# Heaters! Rena smartheater or Hydor inline?



## Mikaila31 (Mar 28, 2010)

Well last night ended badly when I noticed my second Rena Smartheater was flashing its red light. My first one I got in November of 2008 and was replaced underwarrenty. Now the replacement has died and is not underwarrenty. SO! I need a heater:icon_cry:. I've already spent too much this week as it is. I have two adult caecilians and I need a heater that will not burn them. The renas worked great, but don't seem to last very long. I'm looking at the hydor inline one, but it is about twice as much as the renas. Any suggestion on which you suggest or any other heaters to consider?


----------



## Algaegator (Jul 30, 2010)

I just got a Hydor from BigAls & it was on sale. I don't know of any others.


----------



## deleted_user_7 (Jul 7, 2003)

The fact tat it's inline is enough to convince me to buy one. I am unaware of any other inline heaters though.

If you don't want to go the inline route, im a fan of the titanium probe heaters.


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I love the inline heaters. If I had oodles of money, I would replace all my tanks with them. The fact they are hidden out of the way and they seem to heat the water more evenly than any other heater I've owned is why I adore these guys. However, I always have a backup submersible heater sitting in my cabinet in case of emergencies.


----------



## Mikaila31 (Mar 28, 2010)

how long have you had the in-line heaters? I would go for a inline heater if they will outlast the smartheaters. Or is their anyway to fashion a cheap heater guard thats not too bulky. I'm a college student and would rather not spend $50 on a heater if I don't have too.


----------



## DtEW (Jul 21, 2010)

Mikaila31 said:


> Well last night ended badly when I noticed my second Rena Smartheater was flashing its red light.


Are you sure it was even broken?

The instructions of the SmartHeater says that a flashing red light indicates that the temperature of the water is way above (or below) its setting. Fast flashes for a water temp that's too high, and slow flashes for too low. I get the fast flashes late in the photoperiod during summer heat waves, when my thermometer indicates that my water temp is ~5 F over my setting. I got the slow flash when I was first setting up my tank and introduced the heater to the cold water. 

The instructions make no mention of any sort of failed self-diagnosis indicator, and even if there was one, it would be distinct from the simple, rhythmic flashes noted here.


----------



## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

Mikaila31 said:


> how long have you had the in-line heaters? I would go for a inline heater if they will outlast the smartheaters. Or is their anyway to fashion a cheap heater guard thats not too bulky. I'm a college student and would rather not spend $50 on a heater if I don't have too.



They go for 39 off ebay, 200w versions.


----------



## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

They are also $39 on Foster & Smith. I have purchased one recently and am impressed with the build quality. I can't comment on performance, as I haven't set it up yet, but from what I understand they are great performers as well. The only issue that some people seem to have is accidental nudging the thermostat way too high, which can be remedied using tape once you have your ideal temperature set.


----------



## divy (Mar 21, 2008)

Im using the hydor 200w inline heater,

One of the main reasons i went for it is its inline so theres no ugly heater in the tank

Here in OZ winter just finnished and i had no issues with it at all but ive only had it for 5 months

i hope that helps a little


----------



## mightyoak (Mar 10, 2010)

I need to try an inline heater. I just had an old marineland heater go bad and all I had to do was send it back and they sent me a brand new(even updated versoin) heater with no questions. I just had to pay $5.00 to ship it back and they sent the new one. I will buy more just for this lifetime guarantee.


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Mikaila31 said:


> how long have you had the in-line heaters? I would go for a inline heater if they will outlast the smartheaters. Or is their anyway to fashion a cheap heater guard thats not too bulky. I'm a college student and would rather not spend $50 on a heater if I don't have too.



Over a year, only cleaned it twice and the temperature is a constant 78 degrees (what it's set to). I couldn't be happier. The best fish purchase I've ever made, hands down. Of course, it helps to have a canister filter first. :icon_cool


----------



## Mikaila31 (Mar 28, 2010)

DtEW said:


> Are you sure it was even broken?
> 
> The instructions of the SmartHeater says that a flashing red light indicates that the temperature of the water is way above (or below) its setting. Fast flashes for a water temp that's too high, and slow flashes for too low. I get the fast flashes late in the photoperiod during summer heat waves, when my thermometer indicates that my water temp is ~5 F over my setting. I got the slow flash when I was first setting up my tank and introduced the heater to the cold water.
> 
> The instructions make no mention of any sort of failed self-diagnosis indicator, and even if there was one, it would be distinct from the simple, rhythmic flashes noted here.



No I haven't taken the heater out or looked at it other then its blinking fast for "too hot" and I let the temp fall from 80 to 75 before I added two small spare heaters. Its doing the same thing the last one did, flashing too hot and the temp is too cold. No chances of my tank getting too hot by itself. This is WI after all tank is 10 degrees warmer then the room in summer. In winter I've seen close to a 20 degrees difference, though I usually toss a sleeping bag over the tank to help the heater on those nights. 

What is the tube size for the rena xp3, I noticed they sell a heater for 1/2" and 5/8"...


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I've converted all my tanks to the Hydor inlines over the past few years and I'm never going back.


----------



## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

The Hydor Inline heaters are just awesome, the only thing that they should re engineer with the next revision is to make the temp knob lockable. I can't tell you how many times I've grazed my hand or elbow on the knob ever so lightly only to come back to an 85-90degree tank!
I have a piece of carpenters tape on the knob now so it stays in place.


----------



## Mikaila31 (Mar 28, 2010)

what do you think of a 200 watt hydor inline on a 55gal? I noticed they rate it only to 53gal for marketing reasons:frown:. If I need the 300 watt I definetly won't be doing the inline heater. IDK if I'm going to do the 200 watt yet either, once you combine shipping its still right around $50. Heaters in the water don't bother me. I just need something that will not burn the caecilians. My old glass heater would because they would fall asleep between the glass and the heater then the heater would turn on and burn them.


----------



## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

I run a 200 on my 55 and it does fine for me.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

It really depends on how hard the heater has to work during the winter- do you keep your house relatively warm (so the heater won't have to work so hard to maintain tropical temps) or is the house pretty cold (in the low 60s or less) so the heater will really have to work?


----------



## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

True, my house really never dips below 69...


----------



## inkslinger (Dec 28, 2003)

I had a 300w Hydro inline heater for years on my 55g an my 110g tank an never had an issue with it.


----------



## Kayakbabe (Sep 4, 2005)

From the pics I've seen the Sera brand heaters appear to have some kind of guard of the end of them where the heating element is. I think it's meant for protection from rocks and fish that bump and break heaters. Those would probably work for you without breaking the bank.


----------



## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Off topic, but do you have a picture of your caecilians?

-Andrew


----------



## Mikaila31 (Mar 28, 2010)

Kayakbabe said:


> From the pics I've seen the Sera brand heaters appear to have some kind of guard of the end of them where the heating element is. I think it's meant for protection from rocks and fish that bump and break heaters. Those would probably work for you without breaking the bank.


Thanks! I will probably try one of those. 



A Hill said:


> Off topic, but do you have a picture of your caecilians?
> 
> -Andrew


Yep. Funny critters.


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

mott said:


> I run a 200 on my 55 and it does fine for me.


Ditto.


----------



## anda (Sep 8, 2010)

I'm thinking about getting the 300W.

I run a 250W ebo jager on a 120g! No issues in 8 years. It is very dependent on the room temperature. Even in our Canadian winter of -20F, the house never goes lower than 65-68F so the heater is not working that much. If you don't have heating in the house and the temperature can get lower than that, I imagine the heater will wear sooner.

I don't think you will run into issues with the 200W on a 54g...


----------

