Petsmart NatGeo Heater rebranded Eheim??

[EllisJuan]

My cheapo Petsmart bought Top Fin 100w heater I was using for my mixing station started showing condensation in it and I was worried it was going to crap out on me. I swung by Petsmart today with heater in hand and showed them what was going on...of course I did not have my receipt. Since I bought it a few months ago they had stopped getting the Top Fin heaters and were closing them out. They did not have anymore 100w Top Fins so they told me to find another 100w heater and they would exchange it for that. I was comparing the heaters they had...Aqueon, Fluval, and National Geographic. I had never heard of the National Geographic heater so I opened the box and realized it looked a lot like a Eheim Jager. Then I noticed on the back of the box it said Made in Germany....hmm. So I grabbed two (I needed another for my new QT tank), exchanged one for the Top Fin and bought the other. It was $30, which isn't too bad for a brick and mortar store.

When I got home I looked at the warranty card and it is actually an Eheim warranty card. Petsmart usually has some pretty aggressive sales so I am sure at some point in the future you'll be able to pick these up for an even better price.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd214/TahoeDust/cd111e60-7dfe-4971-b5aa-49b882a893ab_zps16fc2524.jpg

[moondoggy4]

Thanks for heads up. Nice to know that when I am in pinch I can go to Petco and still get a quality heater now.

[Jayar]

The temperature control knob is slightly different though isn't it? Same element and everything else though.

They also branded all the Eheim filters as Nat Geo. The ecco, and their hang on back filters.

I was wondering why they stopped selling the Eheim stuff. This explains it.

[EllisJuan]

Thanks for heads up. Nice to know that when I am in pinch I can go to Petco and still get a quality heater now.
That was my thought exactly.

The temperature control knob is slightly different though isn't it? Same element and everything else though.

They also branded all the Eheim filters as Nat Geo. The ecco, and their hang on back filters.

I was wondering why they stopped selling the Eheim stuff. This explains it.
Yes, the knob is slightly different and it does not have the turnable pointing arrow. I also found that mine are running about 3* hot.

[reefwiser]

Man they should have used Martha Stewart.:)

[kaoscoder]

Wow, such bizarre branding... National Geographic, a non-profit organization, is selling aquarium products that are actually re-branded Eheim products, being sold only at PetSmart. How did someone even come up with that idea?

[SoFloReefer]

I have had two of those Eheim heaters fail. They suck!

[EllisJuan]

I have had two of those Eheim heaters fail. They suck!

Eheim Jagers or the National Geographic ones? What was the failure?

[Reef Frog]

Wow, such bizarre branding... National Geographic, a non-profit organization, is selling aquarium products that are actually re-branded Eheim products, being sold only at PetSmart. How did someone even come up with that idea?

My thoughts exactly. Why on earth would a respected world wide brand risk their reputation on a product category so notorious for being unreliable and responsible for the death of so much marine life and anguish among aquarists? It's a quality product as far as heaters go, but they all malfunction eventually.

It's kind of like if a high end national food chain branded their own diarrhea medication.... Weird.

[SoFloReefer]

Eheim Jagers or the National Geographic ones? What was the failure?

The Eheim Jagers. I had a 300 watt fail and then a 150. Both times they justed stopped working. I run my heater on a Ranco. That thing is a fricken work horse. It's worth its cost 5 times over.

[moondoggy4]

Sorry it is Petsmart, not Petco.

[EllisJuan]

The Eheim Jagers. I had a 300 watt fail and then a 150. Both times they justed stopped working. I run my heater on a Ranco. That thing is a fricken work horse. It's worth its cost 5 times over.

Gotcha. In my DT I run a AquaVia Titanium 300w on my Apex. I am only using these in my QT and mixing tank.

[SoFloReefer]

I actually have two Rancos. Both are always showing the same temp. Next heater I get will be a titanium Finnex without the controller.