Best place for heater in tank

[guille2007]

Where is the best place for heater in tank?,have seen diferent variants either horizontal, vertical close the botton or the surface

[gg5190]

I know for a fact that you should never have it vertically. The discus might try and lay eggs on the vertical heater and could severely damage there...um... parts? The oviduct used to deposit eggs could get scared and that could cause the female to become egg bound----> not good.

~regards to geroge

[White Worm]

Middle, back wall, horizontal, more towards the bottom of the tank.

[fishmama]

Well, two heaters is better...but if just one (like me ;-) I just lay it on the bottom of the tank or mounted horizontal, middle lower like Mikscus. Try to always have it near water flow so it will circulate as it heats...never in a "dead spot."

[Apistomaster]

I prefer mounting the heater horizontally near or on the bottom.
I had a pair of wild brown discus lay their first spawn on a Jaeger Heater placed on the backwall. It was 37 years ago and Jaegers were an attractive green color. Apparently no delicate parts of the Discus' anatomy was damaged. I discovered the spawn and unplugged the heater. This spawn was the largest single batch of discus I have personally raised. A total of 147 fry were raised to saleable size

[guille2007]

Thanks fo your experience Apitomaster and by the way nice anecdote

[poconogal]

I had a heater in QT mounted horizontally, closer to the tank bottom. The Discus in QT still laid eggs on it. I moved it higher up and I had to wrap a silk plant around it and block it with another one to get her to stop laying on the heater. She removed the silk plant from part of the heater and, you guessed it, laid on the heater again. (This Discus was laying every 4 days - a Stendker).

I now have no heater in my main tank, its installed inline on the output of my canister.

[mmorris]

Someone (Paul, maybe?) once said that discus can get stuck behind a heater and burn themselves if it is mounted on the back wall. I immediately removed mine to the floor of the tank! Martha

[poconogal]

Someone (Paul, maybe?) once said that discus can get stuck behind a heater and burn themselves if it is mounted on the back wall. I immediately removed mine to the floor of the tank! Martha
That's true, Martha, and I've seen people post who had that happen to their juvies.

[alpine]

Like some of you , I keep my heaters horizontally about two inches from the bottom of the tank in the middle .

roberto.

[RyanH]

I also position mine horizontally and near the bottom. Once the suction cups wear out, and they always do, I let the heater lay on the bottom.

[April]

im with ryan...i just lay them strewn on the bottom..i dont even try use suctions anymore. no sense.

[Apistomaster]

What's up with the suction cups? You would think that with all the modern materials available that some company would use something that would last as long as the heater. Of couse a heater that would last and never fail is another problem.

The two heater solution never made sense to me. If one fails it is usually in the heater on position and the fish are cooked sooner or later anyway. It just gives you twice the number of heaters to cook the fish and adds to the locating an extra plug in problem. I have never lost a fish from a heater failing to not turn on. One notices the fish acting differently if they are too cool and little harm is done. The fish always get cooked at night or if one is away. Discus don't show distress very quickly in overheating water since they have such a high heat tolerance.

[Darren's Discus]

I always run my heaters vertical with one at each end ! the theory behind the 2 heater system is if you require 300 watts for your tank you use two 150 watters so if one does stick it will not fry your fish.How much are your fish worth compared to buying two heaters,it's ok to say iv'e never had trouble with my fish being fried well that's good but why risk it,i have had it happen to me as have many others elimanate all possible hassles so hopefully you discus experience is a good one not tragic.


cheers

[Apistomaster]

I think you misunderstood me. I have had many losses over the years from a stuck on heater.

The only way a two heater system can ameliorate this is if the wattage of the two heaters is exactly enough to never raise the desired set point temperature above the desired temperature based on a steady state outside room temperature.
If one cuts it that fine it can protect the tank from going below a certain temperature and not higher than the desired set point.
This is a simple problem of thermodynamics and the specific heat properties of water. If the heat in/heat out is this finely tuned, the heaters would be almost continuosly on, just barely maintaining the set point.

Heater failure in the on mode is more common, at least in my experience, than in the heat off mode. I never have had a fish room that was cold enough for this mode of failure to present a serious threat to Discus.

[2jzpower]

well best place for me is outside the tank on a canister return line :) with a backup temp controller in case it sticks

i can't even imagine buying any more of those standard heaters...

[Apistomaster]

well best place for me is outside the tank on a canister return line :) with a backup temp controller in case it sticks

i can't even imagine buying any more of those standard heaters...

Go to the head of the class. You just gave the first correct answer and solution to proper heater control.

It doesn't matter if both heaters were stuck on or how over sized they may be. A separate heater controller with adequate wattage handling capacity will allow them to continue to be used safely. If two heaters are used and one should fail in the off position then both heaters should be adequately sized to maintain the desired setpoint by itself.
I know of no better way to provide the safety we all seek. Not a cheap solution but then neither are Discus a cheap fish.