New Products to watch

[emc7]

Spoke to the Cobalt rep at NADA 2012 yesterday. In addition to their existing flake foods, gravel-washing HOB micron filter and media selection, they are adding new things in August. Pellet foods and most interesting to me, 2 new types of heaters.

One is a normal-looking submersible that attempts to avoid the "stuck on forever" issue with the addition of a magnet to "grab" the bimetallic strip that turns the heater on and off with temperature changes. The idea is that poor contact when the things are switching on and off causes heat, arcing and melting of the metal strip to form a permanent "on" connection. When the strip comes close, it should snap tight to the magnet quickly and form a good contact.

The second heater looks totally different. The heating element is wrapped in ceramic making a black bar with a large, easy-to-read and set dial. It is supposed to be shatterproof and safe to run dry (so you don't have unplug heaters for water changes).

I look forward to seeing both of these on the market. It is nice to see someone trying to solve the "stuck-on heater" issue other than by offering "free killer heaters for life".

Fish-keepers need to demand that the end of a heater's lifespan should not end the lives of our fish.

[TheOldSalt]

Good news. Maybe this'll shake up things a bit.

[AquariumTech]

Nice post, it would be nice to see some nice heaters hit the market that dont cost out the ass; *cough *JBL* cough* (its a dam nice heater though, the Titanium probe one).

[emc7]

Since they aren't out, there isn't pricing yet. I am a bit concerned. But I would pay more for "won't cook fish". I don't know how long it will take until a new product can be trusted.

[AquariumTech]

For a product like that to be considered "trusted" its going to take a 5 year minimum, really more like 10 years. I expect my heaters to last 5-10 years maybe longer, with proper care (at least my nicer heaters) so with other nice heaters I would expect the same. As they say "theres only one way to find out", and obviously thats through usage on the consumer market.

[hXcChic22]

I keep hearing all these stories about heaters frying fish or whatever, but in our three years of fishkeeping, we've never had those issues, and a lot of our heaters were secondhand (came in setups off Craigslist). And we don't usually buy the "good" heaters, but rather the Petco brand and Aqueon, I think. We bought one Marineland Stealth and our rabbit chewed the cord through -__-.

[AquariumTech]

Petcos and Aqueons are the same thing, usually the Petcos are cheaper, or an older version Aqueons.

[emc7]

The cobalt heaters are out. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=25144 $50/100W but has an audible alarm when the tank is too hot. There is also a cheaper one that isn't as cool $27 / 200W. Also tiny 5, 10 and 20W heaters for nano tanks. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&pcatid=25161

[Ice]

Nice but cetainly alot to pay for a heater.

[emc7]

They are really neat. If I had $800 worth of discus in a tank, I'd pay extra for a heater that won't fry them. But its the people that really need a reliable product that will be afraid to try a new brand. I hope they last long enough to develop a track record. The more typical submersible (without the alarm) isn't much more than existing brands. I'm gonna try one in my next F&S order.