lduncan Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Just letting everyone know about my new website, http://www.reefcentral.co.nz (very original ;-) ), You can read a bit about me, my tank, and all about my disaster of a weekend, tank wise, last week. Be sure to check out the image gallery, especially Steve Weast's tank! Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Layton, you could have saved yourself the trauma of a 'stuck heater', if you had connected up another "thermostat only", into the circuit of the heater. This is set at a slightly higher temp than your main heater, and when you see it operating, you know your insurance policy was worth it. Imagine what would have happened if you had been away. Why ppl with thousands $'s outlay don't add this simple protection to their systems, I do not know. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Where can I get such a device? I have only ever seen these devices for room heating, which is obviously different from monitoring water temp. The only device that comes close is an aquacontroller or similar, which costs into the thousands, even for a basic one. There are a lot of "what if's" in this hobby, you do your best to avoid, however sometimes it is just not practical to prevent every little possilbe thing which may go wrong. It is unfortunate when things like this happen. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Thats a real shame about what happened to your tank, and your coral. I know you don't want to hear 'what ifs', but I have taken 'heater insurance' out for my tank. I use 2 very small heaters that struggle to hold tank as temprature (e.g. are on most of the time), so if it gets stuck, it would be unable to heat the tank by itself. This is a most common problem, a heater is stuck on because its been switching on and off and the thermistat sticks. It turns on and off so much because its to powerful. Only the biggest tanks need 300 watt heates (1000 liter of water, unless its a very cold location). I suggest dropping down to 200 watt or even 150. You may find more consistant water temratures and its helps avoid problems like the one described in this thread. Layton - How is the damage looking now? Is everything comming right? What sort of heater costs $250.00??? Or did you have it gold plated Hope it all comes right. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Hi Layton, sorry to read about your losses. Thanks Alan and Pies for the handy tips. Robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Sorry, that was a typo, the heater was $150. I decided, after hearing similar stories about heaters becoming stuck due to arcing "welding" them on permanetly elsewhere, that i would not buy a cheap heater. It is only a 150 Watt and is hardly ever on with my halides running, and several pumps. I think I was really lucky to escape with no fish loses, but my large pink pocillopora, is not looking so flash at the moment, I would really hate to lose that. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Yeah man, loosing anything suxor as far as I am concerned. Hope you go OK with the poc, they are a very pretty coral (I have one, but its never grown, just stays the same...). Good luck with the resotation process. At least you have some aquscaping options You said you had a chiller. Was it connected and running at the time? I have seen some controllers, and know a few people interested in them. 1 montior (I think 3 temp probes), and its either runs the heater or chiller, thats it. 1 is going or the other, with a 1 deg 'sweet spot'. I live in fear of something like that happening to me. I've just done big tank maintenance today, after reading you post its forced me into action. Got an ice-cream container full of alagem calurpa and other assorted shit. Also did 80L water change. Might do another 80L this weekend, then another 80L later in the week, since i'll be on holiday Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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