Cross flow?

[OIF03VET]

I am setting up 2 60 gallon tanks for growouts and have a question.
I am going to be running a canister filter on each tank (in addition to a couple sponge filters in each tank) and I was wondering if I should put the intake and return on the same side of the tank or would it be better to put the intake on one side and the return on the other. Any imput would be greatly appreciated. They are acrylic tanks and I would have to put a couple holes in each tank on the top to put the lines in and I would like to cut those tonight.

Another question: 300 watt Inline heater per tank or 2 150 watt submersible heaters per tank?

[Graham]

Hi you want the input and output as far from each other as possible. This sets up the cross flow

[rogge26]

2 150 watt heaters would be better. Then, if one fails, you will not freeze or cook your fish. I use two 150 watt ebbco-jaeggers attached to separate heater controller. The temperature in my tank never varies more than one degree since I added this setup.
If you do decide to use a separate heater controller, be sure to set your heaters 4 degrees above the desired temperature. Do not set your heaters to max like it says on the heater controller.

[OIF03VET]

Graham;

Thats what I figured. I assume this is good for discus since it will filter more of the water.

rogge26;

Do you have any recomendations on a heater controller?

[Harriett]

I use 300w ETH Hydor inline heaters on my 75s. They are a bit more expensive but I completely trust them, they never vary by more than a degree, they are out of the tank; they are my favorite of any heater I have ever used in all these years.
Just my imput.
Best regards
HArriett

[OIF03VET]

Thanks Harriett,

How long have you been using them?

[rogge26]

I use the ETCI-1R with the extra recepatacle added from http://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html. The heater controller is $75 and the extra receptacle is $7 installed.

[alxjss]

I use 300w ETH Hydor inline heaters on my 75s. They are a bit more expensive but I completely trust them, they never vary by more than a degree, they are out of the tank; they are my favorite of any heater I have ever used in all these years.
Just my imput.
Best regards
HArriett

DITTO!!!

[Harriett]

Thanks Harriett,

How long have you been using them?

Not that long--maybe a year? I finally got some because Larry aka Polar Bear has been bugging me for a couple years about switching over--he has been using them for several years exclusively and has nothing but high praise..I am absolutely a convert.
Bet regards
Harriett

[chemjab]

Not that long--maybe a year? I finally got some because Larry aka Polar Bear has been bugging me for a couple years about switching over--he has been using them for several years exclusively and has nothing but high praise..I am absolutely a convert.
Bet regards
Harriett

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to give my 0.02.

I have been using the inline hydro heaters four years now without a single problem. I also keep 2 - 200wt subs in my sump for back up.

[scolley]

They're good. But not perfect.

I used them for several years, Hydor Eth 200 and 300s. But about a year and a half ago one of my 300 watt thermostats apparently stuck as I was breaking down a tank. To prevent drainage or back siphon, I had turned ball valves on my lines so no water was moving through my lines. And as I sat on the floor disassembling things, there was a very loud "bang!", as the tubing connected to my Eheim canister explosively disconnected under the pressure from the built up heat. I got scalding water all over my face, chest and arms. Scared the bejesus out of me, and melted the outflow nozzle on my Eheim.

Now I use controllers on my heaters.

[Harriett]

Steve, sounds scarey as hell and I hope you weren't seriously hurt--but was that a malfunction of the heater, or of the hobbyist? Should have turned off the heater when you cut the water flow....keep heating water and it will blow something eventually, right? LOL
Best regards
Harriett

[scolley]

Steve, sounds scarey as hell and I hope you weren't seriously hurt--but was that a malfunction of the heater, or of the hobbyist? Should have turned off the heater when you cut the water flow....keep heating water and it will blow something eventually, right? LOL
Best regards
Harriett

I neglected to mention that it was late in the night (early in the morning), and the end of a marathon maintenance session. So INDEED it was scary a hell, at 1:30 in the morning in a dark, sleeping house! But due to the very small amount of water, my injuries were limited to a surface scalding.

And there was a hobbyist error Harriett. I make them often, as some of my threads here will attest. But it does not change the fact that the heater malfunctioned.

My error was in assuming that the heater's thermostat would function correctly. That the temperature of the water in the sealed off tubing would trigger the thermostat to turn off the heat. There was enough water on the floor at the time to make that seem the better risk than to go pulling electrical cords unnecessarily.

But my assumption that the heater's thermostat would function correctly, and shut off was clearly incorrect. And it is worth noting, after I shut off the flow of water it did not immediately explode. It took 15 or 20 minutes. That heater clearly had to keep cranking heat for quite a while to get that water up to a horrific heat (as I said before - enough to melt the nozzle of my Eheim), such that it was "super heated", or beyond boiling, as only water under pressure can do.

I assumed the heater would shut off. That was my mistake. But as much as I loved my Hydors, its thermostat never told it to turn off.

[Harriett]

Yup, I see your point. Glad the injuries were minor and sounds like it was a doozy of a night!
Harriett