Ebo Jager owners please read

I was trying to medicate a fish with Metro and wanted to get the 30g tank up to 90ºF at a minimum. My complaint with my Ebo Jager heaters is that few of them are capable of heating much beyond 88ºF. I do have one that gets to 93ºF but it was in use and I didn't want to swap it. So I was going through my spares to see what they max was. None were able to go beyond 88ºF. Then I figured I'd try something different. I took a hacksaw and cut off the knob on the dial that stops the dial from turning beyond 93ºF. I figured the problem was the thermostat, not the heater itself since the light was going out even though the temp was only 88ºF. So by cutting off the knob I could continue to turn the knob beyond 93ºF. It is now set at 70ºF and has been running for a couple of hours. The light is still on and the temp is at 90ºF. So far it's working good. I'll have to watch this heater for a while to make sure the light turns off at some point. If this works it will make a couple of my heaters suitable as hospital tank heaters. If anyone else tries this do so at your own risk. In my opinion this is much safer then yanking the blue knob and trying to blindly recalibrate the heater. Has anyone else had any luck with this?

Dave

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Wouldn't it be better and safer to just put the metro in the food.
Dennis

[brewmaster15]

Nice idea Dave!


I'll have to give it a try! :)

-al

Dennis,

The fish isn't eating so putting metro in the food wouldn't work. I thought that even if the metro is in the food that high heat was recommended. Is that incorrect?

Dave

[jklnbrg]

I have 2 250 watt Ebos that I have bought in the last year. Both together couldn't heat a 75 gal tank to 86 degrees. I have them in the garage. I'd be tempted to try this but with my handyman skills I'd end up with Discus soup.

John

[fcdiscus]

Hey John, you must have the two I returned to Big Al's!~ >:( Frank

[allan_mark76]

Dave nice handywork. Also can you update your web page??? I enjoy viewing your discus every month on your web page. You really have a nice collection.

A-

[DenverDan]

Wouldn't be easier if they just worked right in the first place!!!!!!!!


Dan

Yeah Dan, it sure would. But they don't. So I have a choice. I can complain about it, switch to another heater brand that may or may not work better or try to make these work. If just knocking off a little piece of plastic makes it work then I'll be satisfied. If I had another brand of heater that was able to reach 90º+ I'd use it. Or if there was some consensus regarding what is a quality $20 heater I'd get it. So far Ebo Jager is the heater that is in the majority of our tanks, so it suffers the majority of the problems. You wanna bet that as more people use other brands we hear more problems from those brands? I'm certainly not holding my breath that someone will find an accurate, reliable heater that gets over 90ºF for $20 and no one will find a defective unit or two. Until that day comes I will try and get the ones that I own working. So far this seems to be keeping the tank at 90ºF.

Dave

[jklnbrg]

If I had another brand of heater that was able to reach 90º+ I'd use it. Or if there was some consensus regarding what is a quality $20 heater I'd get it.
Dave


I'm resigned to the fact that I have to spend more for an accurate heater. I've learned in life that it is often expensive to save a few dollars.

John

Ok, then I'd like to know what would be a suitable heater for a 30g tank that can get the temp above 90ºF.

Dave

A hacked Ebo jager Dave! hee.hee.hee

[jim_shedden]

Dave ....great idea...I have 3 ebo's that I have ranked. I am going to try them on an empty tank

Great Idea : Jim

[jklnbrg]

I am using a Titanium pro in a 75. Heats with ease.

John

I need more info John. Titanium Pro... is that the brand name? Who is the manufacturer? What size heater is in your 75g tank? What temp do you keep it at? What is the max temp you've had it at in that tank? I need something for a 30g that can get the temp to 90º+ so the heater you use in a 75g tank would be risking cooking my fish.

Dave

[Aquarius]

I still have Ebo in my 110 Xhigh and 46 salt, both 250watt. The two in the 110 are set at 83 & 85, the tank stays at 86, both heaters cycle on and off.

Put two of them Aqu-Via Titanium and ever time I look, the lights on, so not sure on them yet. I'd think they'd burn out fast.

So in all, I still like Dave's idea, the Ebos are well built, save for some of them ::)

[jklnbrg]

Dave,
It's a WON Pro Heat titanium (350 watts). So far it is dead on for the temp I set it. I have had it set to 86 since I got it but it holds that temp with seemingly little effort (no long on periods).
I've not had it up to 90 but I'm sure it will do it. I think I got it from Drs Foster and Smith.

I heat my 150 gal with a 500 watt titanium and controller for Jehmco.com

John

[keno]

Dave, da nile is not a river in Egypt.

The tank is sitting at a nice toasty 92ºF this morning.

Dave

[mutfish]

I have a few of these bad boys, temp stays rock steady and if needed the 300 watt job will crank up the heat as far as you want to go...all this for $19.99 :o

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=8172

[jklnbrg]

Dave,
It looks like Ebo ought to hire you to re-engineer their heaters!!! Maybe put out a special 'Ebo Discus' line! ;D
I'm going to look at cutting off the tabs from my Ebos but will only use them for the aged water barrels until I'm certain my fix won't cause them to go to 150 degrees!!

John

John,

I doubt that cutting off a knob would qualify as engineering. And I'm not in denial about these heaters. For the most part they do not get my tanks above 88ºF. But for the most part I don't need them to so it has not been an issue. If I was buying heaters today I don't know what I'd buy. I recently placed an order with Pet Solutions and didn't get any heaters because I was offered the choice of Visi-Therm, Ebo Jager, Rena, Tronic, Radiant, Thermal, Dual Temp and Titanium heaters. Many I have experience with and prefer Ebo Jager. Those that I haven't used have never been recommended by any significant group on this forum, just spotty news of good & bad experiences. The Titanium may be good but with controller it costs $50+ and the smallest is 300w so it's hardly appropriate for a 30g tank. Now that mut (got a heater to tellya) fish has given a recommendation I have made note of it and if/when I'm next ordering stuff I'll include one and see what I think. Until then I'm limited to making what I've got work on the one tank that I need to get the temp up over 90ºF.

Dave

[mutfish]

Trust me on this one Dave ;)

Mut(those were the good 'ol days)Fish

[daninthesand]

Mutfish.

what brand is this heater? Can't seem to find out that info. on Doc. foster.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=8172
Daniel

[Aquarius]

It's the Via-Aqua heater brand. I have two that are the Titanium, not sure the differance between the two, except the different metal of course ;D

-steve

[daninthesand]

Thanks :)

[Francisco_Borrero]

I recently bought some ViaAqua stainless steel 300watt for under 20 bucks each (Drs. Foster/smith). They maintain whatever temperature I wish in my 150gal (I did try once 92 F), and are very accurate when set at 85-86. I am happy.

I did have one quit working within less than 6 months, and the company replaced without difficulty. I also heard of at least one person (Mench ?? not sure..) who has more than one quit working. I am happy with them...so far.
Most of my Ebos are reasonably reliable, but some can't go beyond 88. I have never had once cook fish or going beyond. It is more about not being able to get there.
I like the "surgery" approach and may try it.
Cheers, Francisco.

[TomB]

I have always used Ebo Jager but now am disappointed. I have a "black" 250 watt on my 75 gal. and can't get the temp over 82 no matter the setting. I added an older "green" 150 watt and only got another degree. So I got a Titanium (Won) and within an hour was smack on 86 and hasn't budged. My only complaint is that the dial temp control moves too easily so I had to tape it so as not accidently change the temp. I really liked the Ebos but not now.

Tom

[Carol_Roberts]

Yesterday I needed an extra heater for one of my water storage barrels and picked up a submersible Whisper heater for 40 - 60 gallon tanks at Walmart for $22. The dial doesn't have numbers, just +/ - so I turned it up all the way to quickly heat the room temperature water. Imagine my surprise - 3 hours later it was 95 degrees! LOL, I had to take the lid off and let it cool back down . . . .

[Aquarius]

Hey Carol, look close they have the numbers there ;D
At least mine from walmart do! I had to buy one for a spare and
yes they do heat nicly! Look at how red it gets too :o

-steve

[discusnovice]

The new Whisper's that WalMart is carrying is only marked with +/- and the last few that I have tried would not get my 30 gal above 86.

I ordered a new 250 EBO from BigAls and it would only take my 29 to 86 so I added a Visi-Therm 200 and can now get to 90 with the Ebo and the Visa-Therm all the way up.