Hydor Theo heater cooked my discus : (

[Double Up]

Never, ever, ever, ever, buy a hydor theo heater. They are pieces of crap. I bought a 300w to run my 55gal and couldnt keep the temp withen 4 degrees right out of the box. I took it back and exchanged it for a new one. Well, worked great for two months untill I wake up this morning and my 55gal discus grow-out tank is at 93 degrees. The heater is set at 84 BTW. Now 2 out of 7 discus are floating at the surface with extreme bloating and I dont think they are gonna make it.:mad:

[keno]

I like to use 2 lower wattage heaters to run my tanks, that way if one gets stuck on it wont cook the fish. I use 2 150w heaters in a 65gal

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

[mlov1022]

Never, ever, ever, ever, buy a hydor theo heater. They are pieces of crap. I bought a 300w to run my 55gal and couldnt keep the temp withen 4 degrees right out of the box. I took it back and exchanged it for a new one. Well, worked great for two months untill I wake up this morning and my 55gal discus grow-out tank is at 93 degrees. The heater is set at 84 BTW. Now 2 out of 7 discus are floating at the surface with extreme bloating and I dont think they are gonna make it.:mad:I had the same happen to me, but i didn't lose any. Hope your fish pull through.

[wadewc]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I too lost my favorite discus due to a heater malfunction. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=73584 There is alot of good heater information others have posted in this thread. Know I have two heaters in my tanks as well. Sized according to my size of tank.

Wade

[ILuvTropicalFish]

I had the same problem with several of those. Thank goodness I did not lose any fish. Get two smaller ones as was suggested. It will reduce the possibility your fish could be fried the next time. I hope you don't lose your fish.

[diamond_discus]

I had a similar problem with a 250w theo heater ... I was a new one too ... It worked for a couple week .. and then I went on a business trip .. my wife called me and saw the temperature over 93 degree .... I told her to shut it off .. Good thing I have a spare one (another brand). I ended up returning that heater for a refund.

I am not using the Jagar heater which works fairly well. It has a 3 years warranty, I think .

I also have a bunch of the older Marineland Stealth heater .. that has lifetime warranty. When I returned some bad ones for replacement, they send me the new Stealth pro .. but seems like the new version only goes to 86F max ...

[Double Up]

Thanks all. One of the two affected discus is really trying to swin again and seems less bloated. At the advice of great lakes discus(choice aquariums) I added epsom salt at 2 tbls/10 gal. The other discus is in pretty bad shape. I am gonna buy 2 150 watt heaters to put in the tank. I've been researching the posts regarding heaters here to make a choice on brands.

[Double Up]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I too lost my favorite discus due to a heater malfunction. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=73584 There is alot of good heater information others have posted in this thread. Know I have two heaters in my tanks as well. Sized according to my size of tank.

Wade

I read that post and remember thinking "maybe I should get new heaters" !!! Sorry Wade, I can now tell you I understand. :(

[lkc]

There are no "best heaters" They all break. Here is a good article on aquarium heaters.


This guy, he knows stuff.

[Double Up]

I had a similar problem with a 250w theo heater ... I was a new one too ... It worked for a couple week .. and then I went on a business trip .. my wife called me and saw the temperature over 93 degree .... I told her to shut it off .. Good thing I have a spare one (another brand). I ended up returning that heater for a refund.

I am not using the Jagar heater which works fairly well. It has a 3 years warranty, I think .

I also have a bunch of the older Marineland Stealth heater .. that has lifetime warranty. When I returned some bad ones for replacement, they send me the new Stealth pro .. but seems like the new version only goes to 86F max ...

I just emailed Hydor. We'll see what they say. I might try the stealth pro's. I have had good luck with marineland heaters. I have not owned the stealths but have marinelands in 3 other tanks and have never had a problem. I also have a black backround so they would blen in well.

[Eddie]

Ehiem Jagers, hands down. Now that they are UL listed, they seem very leak proof with a new electric cord. All mine work like champs, some for over 5-6 years now. ;)


Eddie

[prolude006]

I use rena everything for my tanks, never a problem in 14 years, filters, heaters, pumps love them all. Love my rena smartheater, blends in with the background perfectly.

[Double Up]

Both bloated fish are back swimming with the pack!!!!!!! I was lucky enough to come home from class and see that one of them seemed back to normal. Then right before my eyes my rose red started fighting to swim down from the surface! he struggled the first couple trys but eventually work his way to the bottom. Now he too is back swimming with the pack!!! I'm pumped!! Much thanks to the guys at great lakes! it seems as though the epsom salts worked! and thanks to all SD members for their concern! I love this site!:p

[Double Up]

Ehiem Jagers, hands down. Now that they are UL listed, they seem very leak proof with a new electric cord. All mine work like champs, some for over 5-6 years now. ;)


Eddie

Gonna try to track a couple jager 150's down tommarow! also thinking about a RENA, or Marineland Stealth pros

[Jhhnn]

Ehiem Jagers, hands down. Now that they are UL listed, they seem very leak proof with a new electric cord. All mine work like champs, some for over 5-6 years now. ;)


Eddie

Agreed. Get them and inexpensive finnex hc-0800 controllers from Kensfish. A controller and heater together cost little more than 2 heaters, and operation is simpler.

At 3-5W/gal, which is generally recommended, a 200W heater should be entirely adequate. Bigger heaters just cook your fish faster if they stick on...

Get some ATI liquid crystal stick-on thermos, while you're at it. very accurate, easy to use...

[diamond_discus]

Gonna try to track a couple jager 150's down tommarow! also thinking about a RENA, or Marineland Stealth pros

If you are going to get some new Jager, try Jehmco .. they are very good price. They will even give you a price break if you order a bunch.

[Double Up]

If you are going to get some new Jager, try Jehmco .. they are very good price. They will even give you a price break if you order a bunch.

I'm gonna call around. I have to pick them up tommarow! dont have time to order. I have a 150w spare visatherm running the tank right now.

[diamond_discus]

I'm gonna call around. I have to pick them up tommarow! dont have time to order. I have a 150w spare visatherm running the tank right now.

Well, I saw some at local Petsmart store .. but they are almost twice as much ....

[dan1]

I also bought a Hydor Theo 300W 3 years back. It ran fine for 6 months before it stopped working, the temperature was down to 75 when I got home from work. I called up petsolutions and they sent me a new one. Again it last for about 6 months and this time it almost cook my fishes, I was lucky these were all adults. I found that they were having lots of recalls. I will never buy Hydor again. In the past, I had Ebo Jager quit, but it always just quited and the water will cool down.

[discusjoe27]

I've got 2- 100 watt hydor theo heaters on my 55 gallon discus tank and haven't had a problem. but I haven't had them for very long, I'm also with Eddie I'm a big fan of ebo jager. also get 2 small heaters, and not one big heater.

I big one is just going to cook the fish, having 2 heaters will heat each side of the tank evenly.

[Jhhnn]

I'm gonna call around. I have to pick them up tommarow! dont have time to order. I have a 150w spare visatherm running the tank right now.

If the visitherm is holding the temp, just stick with that until you receive your order from Ken. That's 3W/gal, and it should be OK in a normally heated room... tape some bubble wrap on the tank if you need to in the meanwhile...

Ken's top shelf- as good as it gets. I have no regrets doing business with him, none at all...

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

Both bloated fish are back swimming with the pack!!!!!!! I was lucky enough to come home from class and see that one of them seemed back to normal. Then right before my eyes my rose red started fighting to swim down from the surface! he struggled the first couple trys but eventually work his way to the bottom. Now he too is back swimming with the pack!!! I'm pumped!! Much thanks to the guys at great lakes! it seems as though the epsom salts worked! and thanks to all SD members for their concern! I love this site!:p


i think my fish is bloated. when u add epsom salt can u just add it directly to the tank or do u have to dissolve it first in water than add it

[prometheusGR]

The best security is to use a temperature controller (http://www.eliwell.eu/product_main.php?familly=1&language=_en).
You can use it to control temperature and cooling fans.

[diamond_discus]

i think my fish is bloated. when u add epsom salt can u just add it directly to the tank or do u have to dissolve it first in water than add it

I just add epsom salt to the hospital tank.

[exv152]

Sorry to hear about the heater malfunction. I had the same fear myself, and decided to go out of my way to overt disaster before it could happen, and bought a controller. Now I can rest assured my fish will never get cooked with one of these;

http://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html

[mareshow]

Gonna try to track a couple jager 150's down tommarow! also thinking about a RENA, or Marineland Stealth pros

KENS FISH, they are like $20 plus shipping best deal ever!

[Justice]

Ditto on Kensfish!!!

I have been replacing my Stealth 250's (had two stick on :mad:) with Jaeger 250's from Kensfish. And am very pleased with them :)

And as a matter of fact my Finnex HC-810 controller that I ordered from Kensfish three days ago (pretty quick shipping) arrived about 4 hours ago and is now hooked up to two Jaeger 250's in my main tank.

The recent sticking on of two of my stealths has me paranoid about them they were both less than a year old I have had no other trouble from the stealths before till last week.

[Eddie]

Gonna try to track a couple jager 150's down tommarow! also thinking about a RENA, or Marineland Stealth pros

I have ordered alot of them from Kensfish and they generally get to me in 5 days, and I live in Japan. Kensfish.com has very good prices on them also.


All the best,

Eddie

[tcmemphisbbq]

I use a rena smartheater in my 125 and its been very reliable *knock on wood* hehe -

I have 2 ehiems in the 75

[Nismo]

I just bought a 300w hydor theo 4 months ago. Hearing all this bad press about the hydor makes me want to change it out now.

[Double Up]

I also bought a Hydor Theo 300W 3 years back. It ran fine for 6 months before it stopped working, the temperature was down to 75 when I got home from work. I called up petsolutions and they sent me a new one. Again it last for about 6 months and this time it almost cook my fishes, I was lucky these were all adults. I found that they were having lots of recalls. I will never buy Hydor again. In the past, I had Ebo Jager quit, but it always just quited and the water will cool down.

I emailed Hydor about the issue and they told me to send the broken heater in. I'm glad they got back with me and are offering support but I really dont want them to send me a new theo. I will never use a theo ever again.

[Double Up]

i think my fish is bloated. when u add epsom salt can u just add it directly to the tank or do u have to dissolve it first in water than add it

I just put it directly into the tank at 2 tbls/10 gal.

[Double Up]

KENS FISH, they are like $20 plus shipping best deal ever!

Damnit, that is a great deal but I already bought 2 stealth pros. A 200w and a 100w. When I get my 90 gal in the summer I'm gonna go through Ken for the heaters, etc.

[Nismo]

For the guys with the broke hydor theos, was the heater fully submerged in the water?
I wonder if that would cause any problems?

[babakaty]

I have two Hydor ETH 200w inline heaters on my 90. No problems so far, but.... Anyone have any comments? I did go to the Hydor website and see that there is a recall posted on their home page regarding the 300W and 400W Theo models. http://www.hydor.com/news

Peter