Best thing since slice bread!!!!!

[Tropical Haven]

Just wanted to let everyone know that whoever is still hanging submersible heaters in their aged water tanks have another alternative. Hanging submersible heaters in your tank is a thing of the past. After reading great reviews on the Hydor in-line heaters, I knew that I had to get one. Boy would this make my life so much easier if I can hook this up to my circulation line leading into my tank from the outside and it would maintain my temp while my pump ran. Let me tell you this is probably one of the most accurate heaters that I have owned, it is 300 watts and has a safety shut off so your water can't get too hot if the heater malfunctioned. Here are a couple of pictures on how my holding tank is set up. I keep each of my discharge and recirculation line slightly restricted so when I am even filling my tanks I still have water running through my heater at the same time. When I am done filling tanks and I close off my discharge line, my circulation line kicks in with all the water from the tank. If anyone has any questions just ask me, this is totally worth it for anyone to purchase.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/swinefka/SA701094.jpg

My heater is the black cartridge with the light on in my recirculation line.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/swinefka/SA701092.jpg

This is my plumbing to my Iwaki pump.

[Ed13]

Your whole setup is pretty good! Do you just unplug the heater when filling tanks? Did you tap the drum in the bottom, used the stock threaded hole or used a Uniseal in the bottom?

Did you purchased the Iwaki just for this or had it laying around?

a Quick connect union before the heater would have been nice, as it is right know you can't use the the pump while if you need to unhook the heater and you have to get the screwdriver and release the clamps!

[Tropical Haven]

Thats the nice thing about my setup, while I am filling tanks I still have water going through my circulation line so water is always flowing through the heater at all times.

I have the Iwaki because we are the master distributor for them at work so I get them at cost so this is the pump for my filling of tanks.

I did tap through the bottom of the tank with a bulk head fitting. I have a union at the inlet and discharge of the pump for easy removal of pump. I really didn't think that I would need unions on each end of the heater for this setup. Once I get my fish room built in the basement, then I will redo it when that is finished.

[Apistomaster]

Hi Scott,

That really is a good system you have set up.

I see you are someone else who will do anything to avoid having to lift a bucket of water.

I have a friend who still uses buckets to do his water changes and besides his 125 he has a lot of other tanks. I guess he just likes the excersize.

[Tropical Haven]

Hi Scott,

That really is a good system you have set up.

I see you are someone else who will do anything to avoid having to lift a bucket of water.

I have a friend who still uses buckets to do his water changes and besides his 125 he has a lot of other tanks. I guess he just likes the excersize.

I learned a long time ago in the early 90's when I had around 90 tanks going with fish that the easier to make it the better. Wait till this fall when I finally get my fish room started in the basement, I will have everything automated except for cleaning the bottom of the tanks.

[aquaticplantman]

Pretty slick. Nice job.

[Harriett]

Larry uses these and he completely loves them...I'd like to switch over to them myself on the canister driven tanks, but still have a bunch of tanks on aquaclears [juvies and youngsters] so I am still ALWAYS looking for the best submersible...yes there have been numerous threads about the best brands, I read them and I own them...maybe I'm nuts, but it still seems like trial and error--even with the same 'best' brand, I have 3 heaters roughly the same age: one will be perfect, one will be a little temperamental, and one will not be dependable..I have tried different brands [the better ones] and it's still the same deal. I'm kind of sick of it.
Harriett

[Tropical Haven]

Harriett,
I have owned every submersible on the market as well but this inline heater is the most accurate that I have ever owned. I would hook these up to every canister that you have and you would be in heaven. Just something that you might want to keep in the back of your mind.

[greyhoundfan]

Scott, With the in line heaters, it seems as if that the water is heated on demand since it is only turned on when you pump water from your storage bin to your tanks. Is this correct? What is the regular temp of your water storage bin?

I'd like to do the same thing and leaving the water heater on overnight just to warm up my aged water seems like a waste of energy. If I could leave it cold and heat it as it gets pumped to my tanks would be ideal. Unheated my water temp is 60degress. As the water passes through the heater will the heater be able to heat the water up to 82-84degrees when it reaches the tank?

[Tropical Haven]

Scott, With the in line heaters, it seems as if that the water is heated on demand since it is only turned on when you pump water from your storage bin to your tanks. Is this correct? What is the regular temp of your water storage bin?

I'd like to do the same thing and leaving the water heater on overnight just to warm up my aged water seems like a waste of energy. If I could leave it cold and heat it as it gets pumped to my tanks would be ideal. Unheated my water temp is 60degress. As the water passes through the heater will the heater be able to heat the water up to 82-84degrees when it reaches the tank?

The water in my tank it always on, I never turn it off thats why I have water at 86 degrees in my tank all the time. If I just turned it on by demand my water temp would drop to 66 degree's. That is why I designed it the way that I did. When the nozzle of my discharge handle is turned to the off position where my water comes out at it will automatically go through my recirculation line where the heater is hooked to and heat my water up to my desired temp. Once this temp is reached it will kick on and off to maintain that temperature. When it is time to fill my tank after a water change all I do is grab the discharge end and place it in my fish tank then turn the knob to open it up and it starts filling my tank with 86 degree water. While it is filling my tank up I have it set where there is still just enough back pressure in my line for water to flow through my inline heater at the same time so it could still kick on to heat my water up at the same time of filling my tanks.

In a nut shell, I always have water flowing through my heater whether I am cleaning my tanks or if I am not and it is just sitting there. That way my holding tank is always at 86 degrees no matter what. I hope this clarify's it a little better.

[sleonard]

That heater is unable to heat the water in a single pass. If you look closely at his pictures he has it set up to constantly recirculate thru the heater.

Scott

Edit - The other Scott beat me to it.

[Tropical Haven]

That heater is unable to heat the water in a single pass. If you look closely at his pictures he has it set up to constantly recirculate thru the heater.

Scott

That is absolutely correct, that way it is always maintaining 86 degrees for me.

[greyhoundfan]

Thanks to both Scotts..:D

To put it in easier terms that is what I was asking.. does the heater heat the water at a singel pass? I'm not smart enough to tell that there is some recirculation going on there.:D

Schucks.. I was hoping that it did.

[Tropical Haven]

Thanks to both Scotts..:D

To put it in easier terms that is what I was asking.. does the heater heat the water at a singel pass? I'm not smart enough to tell that there is some recirculation going on there.:D

Schucks.. I was hoping that it did.


The best way to say it is the water flows through a heating element and does heat up as it goes through it. It will not heat your water to where you need it at on a single pass if thats what you are asking. There is not a heater on the market that will heat water to where you need it at on a single pass. It heats the water gradually as it passes through it on a continual basis.

[Ringo]

Hi Scott,

That's a pretty neat system you have setup. I see you live in Illinois as well. I'm a new to Discus and have been try to find fish locally. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

[Tropical Haven]

Hi Scott,

That's a pretty neat system you have setup. I see you live in Illinois as well. I'm a new to Discus and have been try to find fish locally. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

Ringo,
Bill Eagan would probably be the closest to you as far as I know, he lives in Naperville and carries a very nice selection of Discus. Here is a thread of his on some Discus that he has available for pick-up or delivery. Just contact him, he is a great person to deal with.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=56935

[Harriett]

Ringo! Hi, I'm in Illinois as well--one of my brothers lives in Lombard, actually. I'm in Evanston. Here's a suggestion: One of the sponsors on SD is Bill Eagan, who lives in Naperville. Bill does some breeding and imports as well from South America and Asia. Look him up on the sponsor list--hell of a nice guy. Currently he has a big shipment of discus that will be coming out of a month long QT this saturday morning--you might want to go take a look! You'll see a few friendly faces out there! His fish, I can vouch, are HEALTHY and I've bought a few real honies from him, besides wild cardinals, cories, etc.
Best regards
Harriett

[Ringo]

Thanks Scott and Harriet,

I'm actually hoping to see Bill on Saturday. Do you get most of your fish from him?

Thanks

[Tropical Haven]

I would get a lot of fish from Bill but Chris with Windy City Discus is just 20 minutes up the road from me so I purchase mine through him 75% of the time.

[Ringo]

Thanks Scott,

I just checked, Chris is only about 30 miles from me. I will definetly have to make a trip up there.

[Harriett]

I occasionally buy discus from Bill when I am so smitten.
Best regards
Harriett