Inline heaters

[Elle]

Anyone have good suggestions for inline heater setups for a 180g? I'm setting up two 180g tanks and I want to get as much equipment OUT as possible for a cleaner look. One tank will use 2 Fluval FX5's and the other will likely use a sump and an Eheim Pro3. However, the size of the fluval hoses doesn't seem to work with any inline filters I'm aware of, and the size of heater needed makes it hard to fit it in the sump.

Advice?

[zhasan]

I've been thinking about going with an inline heater as well for my new setup! Based on my initial research, I face a similar dilemma.

[jobber604]

A solution would be to run one tank with the combination of a SUMP + FX5 (which you can put a heater in the sump); while running the other tank with the Eheim Pro3 + FX5's (connect the inline heater to the Eheim filter). That way, you can eliminate having to put a heater and clutter the inside of the tank.

[Elle]

How effective is it having the heater in the sump?

[gklaw]

How effective is it having the heater in the sump?

JL was carrying the 300W Titanium. I use them in my 2 FW sumps.

I won't worry too much about efficiency. Heat will be lost mostly through evaporation. Think about it this way, your sump is the housing of the inline heater.

The only reason I would consider a in-line is when I don't have a sump to put my heater in.

[Jonney_boy]

I'm using the 300w hydor inlines in my 100 gal discus tank (holding 86 deg in a fairly cool room). In my case I have two xp3's that are running an 300w inline each. seems to work well and both turn on and off almost in sync with each other


and depending on your temp difference (mine is fairly large).. you may need more than 300w in a 180gallon tank.


Also, there is nothing stopping you from running multiple small heaters in the sump if a single large (long) heater does not fit.

[2wheelsx2]

You'll need more than 1 300W in a 180 for sure. The solution is to run multiple heaters and have them controlled by an external controller, either a Ranco, or get a Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper Lite L1, which is only $121 at J&L and allows you to stop the pumps for feeding, turn lights on and off and turn the heaters on and off at the same time.