# Substrate heating - Have your say, please



## gf225 (Mar 26, 2005)

What do you think of heater cables in the planted tank?


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I've never used a substrate heater as the majority opinion was that they weren't needed and the money used for them would be better spent elsewhere. I completely disagree with that quote you posted. I've now set up all my tanks with a soil substrate (the longest has been set up for over 3 years) and I'm very happy with the success I have with them, WITHOUT substrate heaters. I have no plans to try substrate heaters as I simply don't see the need, I'm getting the results I desire without them.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

What are the benefits of substrate heaters anyway? I have yet to see any in my LFS(maybe just not looking) and I don't see why you would need it.


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## mistern2005 (Oct 25, 2007)

I've never used them...come to think of it I don't know anyone who does???


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## John Schultz (Jun 21, 2007)

In his book, Aquarium Designs Inspired By Nature, Peter Hiscock says that "heating cables are not essential in an aquarium with plants, but a heavily planted aquarium with a nutrient-rich material in the substrate, strong lighting, and carbon dioxide fertilization will benefit greatly from the addition of a heating cable." The idea is that the cable heat causes warm water to rise from the substrate moving nutrients around so that roots can better take up the nutrients. Cool water moves in to the substrate to bring potential nutrient materials back into the substrate, I would guess. 

It sounded good to me, but when I tried to buy a heating cable in the high-tech aquarium shop in my town in Japan, the proprietor told me that heating cables are not used in Japan anymore. Only Europeans used them, he said, implying that they were behind the times. 

So, the short answer is that heating cables, in theory, help nutrients move around. I use a soil substrate and wonder about how nutrients are restored, or move back into the substrate from fish food, mulm, and humic substances. Maybe this is material for another thread, however.


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## trong (Aug 8, 2006)

I've been doing this for some time know and before inline heaters were around . I have a 150 watt undergravel heater on my 75 gal and another tank with regular heater both tanks are running perfectly. There is only one thing bad about undergravel heaters, when it's time to uproot a plant some times the roots can pull up the cables and what a pain that is. Given the amount of time wasted on replanting cables i would avoid it in the future and get an inline heater. I still would love to believe convection current helps but i have no proof


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

If you want water to flow up from the bottom of the substrate to the surface, use a reverse under gravel filter. That will give as much or as little of that flow as you want. Heating cables seem like a very inefficient way to accomplish that.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

Hardly anybody even sells these things anymore. They've pretty much become a joke. Kind of like the 'Eco-Aqualizer'. In a couple more years they will be completely non-existent and we won't have to rehash the debate over them anymore.


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## zuker (Jan 3, 2005)

Ditto to what's been said. If a substrate is constituted correctly, and built correctly for that matter, I don't see the point, being that a selling point of undergravel heaters is a convective current that is supposed to promote an aerobic zone in the substrate. I don't buy it!

Also, what if the heater stopped working...are you going to rip up the substrate and your plants to retreive it, or does it become burried treasure? Lame.

Here's to Ebo-Jager!


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

I agree that substrate heaters are almost worthless if you want to cycle nutrients in the substrate do what hoppy explained this issue has be discussed on the forums before check out this thread:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...substrates/39835-heating-cables-out-date.html


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## Hassles (Feb 15, 2008)

Scenario:

The aquarium has been set-up using fine grained sand as the substrate. Over time the sand compacts and lethal pockets of gas develop. The gas pockets, upon developing to a suitable size, emerge into the water column with tragic results. 

Couldn't you install a substrate heating system to aid circulation in the substrate to prevent the development of such gas pockets ? thereby conceeding that substrate heaters are not entirely worthless and many are eager to believe.


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## Roy Deki (Apr 7, 2004)

I do not use substrate heaters, but I have notice while doing re-scapes. When removing the substrate after all the water has been drained. The substrate is considerable warmer than the water temps of that particular tank. I believe the reason for this naturally occurring process is from all the decaying matter that settles in the substrate is decomposing much like a compost pile. Thus creating the same effect of cable heaters.
My conclusion? Substrate heaters are not a must but, has a purpose in a new setup.


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## Roy Deki (Apr 7, 2004)

Hassles said:


> Scenario:
> 
> The aquarium has been set-up using fine grained sand as the substrate. Over time the sand compacts and lethal pockets of gas develop. The gas pockets, upon developing to a suitable size, emerge into the water column with tragic results.
> 
> Couldn't you install a substrate heating system to aid circulation in the substrate to prevent the development of such gas pockets ? thereby conceeding that substrate heaters are not entirely worthless and many are eager to believe.


From what I understand:
The circulation provided by substrate heaters are more for circulating oxygen rich water and nutrients to the roots. Using a "fine grained sand" will only limit the benefits of a substrate heater. Mayasian trumpet snails are a must when using a "fine grained sand" as a substrate.IMHO.


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## trackhazard (Sep 20, 2006)

Throwing fuel onto the fire:

http://www.adana.co.jp/_e_product/87_index.html

-Charlie


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## Hassles (Feb 15, 2008)

*Food for Thought*

When I decided to establish a new tank I decided upon a fine grain size sand substrate. I knew the substrate would compact and that the circulation through the substrate would be next to non existent. I also knew the dangers of gas pocket formation in such a substrate due to lack of circulation. Would not the use of substrate heating cables and the circulation they create remove the dangers of gas pocket formation and hence prove the viability of cable heating systems with a substrate as outlined above ?


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

*Re: Food for Thought*



Hassles said:


> When I decided to establish a new tank I decided upon a fine grain size sand substrate. I knew the substrate would compact and that the circulation through the substrate would be next to non existent. I also knew the dangers of gas pocket formation in such a substrate due to lack of circulation. Would not the use of substrate heating cables and the circulation they create remove the dangers of gas pocket formation and hence prove the viability of cable heating systems with a substrate as outlined above ?


I would think that the fine grain size would inhibit water flow enough that a substrate heater would be even less effective... but that's just guesswork on my part.


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