PIPE BOMB IN THE AQUARIUM!! Dead serious!

[Bilbo]

So... um.. yah... I was at my pc this morning when I heard a BOOM right behind me. It scared the crap out of me! I turned around and feared for the worst as I thought it was a floor joist that busted from the weight of my 125 or something. Well, it wasn't that. The plastic heater had exploded. Luckily it didn't bust my tank. Had it exploded on the side of the heater that was up against the tank then I would have had a huge mess. But it burst outward towards the middle of the water column. Now... I'm into hunting big time so I know how shells and ballistics work. Some how gas was built up inside the exterior hull of the heater until it exploded. Now, how and why there was gas in there is beyond me. My guess is that there was a tiny hole in the heater that somehow developed. Any thoughts? I will never use this type of heater again. Very dangerous. You should have heard how loud it was! Don't mind my weird smile in the pic. I was just being a dork because I am sending this picture to my wife as well, lol.

[Chicago Discus]

Holy crap!!!!! that's crazy .............Josie

[Northwoods Discus]

What was the heater make? This was happening before with Stealth heaters.

[Bilbo]

What was the heater make? This was happening before with Stealth heaters. It's a Marine Land Stealth Pro. Do they still make these? I got this one last year from a friend who just gave it to me.

[Northwoods Discus]

I do not know if they still make them but they shouldn't. You can get reimbursed from marineland. Or take it to a pet store and some of them will give you a replacement of a different style. This was happening a couple years ago. Blew out some aquariums sending fish, water and glass flying.

[Second Hand Pat]

Freaking scary. Great that no one and nothing was hurt or damaged except the heater.

[Trier20]

Yea they don't make them anymore. I hear they blow up. Send it back to marineland and ask for reimbursement and not a new heater. Their other ones are junk too. I sent in some for replacement to have 6 out of 7 stop working within two months. Get a jäger.

[pauline]

Marineland had a major recall on these a couple of years ago for the very reason you experienced. I returned nine of them for a full refund...no questions asked. You may not want to mention that the heater was given to you by a friend. Sometimes companies will only reimburse original owners.

[Keith Perkins]

Not sure if you should go out and buy a lottery ticket today or if you've used up all your luck for the day. Man you were lucky.

[Bilbo]

Lol@ Cozy. Yeah man.... I was sooo scared that I was gonna have to scramble to pick up shards of glass and fish off the floor. I'm still even half way concerned that the blast weakened the tank in some way. Just listen to me...."the blast". Who would have we hobbiest would be dealing with explosives, lol.

[nc0gnet0]

pin hole leads to a small water leak, electrolosis then creats hydrogen and oxygen, then pop!

[Whiskey]

Woh!!! I'm using one of these on my tank right now,.. and running it hard too, it's a 200W I think, maybe a 150,.. and it's the only heater in a 75G tank keeping the water at 84.

Maybe I should consider something else - I didn't know these were recalled.
Whiskey

[Bilbo]

Woh!!! I'm using one of these on my tank right now,.. and running it hard too, it's a 200W I think, maybe a 150,.. and it's the only heater in a 75G tank keeping the water at 84.

Maybe I should consider something else - I didn't know these were recalled.
Whiskey GET IT OUT. It may never do anything but then again it may. If it does it is highly likely it will bust your tank. I'm not kidding when I said it was a loud boom. Sounded like someone dropped one of those REAL cherry bombs in my tank; the old school legit cherrie bombs. It's simply not worth it. I got really lucky in that the heater exploded away from my tank wall and not towards it.

[William Palumbo]

Man glad it didn't burst your tank! I got rid of all mine awhile back, basically because they just did not work, and the ones that did, would electrocute you if you put your hand in the tank. Glad I never had any explode. Sux when an American product fails so miserably....Yes, buy that Lottery ticket!...Bill

[a volar]

Woh!!! I'm using one of these on my tank right now,.. and running it hard too, it's a 200W I think, maybe a 150,.. and it's the only heater in a 75G tank keeping the water at 84.

Maybe I should consider something else - I didn't know these were recalled.
Whiskey

REPLACE IT! it will fail sooner or later, I 'll replace it right now.

[Kal-El]

So... um.. yah... I was at my pc this morning when I heard a BOOM right behind me. It scared the crap out of me! I turned around and feared for the worst as I thought it was a floor joist that busted from the weight of my 125 or something. Well, it wasn't that. The plastic heater had exploded. Luckily it didn't bust my tank. Had it exploded on the side of the heater that was up against the tank then I would have had a huge mess. But it burst outward towards the middle of the water column. Now... I'm into hunting big time so I know how shells and ballistics work. Some how gas was built up inside the exterior hull of the heater until it exploded. Now, how and why there was gas in there is beyond me. My guess is that there was a tiny hole in the heater that somehow developed. Any thoughts? I will never use this type of heater again. Very dangerous. You should have heard how loud it was! Don't mind my weird smile in the pic. I was just being a dork because I am sending this picture to my wife as well, lol.

This is crazy... call the manufacturer of that heater and inform them... They should be able to at least give you a replacement... IMO marineland heater are not good. I have only bad experience with them. So far most reported heater issue on this forum is that brand including myself. I won't be using their heaters anymore. Only heater I'll be using are Aqueon Pro Heaters or Jagger...

[Kal-El]

Edit: double post.

[discusmat]

Yet another example of why I went with inline heater.Sorry that happened. Are the fish ok?

[Bilbo]

Yet another example of why I went with inline heater.Sorry that happened. Are the fish ok? Fish seem to be fine... although I can't imagine why that shock wave that hit their lateral line wouldn't feel like a rock concert times 50 to our ear drums

[zimmjeff]

DANG!!!!!!!!!!

[Bilbo]

Now I plan on replacing my other heaters in all my tanks. If i'm not mistaken these would be even worst. I have many of these! Got them from aquaticecosystems.com where I get a lot of my toys. This SUCKS as they are essentially metal pipe bombs. Metal pipes versus plastic. Hmmmm.... oh my. Oh, and please ignore the brown in the tank and on the heater. I just got done with a PP treatment and I had a LOT of algae in there which I use for growing out various cichlid fry. Melted all my sponges like a newb... Hooray!!

[Gene]

Wow that's nuts! I'm a little worried now. I've been running one in my jewel cichlids tank for a almost 2 years now

[Bilbo]

Wow that's nuts! I'm a little worried now. I've been running one in my jewel cichlids tank for a almost 2 years now Had mine about 2 and a half years before it decided to pop. Scary.

[hillbillyamber]

I was told to replace my heaters every 2 years no matter what. Now I know why. I just had one explode too. However, not like that, but I was pulling glass off the bottom of my tank and removing a smoking heater. It was a different brand too.

[BODYDUB]

Same thing happened to me with the same make of heater, but it was in my aging barrel.............

[Bilbo]

Bodydub: LOL @ your avatar....