Undergravel Heating Cable?

azn1stknightsou · 07-31-2006, 09:27 PM

How many of you guys use undergravel heaters? Is there a discernable difference? What is the cost one should expect?

CaysE · 08-01-2006, 12:25 PM

For the cable and controller, it's above $100 easily. How big is the tank you'd use it for?

http://www.hydor.it/index_en.htm look under Heaters -> Hydrokable

**Damon** · 08-01-2006, 05:10 PM

There have been NO studies to prove that they help planted tanks. Most think they are a waste of money.

azn1stknightsou · 08-03-2006, 12:26 AM

My tanks 45 gallon hex. Bit of an odd shape for a planted tank, but I wanted to challenge myself.

**Cichlid Man** · 08-29-2006, 06:36 AM

Undergravel heating cables are a complete waste of effort, time and money.

Ownager2004 · 08-29-2006, 03:02 PM

Ive read a couple accounts of people saying they helped, but only thinked they helped by a very small a mount. All of these people stressed that the benefits were not worth the cost/hassle though.

**Scuba Kid** · 08-29-2006, 04:37 PM

is everyone saying that they don't work well to heat a tank, or just that they have no qualities better than a standard submersable heater and therefore are not worth the extra cost?

azn1stknightsou · 08-29-2006, 10:41 PM

Well the heaters are not meant to heat the entire tank, it is only used to create a slight convection current in the substrate in order to stimulate plant growth. As far as I know, one is not supposed to use regular submersable heaters in the substrate.

**Damon** · 08-30-2006, 06:30 AM

Correct. They are not used to heat the tank, just the substrate. There still has been no noticeable differences between heated and non heated substrates.

PaulInKingston · 08-30-2006, 06:31 PM

Put the extra money into fish or a filter, don't bother with it.

azn1stknightsou · 08-30-2006, 10:55 PM

Thanks for you advice guys. You just saved me about $120.

girth vader · 09-10-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azn1stknightsou

Thanks for you advice guys. You just saved me about $120.

now go spend it on CO2

azn1stknightsou · 09-16-2006, 12:21 AM

Already purchased a 5lb CO2 tank with reg. Now I can put the extra money into plants.

07-31-2006, 09:27 PM	#1
azn1stknightsou Shark Bait Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento Age: 19 Posts: 84	Undergravel Heating Cable? How many of you guys use undergravel heaters? Is there a discernable difference? What is the cost one should expect? __________________ God has a sense of humor. Want proof? Just go to Walmart and look at people.

08-01-2006, 12:25 PM	#2
CaysE Stowaway Winner Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Age: 29 Posts: 316	For the cable and controller, it's above $100 easily. How big is the tank you'd use it for? http://www.hydor.it/index_en.htm look under Heaters -> Hydrokable __________________ 20gal tall! The display tank. Flourite substrate, Nutrafin CO2 system, Aquaclear 50, 55W 6.5k bulb @ 10hrs, 65W 10k bulb @ 2hrs, 100W Visi-Therm 4 furcata rainbows (and 8 fry!), 1 albino longfin bristlenose pleco, 6 crystal red shrimp, ramshorn & physa snails 5gal hex! Mini planted tank Eclipse Hex5 with Eco-Complete substrate, 25W heater, 1 male crowntail betta, some ramshorn and physa snails.

08-01-2006, 05:10 PM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	There have been NO studies to prove that they help planted tanks. Most think they are a waste of money. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

08-03-2006, 12:26 AM	#4
azn1stknightsou Shark Bait Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento Age: 19 Posts: 84	My tanks 45 gallon hex. Bit of an odd shape for a planted tank, but I wanted to challenge myself. __________________ God has a sense of humor. Want proof? Just go to Walmart and look at people.

08-29-2006, 06:36 AM	#5
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Undergravel heating cables are a complete waste of effort, time and money. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

Members currently in the Chat:2
	Users In Chat Room: WildForFish, Buggy Come On In!

08-29-2006, 03:02 PM	#6
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466	Ive read a couple accounts of people saying they helped, but only thinked they helped by a very small a mount. All of these people stressed that the benefits were not worth the cost/hassle though.

08-29-2006, 04:37 PM	#7
Scuba Kid Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,224	is everyone saying that they don't work well to heat a tank, or just that they have no qualities better than a standard submersable heater and therefore are not worth the extra cost? __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

08-29-2006, 10:41 PM	#8
azn1stknightsou Shark Bait Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento Age: 19 Posts: 84	Well the heaters are not meant to heat the entire tank, it is only used to create a slight convection current in the substrate in order to stimulate plant growth. As far as I know, one is not supposed to use regular submersable heaters in the substrate. __________________ God has a sense of humor. Want proof? Just go to Walmart and look at people.

08-30-2006, 06:30 AM	#9
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Correct. They are not used to heat the tank, just the substrate. There still has been no noticeable differences between heated and non heated substrates. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

08-30-2006, 06:31 PM	#10
PaulInKingston Fishy Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 47 Posts: 28	Put the extra money into fish or a filter, don't bother with it.

08-30-2006, 10:55 PM	#11
azn1stknightsou Shark Bait Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento Age: 19 Posts: 84	Thanks for you advice guys. You just saved me about $120. __________________ God has a sense of humor. Want proof? Just go to Walmart and look at people.

09-16-2006, 12:21 AM	#13
azn1stknightsou Shark Bait Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento Age: 19 Posts: 84	Already purchased a 5lb CO2 tank with reg. Now I can put the extra money into plants. __________________ God has a sense of humor. Want proof? Just go to Walmart and look at people.

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