Submersible heater problem?

EightLeggedFrea

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Messages
818
I have a Budgett's frog that recently came up from an annual aevistation. I bought a new aquarium heater for it, a 100W one designed for tanks 10-30-gallons. It was one of those from Wal-Mart, since that was the closest place. It doesn't have a thermostat but it's supposed to keep the water at a constant 78 degrees. But, according the digital aquarium thermometer I have, the temp isn't going much above 74 degrees!

I had a similar device, also from Wal-Mart, before. It was a 50W heater. It did the but since I had it for around 2 years I figured the warranty was up and bought the stronger 100W one. But it's now gicing me the same results! It's weird, though, I never had this problem with these Wal-Mart heaters before and the frog's tank is 10-gallons, the same one he's always been in (except of course when he was aevistating). I had one with an adjustable application on it, too, that I bought from Petco quite a while ago but it apparentlly broke (guessing again the warranty was up). What could be the problem I'm having?

While we're on the subject, can anyone name where I can get a GOOD water heater. I'm trying to get the water to at least the high 70s. I plan to get a new one soon with a thermostat.
 

Obelisk

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
337
When you plug in a heater, keep in mind that it can take up to 24 hours or more for it to achieve a stable water temperature.

I'm not sure what kind of heater you have, but I recommend the Visitherm heaters. I bought them at Petco, and they sell them at Petsmart too............ excellent heaters. Avoid any aquarium heater that's made of glass, and go for the stealth heaters instead. The ones that I use even turn off automatically if they're taken out of the water, whereas a glass one would probably just pop if that were to happen. That's just my advice though.
 

EightLeggedFrea

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Messages
818
I've used glass heaters before and never had a prob. Couldn't you simply unplug the device and waiting a minute before exposing it to air? Anyway it's not a prob anymore I found this small at a nearby pet shop I don't visit very often and returned the other one to Wal-Mart. It's a glass one but it's got a thermostat. Water's now up to 80+ degrees.

Thanks for that info though. May look into those next I need a new heater (they all have 1-2 warranties anyhow).
 

Obelisk

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
337
I've heard of people having such problems with the glass heaters. In my case, the heater does sometime get exposed to air when I'm doing a water change (though I try to avoid it).
 

snakemaster1

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
95
I used to work at Wal-Mart and those heaters some worked and a lot were trash sometimes they put 50 watt heaters in the 100 watt boxes. When i was there they just refunded the price of the heater and i had to smash it and throw it in the compactor . They rarely even look at the heater so if you have a problem with one just buy a new one clean the old one and return it in the new box for a full refund.
 
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