In-line heaters

[edsye]

I use canister filter (Eheim) for my tank. I thinking of purchasing an in-line heater. I like the idea of less stuff in the tank. I've been told that the are much more efficient and better at keeping temps consistent throughout the tank. Does anyone have experience to share.
Ed

[rickztahone]

Yes, I have had Hydor inline heaters for years and I couldn't be happier. They keep the temp steady as a rock, allow you to take the heater out of the tank, and not one of them has ever gone bad on me. I have had roughly 6 of them.

[Bill63SG]

I use 2 on my 180 upstairs and have had no issues.I put a 3d background on it,and I didn't want heaters in the tank,and don't have a sump.

[Discus-n00b]

Hydors, only way to go. I have 2, 1 for each Eheim and they are the most consistent heaters I've ever owned.

[edsye]

I could easily use two eheim filters on my tank (I have the cannister filters) so I could use two in-line heaters that would provide redundancy.

[fishtanktenderfoot]

I have a brand new 90G tank that I set up using a 300W Hydor. It's only been running a couple of months, but it is steady as a rock once I set the temp. I wanted it external to the tank for aesthetics, but I've also read issues with discus and heaters, so it is safer for the fish, too.

[adapted]

If you read the reviews on Amazon, you'll see quite a few horror stories and dramatic denunciations of all things Hydor.

I think those reviews are from people who weren't too knowledgeable, but on the other hand I can't shake my bias against cheap Chinese products that can have catastrophic failures.

[rickztahone]

The only poor reviews I have ever seen from Hydor were from the submersible heaters, never from the inline ones.

[adapted]

Eleven one-star reviews for the inline model here:

http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-In-Line-...cm_cr_dpwidget

[spiffyfish]

I have an inline hydor that I believe has failed the light stopped working and I never hear it come on anymore. I'll have to figure something out before it starts getting cold.

[YSS]

I have an inline hydor that I believe has failed the light stopped working and I never hear it come on anymore. I'll have to figure something out before it starts getting cold.

There always will be bad reviews. For me Hydors have worked well. Jagers are very reliable as well.

[DonMD]

I've had 4 Hydors running for years and years, with never any issue at all. Compared with other heaters, they are phenomenal.

[adapted]

Sounds like there have been some quality control issues at times. Any thermostat can stick, though... prudent to add a controller when you have a thousand dollars' worth of fish in a glass box.

[kris2341]

I am a Jager person myself and would rather stick one in a sump before sticking one in the tank and would rather have the heater in the tank before having one inline JUST IN CASE the filter or pump stops working.

So in the event the pump goes out, its only a minor problem and not a burning-wet-zappy catastrophe.

of course, I also have an air pump in addition to water circulation or a 2nd water pump provide redundancy in that regard.

[kris2341]

for those of you that use external controllers for temperature, what do you use?