank (if temps are below 80).

I keep two heaters running. Also have a few spares.

Good luck to ya!!
*A*

[traco]

You may be okay with the one heater for the night, it just might be on alot:) . I had just the one 250 watt heater in my 90 gallon and went to two when I couldn't get the temps up for treatment. So, having that second one in there is worth it, especially right now when the one broke!

You'll be fine, the fish will be fine. Thank goodness for this forum heh?;)

I had a thermometer break on me and the mercury balls were scattered all around the bottom of the tank. I didn't notice it till dinner time that night so I worried that the fish had eaten the mercury. Vacuumed everything up, no one died that night and all are alive and well still. You can PM me and swear if you want.http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_29_14.gif

[Greg Richardson]

Marie. One heater in a 55 will work fine. 2 heaters best for instances like yours. A lone 200 watt heater will keep it heated fine.
You have nothing to worry about heat wise.

[Kindredspirit]

I do not know what I would do without this place, I'm tellin ya... Now aren't all glad I don't have your phone numbers?? hmm....poor Candy! lol!


Ryan~ I do not think the heater was exposed to air. I never drain that much...I was worried a lot tho, esp when I saw all the glass, Ryan! I shall check out that link real soon~


Cosmo~ Ego Jager is the one I have in there, now Jim, I think...I have to check. I think that is hella dumb to make glass heaters...just for this reason alone...Thanks, Jim!


JM~ I did not panic... I didn't I didn't!! Well, I kinda did after I took care of business, John...lol! Thanks for the email at aol, babe...

Willie~ I gather you can get really burned if you touch? Thanks Willie for being around at the right time!

Spices~ That is a wonderful thing to fall back on! How did you ever come up with the jar idea, woman? I am going to file your post in my Book Of Knowledge I have on AOL that I have gathered all about Discus, that I hardly ever refer too, cuz I can never find anything I want! lol! The glass jars won't break, A? The other idea is good as well! Thank you so much...!


Barb~ I did pm you and go off, yes?? lol!!


Greg ~ Thank you! Dave did pm me and tell me the exact same thing. I think I will go get a new plastic , not glass, one tomorrow tho! In case it happens again....



Again, thanks everyone for being here on a dimehttp://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_6_204.gif~drama in animals, this girl does not handle well, ya think?





Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_18.gif

[hexed]

Marie,
The discus will be fine with just one heater. ALWAYS unplug your heaters when you do a water change ALWAYS! My titanium heaters never lasted for me so I don't use them. They seem to always burn out on me. I have Jebo heaters, one is set a few degrees less then the other.

[AFTICA]

This may seem like a silly question but....

In 20+ years of keeping fish I have never had a heater shatter, glass break, etc.. (Stuck on or off is another matter).. either way just good practice on my part I suppose - and a bit of luck...

But my question is - Assuming most people are NOT using a GFCI to protect themselves...

Why are the fish not fried to bejabbers when the heater breaks? (or are they and nobody mentions that part?) Most heaters I ever seen are not grounded either... I am assuming that the fish have no way to ground themselves while electricity is being introduced into the tank thus not giving the electricity a route to ground and thus not killing them?

[Kindredspirit]

Marie,
The discus will be fine with just one heater. ALWAYS unplug your heaters when you do a water change ALWAYS! My titanium heaters never lasted for me so I don't use them. They seem to always burn out on me. I have Jebo heaters, one is set a few degrees less then the other.


Hey Frank~ I aways unplug my heaters before a wc...i do, honest...I am so not buying glass heaters anymore...it can be very dangerous and more could have happen than actually did...I was stressed, Frank...lol! And I do not stress easily...but something about these fish...wow~


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_7.gif

[Kindredspirit]

This may seem like a silly question but....

In 20+ years of keeping fish I have never had a heater shatter, glass break, etc.. (Stuck on or off is another matter).. either way just good practice on my part I suppose - and a bit of luck...

But my question is - Assuming most people are NOT using a GFCI to protect themselves...

Why are the fish not fried to bejabbers when the heater breaks? (or are they and nobody mentions that part?) Most heaters I ever seen are not grounded either... I am assuming that the fish have no way to ground themselves while electricity is being introduced into the tank thus not giving the electricity a route to ground and thus not killing them?


You never have had that happen? Well....thatz not fair! lol...What type of heater do you have? And a GFCI is??? The lil adapter for grounded plugs? Nope....my fish were not 'fried to bejabbers'....


You made some very good points, but I shall have to let all the experts come back to answer them!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_106.gif

[Spices]

And a GFCI is??? The lil adapter for grounded plugs? Nope....my fish were not 'fried to bejabbers'

GFCI is Ground Fault Circuitry Interrupter. It is a box circuitry (much like in your house) which will buffer surges and shut down your equipment by cutting off the power from the wall (should there be an overload in the ac/dc).

This would not be the reason why your heater exploded like that. I think you have some skittish fish and they banged into the heater. A lot of times Discus will skit; they get spooked often by sudden moves and shadows.

hth...

*Angie*

[Kindredspirit]

That did help, thanks, Angie!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/5/5_1_120.gif

[AFTICA]

yep the GFCI is GFCI is Ground Fault Circuitry Interrupter. (Check the plug in your bathroom - if your house is a newer one you probably have one in there... an older house may be an old razor outlet - you can recognize the GFCI - its got a test and reset button on it)

Actually what it does is essentially monitor your electricity... and when a "Ground Fault" situation happens it very quickly pops and turns off the power. A "Ground Fault" is basically a condition when the amount of current entering the plug on the "Hot" side is greater than that leaving the plug on the "Neutral" side. when this condition exists it's considered a Leak of the electricity (IE your being zapped) and it pops - cutting the electricity very very fast (like in 1/50th of a second or faster) and thus saving your life.

I used to have an Electrical supply store... I know product pretty well... Now assuming you Don't have one for a fish tank ... any electrical wizards know why the fish aren't fried? (I am weak on True Electrical theory) Electricity and Water always bothered me, and I use GFI's but I bet 85% of people in the hobby or more don't use them -

[Kindredspirit]

Okay I got it! And I do have one...it is the little red pop out button in between the two plugs? And it pops out when overloaded, yes??


I just never knew the name! Thanks!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_74.gif