Heaters will eventually fail on you. It is important to inspect them and prepare for heater malfunctions. Consider using either a Ranco temperature control or an Aquacontroller to help monitor the temperature in the tank. It’s a small investment that could possibly save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in livestock, as well as heartache. Here are a few tips to help keep the heater running as long as possible.
- Always run the heater at or above the min water line and it is not making contact with any objects in your tank or sump.
- Instead of one heater, try splitting the load with 2 smaller heaters. This will give you more time to react if a heater malfunctions and gets stuck on. Smaller heaters will cycle on and off less often. This will lessen the chance of the heater getting stuck on.
- Inspect your heater any chance you get. Try to keep a spare available when possible. This is very important during winter months.
