# Inline or submersible heaters for large tanks?



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Trying to figure out the best option for heating the 300g tank. After the recent issue with the 150g heater exploding, I'm slightly gun shy of submersibles...but is it even possible to heat a 300g effectively with an inline heater, and what wattage would it take?

Or does it make more sense to go with a submersible titanium heater or two with an auto shutoff, and just hide them behind the tank scaping?


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I'm heating my 400g acrylic with a single 500w titanium submersible controlled by an Neptune Apex. I used to have it connected to the Ranco controller that's sold on Jehmco. Both ways work great. I was surprised that the single 500w would be sufficient but I think the fact that the tank is inside the house at a nice 21C and also that acrylic is a great insulator helps a lot. I can keep the tank at a nice 82F no problem and the heater doesn't even come on that much. Powerheads, filters, lights also provide some heat as well. If you have a sump, then easy to keep the heater in there. My sump isn't being used right now, so I actually have it hanging inside the tank. LOL.


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

The biggest in line heater I know of is a 300w which IMO isn't big enough for a tank that size


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

go with titanium heating rod with a controller.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Can you get a titanium with an auto shutoff on the controller? My old one was a 500W heater with a controller, and I'm kind of hoping for a failsafe option in case of overheating.

The heater worked great though, until the end.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

I agree Titanium is a good choice.
On large tanks I like to run 2 heaters in case one fails.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Titanium heaters are just a heating element so its all dependent on your controller. Not sure about a failsafe but i guess that's a function of the controller.


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## deepRED (May 22, 2010)

I run two 300W jager heaters on my 300 gallon, works well. If I didn't have the heaters kicking around before I set up the tank (I used what I had already) I would go the titanium with controller route that others have suggested.


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