# Marineland Stealth just tried to cook my 55g :(



## Jark (Feb 6, 2010)

I just happened to pass by the tank this evening and noticed that there was heat emanating from the tank more than usual. The cheesy heat indicator strip was maxed out on the tank so I grabbed a real thermometer and tested it. It was almost 90. I pulled out the heater and it was steaming. The tank is cooling down now but I don't have a back up heater ready to go. To double check the heater I turned the knob all the way down and plopped it into another tank that was at a reasonable 75 degrees. After a few the heater was pipping hot again dispute being turned down all the way and in a warm tank. I guess a fast trip to PetSmart in the morning.

The heater is a Marineland Stealth 250W.
E64989 
equip. 263T-T1 
3808

I guess I am lucky it didn't explode. I have heard some of the new Stealth heaters have been doing that. I think my heater is one model before that. I hope PetSmart has something decent. I hope they have an in line unit.

I hope my guppies all live and my plants aren't permanently toasted. I guess I was going to have to trash half of them anyways due to the new Texas law. I just had a new crop or guppy babies too. Everything is still swimming for now and is excited as ever to see me arm in the tank. Lets hope it stays that way until it cools down and I can get a functioning heater in there. 

Has anyone had similar issues?


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## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

My stealths work fine, but maybe just a few degrees off for the recommended temperature inside the tank, but I adjusted them and they are pretty good. What type of stealth model are you using by the way?


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## Jark (Feb 6, 2010)

It is just the simple black one, right before they added the led light. It is about a year old. I have a slightly smaller One in another tank and have had no problems. I have had cheaper heaters die out of be way off in temp but the stealth heaters were working well for me until yesterday.


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## joshvito (Apr 6, 2009)

i think of all the equipment we put in our tanks, the heaters take the most electrical abuse. on off on off... I always use 2 smaller heaters as opposed to one larger one, in case an issue such as this arises.

Hope your inhabitants survive!


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

Good thing you caught this when you did. Any equipment can fail. Pumps quit, heaters stick either on or off, tanks break, lights die, timers fail, etc. An observant fishkeeper does aquarium inhabitants a lot of good. I hope your fish and plants recover.

I try to keep replacements in stock. Partly because I want to buy when they are on sale, partly because I know everything eventually fails. I recently had a Stealth go bad. It did get hot, but it no longer maintained the correct temp. In this case it kept the temp too low, no matter what I set it at. I am fairly certain it was on its way to complete failure, but who knows. Anyway, I emailed Marineland about it, and they asked for the date code on the unit. I supplied that and they sent me a free replacement, no further questions or shipping required. 

If you look, I think you will find horror stories about every brand of heater out there. I now buy Marineland heaters exclusively due to their replacement policy. They offer a lifetime warranty. In my book, that is the best they can do. No one can claim their heater will never fail, that simply isn't practical. These things wear out. With Marineland, I know that for the price of two heaters I can be sure to always have heat in the tank for as long as I run it. Or until they go out of business. But I haven't seen a better guarantee, so they have my business.


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## Jark (Feb 6, 2010)

I know your right. I got Stealth heaters after some other heater died. The only heater that has never failed me is the unknown brand glass heater I got off of graigslist that I have in my 5.5 gallon. It is probably rarely on though because the tank is at work with the temp stable and someone else paying the heating bill. 

I shouldn't bash marineland. Before this it kept the tank at the exact temp I set it for.


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## virgo888 (Jun 25, 2009)

it can happen with any brand. i use stealths now. my hydor almost cooked my fish too.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

I didn't think you were bashing them. The heater failed. It could cost you fish and plants. Due to you paying attention, noticing the problem and quickly acting it wasn't catastrophic. 

You've every right to be unhappy and complain. I just wanted to point out that while complaining here will get you sympathy, recognition for your fast action, and perhaps similar horror stories, complaining to Marineland will get you a replacement heater. Then you can be ready for the next time one fails. I'm not trying to sound sarcastic - just practical.


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

I find marineland doesnt make the greatest products, but they do care about their customer. After my filter kicked the bucket, I ran out and bought the HOT magnum canister due to lack of finances, and needing a filter asap. I ran into an immediate problem with the outtake being too high for my liking. I contacted marineland, and they sent me another intake/outtake kit with suggestions of how to connect them together. Those kits sell on their website for about 15 bucks, and they sent them to me for free, without any hesitation. I offered to pay shipping, but they were more than happy to do it for free, to make sure I was satisfied. I'm now in the market for a new heater (mine seems to be dying slowly...) and will stick with marineland, strictly for the customer service.


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## SNAKEMANVET (Jan 23, 2011)

After a couple of bad heater malfunctions I use a controller for my heaters,they will cut the heater off at a set temp.One of the best investments I made.


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## MrBlackThumb (Aug 30, 2005)

Maybe it's safer to use 2 heaters of lower wattage, but make sure to set them at the same temp. In case one screws up and permanently turns on, it's not going powerful enough to turn your aquarium into soup.


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## anubias6439 (Sep 7, 2010)

i hade a 150 watt stealth cook my tank around december. Temperature got to almost 100 as it happened while i was sleeping. I lost all the leaves off my cryptocorynes, all the leaves off the beautiful aponogeton ulvaceous and some plants just melted away. I lost all my red lined torpedo barbs and the khuli loaches in the tank all died within a month of the incident.
since then i have stuck with a heater brand that has been in my loach tank for 8 years, never replaced, Ebo Jager. Good quality


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