Submersible Heaters....Can I Just Lay On...

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Guys~



I was wondering if I can just lay my submersible heater, I am ordering today, on the bottom of the tank, like next to the back wall? I wanted to lay both of them on the bottom.....can they be next to each other , or at separate ends? And....( yep, I am back! ) if they are totally on the bottom, there is no need to turn them off during wc , or am I missing something here?


Can I just lay them down, or suck em to the bottom?


Thanks!


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_7_15.gif

[JMArtist]

As an over all safety issue, you should always unplug your heaters when doing a water change.
It's just good practice.
After all, youn don't stand in the bathtube filled with water while using the toaster.

[candyl70]

LOL JM!!!

Marie,
I would suction them to the bottom on opposite ends. That way you are getting even flows of heat. Know what I mean??

C~

[traco]

I've got mine on opposite ends and did have them laying on the bottom but have since suctioned them to the back horizontal down as low as the cord will reach. I don't turn my heaters off while doing a w/c as the water level does not go below the heaters.

I also think laying on the bottom is good for babies? In that they can't hurt themselves by getting between the heater and the glass. I've had mine who are bigger, try and fit between the glass and the suction cup/heater. This was when I had them vertical.

I wonder how many people have theirs on the bottom, on the side, vertical or horizontal? I guess going to the photo gallery and seeing everyone's fish and tanks, you could get an idea that way.

[White Worm]

I like to stick them to the back wall almost at the bottom so they are not such an eyesore (horizontally) and if you have 2, spread them out even for better consistent heat throughout the tank. I find that laying them on the floor or sticking them to the floor just makes one more thing for me to get around when vacuuming and also another place for yuck, food and crap to hide.JMO Mike :D

[AADiscus]

I used to put them on the bottom and now i suction them to the wall just about 1-2" above the bottom. You will find that when you feed beef heart it goes behind the heater and you don't get it all when you do wc's. You start filling the tank back up and see little pieces floating. lol Then you're like.....where in the world did that come from, I just cleaned the bottom. ha ha

[Mack]

Marie:
Mine are all at the bottom so they avoid exposure during water changes. However, some good heaters made today are not affected if run "out of the water."
Joe

[Carol_Roberts]

You guys have suction cups that work on your heaters? ;) I lay all my heaters on the bottom of the tank - one at each end and leave them on unless I am emptying the tank. I do 90% water changes all the time this way.

[traco]

Yah, the suction cups don't work for long, heh?:mad: I've got one that works great, the other one slowly........... slides downwards and even at more of an angle. Of course, I notice this after I've finished filling up the tank!

[candyl70]

The suction cups that my heater came with work great. Too bad i can't say the same for other suction cups, such as the one on my thermometer.. lol

I have a stealth heater. I wonder if you can buy extra cups?? lol


C
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_11.gif

[Timbo]

back wall near the bottom is good, as a previous poster suggested, its easier to get the crap out, one (or 2 or 3) less things to get in the way.

no need to unplug (and run the risk of forgetting to plug them back in - hehe, happened to me) as long as the water level doesnt go so low as to expose them, they'll be fine.

[traco]

Yah, we should start a thread about "who has forgot to ......."!!

I've been half way down Island and realized I had forgot to plug the heaters back in so turned around, headed back home, plugged everything back in and headed back down. Figured I'd rather be late to where I was going rather than come home 6 hours later and having my fish stressed.

Ah, the things we do for our pets, heh?:antlers:

[Kindredspirit]

After all, youn don't stand in the bathtube filled with water while using the toaster.



Well, babe, I do not, for one have a bathtube~

They have bathtubes, John, in the Big Apple, do they? And I so do not get that comparison at all!! lol!!




dontcha just love me??

Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_9_15.gif

[Kindredspirit]

I've got mine on opposite ends and did have them laying on the bottom but have since suctioned them to the back horizontal down as low as the cord will reach. I don't turn my heaters off while doing a w/c as the water level does not go below the heaters.

I also think laying on the bottom is good for babies? In that they can't hurt themselves by getting between the heater and the glass. I've had mine who are bigger, try and fit between the glass and the suction cup/heater. This was when I had them vertical.

I wonder how many people have theirs on the bottom, on the side, vertical or horizontal? I guess going to the photo gallery and seeing everyone's fish and tanks, you could get an idea that way.



Thank You Very Much!!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_27.gif Toaster.... I thought the same thing, hence why I asked... I am tired of unplugging the heaters...I am afraid I will forget to plug them back in! And as we speak, I have a discus between the heater and the glass, Barb, and I do not like that~

Two great minds think a like, woman!!! Every word!


Marie~

[Kindredspirit]

Angela~ That is a very good tip! Thank you. That is what i shall do...


Mack~ Thank you as well~ I had heard that some heaters won't burst when exposed and not turned off as well~ Mine broke in the tank!

Carol~ I agree, my suctions thingys do not work well as they tend to slime up and slide away!! Thanks!! I am not ever unplugging the heaters again~

Barb~ Sooooooooo you went all the way back?? wow... how long do you suppose they could go without our heaters?

Candy~ Thanks C, for the input! lol....love ya!!






Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_16_26.gif

[Greg Richardson]

Mack. What heater brand allows it to be out of water?

[Mack]

Greg: Here are a few...

Hydor Theo Heater
Visi-Therm Stealth Heater
Titanium Heaters

[Kindredspirit]

During my water changes tonight I was going to put all my heaters down on the bottom agaisnt the back wall, like discussed....


And not one is an immersible heater! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_11_62.gif Can you believe that? But I remember the owner of a lfs here, told me that I could still immerse it? That it would be okay~


Any thoughts on this??? *******.....




Marie~

[Alight]

I think submersible is the actualy word, but under no conditions should you submerse an non submersible heater! You could be looking at killing the heater at the least and a big electrical shock to you and/or your fish at the worst along with killing the heater.

You can get a stealth Visi-therm at Big Als for less than $15, and they have free shipping if you spend over $50 until Jan. 2nd. You can also get the same price at Fosters and Smith, but you'll need to know the catalogue price to get that. If you want to make that purchase, let me know (PM me).

Al Light

[Carol_Roberts]

What type of heaters do you have Marie? Many say you can't submerse them and you can . . . Ebo and tronics can lay on the bottom

[Kindredspirit]

Carol!



I can not believe you said that, cuz I just got home from work, and stopped by the lfs here, and you are so right! On the box, it says that it is submersable, but on the heater itself, it says 'water level to this line only' .......why do they do that???



I hope you come back soon, lol! Here is what I have, Carol...
I knew i was right! Hang on...lol...this will mean more to you than me::

Ebo Jager, 200watts on the 55gal...that one says do not submerse past water level line....goes to 93 degrees~

Rena Cap Lite Excel ....on the 30gal...that doesnt say either way, but I thought it was submersable...annoying! 150watts

Also on the 30 : 50 watts, Tronic...doesnt say anything on that one!! but goes to 93 degrees

and on the 10gal: ( forgot, hold on!) Visi Therm, 50 watts...and it says it goes to 89 degrees...but i can only get it to 73, lately....which is worrying me a lot~


Hence the reason for all these heater issues, Carol.... Plus, the other day one broke in the tank....
Here is my plan: I want to have two in each tank, all submersable and all must reach at least 93 degrees, in case I must use meds, right? But it is so hard to find ones that go to 93, submersable, not glass, under 40 bucks!! On line I found some for $18 each, 200watts, but they do not say how far the degrees extends!


Please tell me all of my heaters are submersable?? Make my day, Carol~ lol!! What would happen if they are not meant for underwater use, and you do it anyways? or do I wanna know?


I think you mentioned tronics up there....I want to order them tonight.



Thank you!


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_20_6.gif

[ronman]

Hi Marie,
All the heater you got are submersible. Of all of them the one that work best are the Tronic. Accurate and will heat to 93 degree. IME

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Ron~


Thank you! The Tronic was the one I thought people would say they never heard of...how funny! Well, then, I shall go and sink em, Ron!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_8_8.gif

[Kindredspirit]

oh, Ron...........HI...lol....I wanted to say, that I love your picture you are using for your avatar....http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_5_132.gif


The one with the discus and the babies.... I want it.

Can I have it? http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_11_52.gif



Will you gimme it???:D



Or I can just borrow it?http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_31_7.gif We can be twins. http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_30_9.gif How cool would that be???



lol~

Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_2_109v.gif

[ronman]

Hi Marie, thanks for the compliment on the picture. Of course you can have it if you want cos I got heaps of little fry in the tanks that are eating me broke. I'll just go and snap somemore pics..lol
I like all those smilies that you put up. Wish I know how to do it.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune.

Cheers'
Ronnie