Re: [AGA Member]Heaters

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

Good points all.

I guess I'll throw into the mix here that I've had several
Otto brand heater thermostats, model HC-500:

http://www.ottoaquarium.com/thermostats.htm

They work very well at first but after about a year or two
they've lost their ability to sense the temperature
correctly. For while I have to keep adjusting the dial
every month or so until finally the unit is just too
unreliable and I toss it.

I guess I wouldn't recommend those thermostats.

A more expensive thermostat would be cheaper ;-)

Interstingly, the Ottos don't use electromechanical relays.
I've had much better durability from other thermostats, all
of which do have electromechanical relays.

sh
--- Steven Olson <stevenkentolson@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have to agree that the on and off will wear out the
> heater quicker.  I've also had heaters fail in both
> the on position (and I've cooked the fish) and in the
> off position (which I discovered before they died). 
> With two smaller heaters, if one sticks on it can only
> heat up the tank so far and the other probably won't
> come on at all.  Eventually you'll notice, but
> probably little harm will be done in the interim.  If
> one fails in the off position, even if the remaining
> can't heat the tank by itself, the fish tend to hover
> around the working heater.  You'll notice that and
> correct the situation.  My problem has been finding
> very low wattage heaters for small tanks at my local
> fish dealers who seem to feel bigger is better.  So, I
> get them through the mail or when I'm visiting out of
> town and of course, checking out the shops.


=====
S. Hieber

-  -   -   -   -   -   -   -
Amano Returns
to the AGA Annual Convention
Nov 2004 -- Baltimore

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