Sorry for your loss, emc7. Unfortunately, regardless of what type of heater you buy, as they age, they begin to "stick" on. I don't recall exactly what mechanism is failing, but it will likely happen to any heater given enough time. Many respected fish-keepers recommend replacing heaters every 12-18 months to avoid this. Another recommendation is using two undersized heaters that are incapable of cooking the tank independently for an added fail-safe. Of course all that being said, the better quality heaters do yield a lower rate of failure. Again, I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm glad to hear you're taking the steps necessary to avoid repeating the situation.
|