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11/14/2010, 03:47 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 48
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I hate aquarium heaters!!!!!!!!!!
Early this morning my wife and I got woken up by a very large explosion sound, I thought it was a transformer out side, but it was my tank!!!
My stealth pro 200W heater that was in my glass sump exploded and demolished my sump. Dropped like 5g of refugium water on the floor, and when i say exploded i mean exploded. The blast opened the door in my stand blew all the glass out of the 5G sump and broke the plastic rim in the tank! Needless to say there is a huge mess to clean up, glass, water, sand, macro-algae. I'm getting feed-up with this hobby, I was so annoyed I almost drained the entire tank and took the whole thing down. http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...1113000627.jpg http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...1113000629.jpg http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...1113000628.jpg |
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11/14/2010, 03:52 PM
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#2 |
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You could get a ticket!!
 
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holy cow! Sorry that this happened. Wonder what would make a heater explode? How old was it?
__________________
Try to keep in mind that we are all human...mistakes do happen! Be kinder than necessary because every one you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Current Tank Info: 40 breeder - started 9/2011 - platinum perc and sanjay's black photon clownfishes; sps and lps, and soft corals; 250w MH, 20 long sump w Bubble Magus Nac 3.5 skimmer 12g nano cube -serpent star, mini carpet anemones, w 6 sexy shrimp, 150w MH, maxi je |
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11/14/2010, 03:54 PM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Cape Coral, Florida
Posts: 590
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Woah..... That's scary. Glad no-one was hurt.
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I stay out of trouble by telling my fiance that corals cost $5.00 each. "Awe, yea, it was 5 bucks." When life hands you skittles... Throw them at random people and scream "TASTE THE FREAKEN RAINBOW!" Proud brother of a U.S. Soldier. Current Tank Info: 2 side by side 57g Oceanic Illuminata's. Reef Octopus 3000 XP Cone. Each tank has a 250w Radium with t5 retro's. Reeflo Dart powering both tanks and accessories |
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11/14/2010, 03:58 PM
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#4 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: missouri
Posts: 65
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Heaters
I went out of town once and when I got back heater had broke and heated water up and killed everything, quite the stink. but I have never had one just blow up
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11/14/2010, 03:58 PM
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#5 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 450
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That sucks. I'm sorry, I feel for you. It looks disastrous. You said it even broke the plastic rim of the tank. The sump tank or display? I'm hoping it was the sump trim.
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11/14/2010, 05:10 PM
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#6 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,912
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Wow. One more stealth heater explosion added to the list! Sorry to hear.
__________________
Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam |
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11/14/2010, 05:11 PM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 88
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how long did you have it for? You could call the manufacturing company and they probably will reimburse you for the damages.
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11/14/2010, 05:19 PM
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#8 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,035
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these stealth heater stories are really scaring me. I've had great luck with them... but these stories make me very nervous
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11/14/2010, 05:32 PM
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#9 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,912
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Quote:
__________________
Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam |
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11/14/2010, 05:38 PM
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#10 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,035
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I'm using two on my diplay tank as well! a 200w and a 250. I have a 50watt in my 5 gallon quarantine, and 2 100 watts in each of my brute mixing containers. And they are all at least 2 years old
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11/14/2010, 06:04 PM
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#11 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 2,736
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I think 90% of heater stories on here involve a stealth. Even if they have fixed the problem, I wouldn't risk one for anything. Sorry to hear about the loss, but for anyone still running them and reading this, it is a known problem, so continue at your own risk.
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11/14/2010, 06:19 PM
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#12 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 596
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It seems like the newer ones are exploding moreso than the old ones. I've seen several BRAND NEW out of the box ones explode within a few weeks of being installed. Pretty scary stuff. Man I miss Ebo Jager heaters =/
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11/14/2010, 07:19 PM
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#13 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,041
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It looks like your livestock in the display tank is ok?
Wow this is at least the second time within the last month I've heard of a similar Stealth problem! But to highlight the silver lining, it was maybe better that the sump exploded. Otherwise all the toxic stuff from the heater will have mixed with the display tank, and kill everything quickly. |
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11/14/2010, 07:27 PM
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#14 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: central KY
Posts: 1,053
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I really didn't want to hear this. I just recently bought my second one.
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11/14/2010, 07:28 PM
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#15 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 48
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Thanks guys for the kind words.
yes, the broken rim was the sump not the display, thank goodness the display is just fine no issues there. Here's the back story on this heater..... Last spring my original stealth heater got stuck 100% on and nearly cooked my tank, caught it just in time temp was 92*, nothing died. So i contacted Marineland and they sent me a new stealth pro, it was summer so no need for the heater. I just stared to run the new heater about 6wks ago when the weather got cold. Last week it started acting up, one day it was good the next cold water, so I ordered a new titanium heater on Wednesday (should be here Tuesday), then Saturday this happened. Looking back I should have removed the heater as soon as i noticed and issue but...... I didn't know this was a common problem, I always thought stealth heaters where good? |
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11/14/2010, 07:36 PM
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#16 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 1,889
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Quote:
__________________
Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints. Current Tank Info: 250g starphire: 72x28x30, BeanAnimal drain with an oversized non-durso emergency drain, 4 inch DSB, 3x Reefbreeders Value LED fixtures, SWC/MSX 300A skimmer, Geo kalk reactor, 3 Vortechs w/bb, carbon reactor, and a RKL |
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11/14/2010, 07:54 PM
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#17 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 530
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Quote:
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11/14/2010, 08:39 PM
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#18 |
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Aquascape Destroyer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Carol Stream, IL
Posts: 1,104
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Holy crap, that's scary. I had one old style stick on in my 30G saltwater mixing container and nearly boiled the water. I thought they were better now and have had 2 in my sump of my 90G. But I run them off my RKE with separate thermostat, so I don't depend on the Stealth thermostats. Think I will change them to be safe.
What are the best heaters out there these days? I also remember when the Ebo Jagers were rock solid for years, but I don't think that's the same anymore.
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PVITAWA! Current Tank Info: 90G Tech |
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11/14/2010, 08:44 PM
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#19 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 850
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sorry to hear about your problem.
mine works like a champ for months now. i guess i am lucky. i never had a heater issue and i have tried many brands over the years. |
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11/14/2010, 08:51 PM
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#20 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: AB
Posts: 35
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Not cool at all
 I got zapped by one so I've used Titanium heaters ever since. The only downfall to those is if ur heater is ever exposed to air, it'll blow the fuse in the controller. Ur incident so so unfortunate!
__________________
A Genius without Motivation is just another idiot! Current Tank Info: 24x22x12 Shallow Profilux Plus II PLC ASM G3 Self Clean Skimmer Dual Phosban 150 Reactors Custom Automated Water Changer Custom M3 Kalk Reactor http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1932566 |
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11/14/2010, 09:17 PM
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#21 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: indiana
Posts: 722
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Was this the plastic one or glass?
I had a glass one explode so I switched to the plastic one. I'm getting nervous now. What else is everyone using that's suppose to be the best? |
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11/14/2010, 09:28 PM
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#22 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 212
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I have had 3 stealth all went bad in less then 6 months from purchase. I will never buy another one again
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11/14/2010, 09:28 PM
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#23 |
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CTARS, BRS & OSRAS Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 7,001
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marineland heaters = pure junk ... sorry for your misfortune
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Zoas & Palys |
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11/14/2010, 09:30 PM
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#24 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 850
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Quote:
stories if you do a search. the people who have had bad events happen before normally get a controller to handle "odd" situations like getting stuck on or failing to turn on. blowing up.. well this is the first i have heard of that! edited to add: blowing up while fully submerged.. naturally i know of heaters blowing up when people let the water get too low.. heater gets really hot.. and then water hits it. that never ends well. Last edited by fcmatt; 11/14/2010 at 09:35 PM. |
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11/14/2010, 10:58 PM
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#25 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Salem IL
Posts: 161
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I bought one but luckily before I had the chance to use it in my sump I came across one of those horror stories here on RC. I researched them and decided not to use it on my reef.
I use mine for a day at a time when I make a new batch of saltwater. Even if it over heats the water or explodes not a whole lot of harm done in mixing bucket. |
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