Hydor Inline Heater vs Intank Heater

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

So my mistking is coming this week and I'm not sure which way to go on this I'm reading the good and bad of both products and wondering which is the easiest way to go?

My concerns

1.) Leaking water (can't have water leaking on the floor seeing I live in a apartment)
2.) Keeping water warm (I want the chams to have warm water every time the mister goes off)
3.) I've heard the intank heater cause some kind of film to develop in the bucket?
4.) Budget! My budget it no more then $50 for heating

Suggestions for a intake heater? Wattage to keep the water warm all the time? I'm running a 18Qt container for the water.

Silverdusk · Mar 16, 2009

I started by trial and error and originally had an extra submerisible fish tank heater I used in my misting reservoir. It quickly build up a thin layer of film - even without light - This is a form of bacteria. I decided at that point to try something different and once again turned here for information. I walked out of this forum with the information I needed and got myself a digital timer and an inline 300 watt Hydor heater. Look for them on Ebay.

Goodluck and I hope this will assist you with your solution.

PS Sancho and my Wilson do look a lot a like!!

((BY THE WAY)) - Home Depot now carries a really nice digital timer that does minutess and up to 20 on off settings a day for $10.00)) Works great for the Hydor inline heater.

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Silverdusk said:
I started by trial and error and originally had an extra submerisible fish tank heater I used in my misting reservoir. It quickly build up a thin layer of film - even without light - This is a form of bacteria. I decided at that point to try something different and once again turned here for information. I walked out of this forum with the information I needed and got myself a digital timer and an inline 300 watt Hydor heater. Look for them on Ebay.

Goodluck and I hope this will assist you with your solution.

PS Sancho and my Wilson do look a lot a like!!

((BY THE WAY)) - Home Depot now carries a really nice digital timer that does minutess and up to 20 on off settings a day for $10.00)) Works great for the Hydor inline heater.

The mistking I got has a timer also I wonder if it will connect to it?

Ryan Jarosek · Mar 16, 2009

Sancho said:
The mistking I got has a timer also I wonder if it will connect to it?

You need two timers , one to turn on the heater and one to run the mist system. You will want to turn on the hydor at least 5 min before the water turns on.

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Ryan Jarosek said:
You need two timers , one to turn on the heater and one to run the mist system. You will want to turn on the hydor at least 5 min before the water turns on.

Hrmmm! Must think of something to keep this water warm. My outlet only has room for 1 timer and that is the only outlet in the room I already have a 8 out strip which is full except one slot

Dunnigan · Mar 16, 2009

what if you put a air pump in the water tank along with the in tank heater? the bubbles from the air pump would keep the water from being stagnent. Would that be enough to keep the film from forming on top of the water?

Ryan Jarosek · Mar 16, 2009

Sancho said:
Hrmmm! Must think of something to keep this water warm. My outlet only has room for 1 timer and that is the only outlet in the room I already have a 8 out strip which is full except one slot

use another power strip. Plug both times into it and set the times differently.

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Ryan Jarosek said:
use another power strip. Plug both times into it and set the times differently.

Won't fit

I only have room for one more regular size cord to fit in the timer is too bulky to fit

Ryan Jarosek · Mar 16, 2009

Sancho said:
Won't fit I only have room for one more regular size cord to fit in the timer is too bulky to fit

Un plug another from the existing power strip and move it to the strip with the timers. Then plug in the new strip.

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Ryan Jarosek said:
Un plug another from the existing power strip and move it to the strip with the timers. Then plug in the new strip.

So run a 8 out and then connect another 8 out to that 8 out? Isn't that unsafe?

Ryan Jarosek · Mar 16, 2009

Sancho said:
So run a 8 out and then connect another 8 out to that 8 out? Isn't that unsafe?

no , you have two sockets right?

one 8 in one

one 8 in the other

plug timers in one strip - plus maybe 1 or two plugs from the other strip.

Then the remainder in the next strip.

I think just divide and concur.

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Ryan Jarosek said:
no , you have two sockets right?

one 8 in one

one 8 in the other

plug timers in one strip - plus maybe 1 or two plugs from the other strip.

Then the remainder in the next strip.

I think just divide and concur.

Hrm. OK I'll have to look more into the inline heater

Silverdusk · Mar 16, 2009

Dunnigan said:
what if you put a air pump in the water tank along with the in tank heater? the bubbles from the air pump would keep the water from being stagnent. Would that be enough to keep the film from forming on top of the water?

It's still a matter of unwanted bacteria. The air will only increase the amount of bacteria. Basically it's the same bacteria that causes a ammonia and nitrites in an aquarium. Both would have a negative impact on the water quality.

Sancho - Goodluck with it. I'm sure you'll figure out the right solution for you. I have multiple powerstips plugged into one outlet. A lot of how unsafe it is would be determined by how old the house is etc. Since the heater timer would only trip on for a few minutes each day it shouldn't be much of an issue.

How about something like this?

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Silverdusk said:
It's still a matter of unwanted bacteria. The air will only increase the amount of bacteria. Basically it's the same bacteria that causes a ammonia and nitrites in an aquarium. Both would have a negative impact on the water quality.

Sancho - Goodluck with it. I'm sure you'll figure out the right solution for you. I have multiple powerstips plugged into one outlet. A lot of how unsafe it is would be determined by how old the house is etc. Since the heater timer would only trip on for a few minutes each day it shouldn't be much of an issue.

How about something like this?

House is fairly new built the late 80's / early 90's. I have no problem running two 8 out strips my problem now is trying to convert the heater for work for what I need it for.

Jason4045 · Mar 16, 2009

In tank aquarium heaters look like they only go up to 90 degrees or so.

Im thinking we need to get to about 100-110 or so, since once the mist hits the air it gets cold instantly. That ultrasonic humidifier I have heats the water to 176 degrees and it comes out at 104. I'm stumped and need to look elsewhere.

Jason4045 · Mar 16, 2009

also, if we heat the whole tank to 100-110 that would increase the build up of bacteria aswell. esp since it will be stagnent in the tank...

I'll look into that inline set-up

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Jason4045 said:
also, if we heat the whole tank to 100-110 that would increase the build up of bacteria aswell. esp since it will be stagnent in the tank... I'll look into that inline set-up

Tell me about it! That's where you might have a 1 up on me installing the inline I have no clue LOL

Jason4045 · Mar 16, 2009

Sancho said:
Tell me about it! That's where you might have a 1 up on me installing the inline I have no clue LOL

The 300w hydor heater maxes at 90 degrees. How could you even run it inline anyway? Its made to circulate.... tank/filter/heater/tank. It cant just kick it on when the mister runs, prolly needs to heat up itself id guess!? Cant kick it on earlier since the zip drip clears the lines.The only way I see it useable is to use it to circulate the water in the tank with it. fasten it to the side of the tank with a hose pick up in the tank, heating and then a return line back into the tank. The water would still only be 90 degrees though. Any ideas mate?

Sancho · Mar 16, 2009

Jason4045 said:
The 300w hydor heater maxes at 90 degrees. How could you even run it inline anyway? Its made to circulate.... tank/filter/heater/tank. It cant just kick it on when the mister runs, prolly needs to heat up itself id guess!? Cant kick it on earlier since the zip drip clears the lines.The only way I see it useable is to use it to circulate the water in the tank with it. fasten it to the side of the tank with a hose pick up in the tank, heating and then a return line back into the tank. The water would still only be 90 degrees though. Any ideas mate?

Yeah that's the problem I'm having! 90 degrees is it. I would assume it's supposed to be a little hotter then that. And yes you would have to put it on it's own timer to turn on about 5 minutes before each misting so it could get warm

Here is some pictures of doolahs inline setup.

Mesnik · Mar 16, 2009

I did the same installation but with a 200 W Hydor and it is not great. It is better than nothing but definetly a waste.

I got the 200 cause they didn't have the 300...

Also, I don't have it starting before the pump... I don't quite like that idea so I have it on the same timer as the pump.

And even when I run the pump for 10 min, the water doesn't get that warm.

Roberto.

Hydor Inline Heater vs Intank Heater

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