heater guard for visi therm?

[andywoolloo]

Do you all think the reason marineland doesn't make heater guards for the Visi Therm Stealth heaters is cause they do not need it cause they are encased in the black plastic?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=12060

[Birger]

Do you all think the reason marineland doesn't make heater guards for the Visi Therm Stealth heaters is cause they do not need it cause they are encased in the black plastic?

It may not break but it will still get hot...I use these as well

Birger

[andywoolloo]

do you have any other ideas on making a heater guard?

I bought some stuff at the hardware store but I'm not thinking it will work. we'll see. And I ordered a guard from canada i think. But it isn't for a visi therm so we'll see. For now I raised it up higher, higher and sideways.

[MatsP]

I commented in another thread on how to DIY a heater guard.

--
Mats

[Richard B]

I have used the plastic mesh tubes that are part of moss poles bought from garden centres (to support climbing houseplants). These can be found readily & are fairly cheap, & dependant upon the size, can be used for several heaters. As they are a bigger diameter than a heeater than can be cable tied (zip tied) in a set position.

[bronzefry]

I asked Marineland the same question as you. It's encased in plastic as a safeguard for glass breakage. According to Marineland, there's an "auto-off" feature if you forget to unplug the heater when you change the water. If the "auto-off" should fail and the unit breaks, the plastic encasement would prevent shattered glass from injuring fish, so the story goes. I guess the plastic is a back-up in case the auto-off fails. I heard from someone else that you could drop these heaters and they won't break. I don't think that's exactly true. I dropped one and it stopped working. I don't think it's meant as a heater guard. I thread plants around the heaters.
Amanda

[apistomaster]

Visitherm Stealth Heaters are my fish room standard heater. I like them because they are difficult to break although I do miss not having a pilot light.
This heater is not without it's share of problems. I have had 2 "stuck" on 74*F and one "stuck at always on and one that does not heat at all. I own about 35 of these heaters, most 100 watts and one 250 watts.

A heater guard seems superfluous to me.

[Shane]

Attach two suction cups to a piece of black PVC pipe that is about 1" longer than the heater and slightly larger in diameter. Flow is not really an issue as the heated water will constantly rise up and out of the heater guard, but a few extra holes drilled in the PVC sleeve cant hurt. Crazy glue works great for attaching the suction cups. Heater guard for under $2.00 and hides well against a black background.
-Shane

[andywoolloo]

from Mats

I commented in another thread on how to DIY a heater guard.

yes Mats, you did I am sorry, I should left my question in the same post but I felt I was hijacking his thread. Sorry. I am just worried for my fish. And thanks to everyone for all the ideas.

[Birger]

the plastic encasement would prevent shattered glass from injuring fish

It is my understanding that this is an aluminum heater tube encased in plastic...no glass involved...which makes me feel better when I am shifting rocks around

Birger

[andywoolloo]

thanks to everyone in both threads for the advice. I will let u know when it's done. for right now I moved the heater up higher sideways.