Heater preference?

[rwong2k]

I always use 2 underpowered heaters, plus on my discus tanks I now use a temperature controller to be more safe
http://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html
I have been using the top etc1-1R and have been happy with them.


hth
Ardan

WOw I'm really interested in using a heater controller for my tanks, sounds like a pretty good investment for my aquarium

[poconogal]

I always used heater controllers, especially when I had the Stealth heaters. With the controllers I used, I could at least see that the heater was working! I still use the controllers on my QT tanks.

[diamond_discus]

I always used heater controllers, especially when I had the Stealth heaters. With the controllers I used, I could at least see that the heater was working! I still use the controllers on my QT tanks.

Which heater controller do you use ? Are those controller expensive ? If you have quite a few tanks .. it will be quite a bit of money ...

[poconogal]

Which heater controller do you use ? Are those controller expensive ? If you have quite a few tanks .. it will be quite a bit of money ...

I have the Otto controllers, but I don't know if they're made anymore. They ran about $35, but nothing fancy, no digital displays, etc. Just a dial and temperature markings, but are very accurate. I have a 500W controller and a 250W controller. My 250W controller came with its own heater back in 1993. It was called the Otto Computherm and was $50 back in '93. Super accurate, never gave me a second of concern, but the largest heater you could connect to it is a 250W heater, if you use a splitter, you can connect two heaters that total 250W. The 500W controller can take up to 500W of heater, either one 500W (if they make that!?) or two 250W heaters with a splitter, or a 300W and 200W, etc.

[Jhhnn]

I have the Otto controllers, but I don't know if they're made anymore. They ran about $35, but nothing fancy, no digital displays, etc. Just a dial and temperature markings, but are very accurate. I have a 500W controller and a 250W controller. My 250W controller came with its own heater back in 1993. It was called the Otto Computherm and was $50 back in '93. Super accurate, never gave me a second of concern, but the largest heater you could connect to it is a 250W heater, if you use a splitter, you can connect two heaters that total 250W. The 500W controller can take up to 500W of heater, either one 500W (if they make that!?) or two 250W heaters with a splitter, or a 300W and 200W, etc.

I found a vendor on ebay who has these controllers w/ 100W heater plugged in. They purchased the inventory of an Otto distributor who went out of business, apparently. Per their info, it's the same controller as pictured on the Otto site, 250 or 300W capacity.

The name of the vendor is Amekaaquatic. I've not used these controllers, and I have no affiliation with the vendor. I'm posting this as general information, and because they might be an honest bargain based on poconogal's comments...