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Thread: Propane heater ….. safe?

  1. #1
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    Default Propane heater ….. safe?

    Because we live in south Florida, our large fish tanks are in the garage. It’s been colder the past few nights so hubby turned on his big heater. This heater put black soot ( carbon I would guess ) in the air and it gets on everything after several uses.

    Doesn’t bother his Africans or their fry but was wondering……will it bother my more sensitive discus?

  2. #2
    Registered Member pastry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Kathy, I just started using some CRAZY submersible heater for my exterior 100g water aging tub. I'm in Charleston, SC. This is not an aquarium submersible heater... but it IS a submersible "type" of rapid water heater.

    It was dirt cheap on Amazon. There's no control though. I just turn it in a few hours before a WC and it's heated up 60 degree water (without a tight fitting lid!) to over 80 degrees. Several times I've forgotten to turn off and after 3.5 hours it's been waaaaay over 80's (didn't do a reading... felt with hand and it was WAY obvious it was too high! Didn't take long for temp to drop while device was off).

    It may take some trial & error on how to tie it into your stuff (maybe a separate container that has incoming and return water flow?), but TOTALLY cheap enough to be low risk purchase. Let me know if interested and I'll find a link. I'll provide even more personal observations (e.g., little sucker is 1500w)
    -Elliot

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Quote Originally Posted by pastry View Post
    Kathy, I just started using some CRAZY submersible heater for my exterior 100g water aging tub. I'm in Charleston, SC. This is not an aquarium submersible heater... but it IS a submersible "type" of rapid water heater.

    It was dirt cheap on Amazon. There's no control though. I just turn it in a few hours before a WC and it's heated up 60 degree water (without a tight fitting lid!) to over 80 degrees. Several times I've forgotten to turn off and after 3.5 hours it's been waaaaay over 80's (didn't do a reading... felt with hand and it was WAY obvious it was too high! Didn't take long for temp to drop while device was off).

    It may take some trial & error on how to tie it into your stuff (maybe a separate container that has incoming and return water flow?), but TOTALLY cheap enough to be low risk purchase. Let me know if interested and I'll find a link. I'll provide even more personal observations (e.g., little sucker is 1500w)



    Hmmmm, wonder if one of those CRAZY heaters could be regulated by a controller? Hubby just bought one for his little reef tank. Plug the aquarium heater into this controller and it takes over. Guess I would have to check the wattage?

  4. #4
    Registered Member pastry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    I was wondering if you could figure out the right timing balance and use a timer that turns it on and off. Maybe 45 mins on, 15 mins off... over the course of a 24hr day (or something like that)
    -Elliot

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    Registered Member dpt8's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Propane heater could bother people with carbon monoxide exhaust.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Ended up having to use the propane heater because it just got too damn cold down here in south Florida. Fish were fine. Well, they’re sick but they were sick before the heater. They’re no more sick than before.

  7. #7
    Registered Member pastry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    -Elliot

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    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    I'm in southeast Mississippi. I've been heating the fish room with a dehumidifier and an oil filled electric heater. I'd need the dehumidifier anyway because I have like 20 tanks none of which are covered but I've always wondered about a propane heater. I've just been afraid. Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm in your fish room?
    Mama Bear

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    To all
    DO NOT use a propane heater in an enclosed room or anywhere inside for that matter.
    I know gas stoves, like the one I have is propane, but it's much less volume and used for a shorter
    duration then a heater.
    Jay

  10. #10
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Now I know.
    Mama Bear

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    My pleco tanks are in basement. Temps outside today 10-20F,
    Basement temp 40-50
    My heaters are able to keep up and both stable at 84

    I travel to florida on business once or twice a month and laugh when I see people put coats on their dogs.

    My pups have no problem, even when it hovers around 0

    Buy brighter wattage heaters or just add an extra

  12. #12
    Registered Member pastry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Propane heater ….. safe?

    Try the heater I posted a screenshot of. I'd personally keep it in a separate 10-20 gallon container yet have one pump pumping water into container from fish container and an equal pump pumping water out to circulate the water but not fry the fish. Probably put on a timer (2 hours on... 30-45 mins off... 2 hours on... 30-40........) I have a 100 gallon, loose covered aging barrel. Air temp recently got to 29 degrees one night and I put the heater in for 3.5 hours and it was steaming (I meant to turn off at 2-2.5 hrs). It's not for aquariums because fish could get burned AND it doesn't have temp control... just heats & heats & heats rapidly & HOT if you leave on too long)
    -Elliot

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