Hiding heater in HOB filter?

**FreakyFishie** · 03-05-2013, 04:15 PM

I have an AquaClear 110 and I've noticed how big the media holding section is. Has anyone configured a way to put their heater in their filter to hide it from view?

**hawkerw** · 03-05-2013, 05:45 PM

What a neat Idea don't know if it can be done but I sure am curious

I have Oscars who are famous for breaking filters. I have been searching for a solution??

**mizzoutank** · 03-05-2013, 06:20 PM

they make inline heaters for that purpose, but they normally go in canister filters.

the issue becomes that the water temp in a filter can chance much more rapidly b/c of the small size.
so i think you would run into a big temp difference between the main tank and your filter.

the heating elements are rated to heat x gallons, vs the half gallon size of an ac110.

**FreakyFishie** · 03-05-2013, 06:55 PM

I get that, but I have a thermostat set heater, so if new water is constantly flowing in that is lower than the temperature of the heater setting, which would be the case because the warmed water is constantly being pushed out, not just sitting there, then wouldn't the heater just essentially stay on vs turning off once the water reaches temp like happens when I have it in the tank?

**FreakyFishie** · 03-05-2013, 09:51 PM

This is the heater I have:

from how it seems the water flows and is heated, it seems I could just turn my filter on it's side in the back of my filter and all the water would flow through and exit heated, seems like it might actually keep my tank more constant

**FreakyFishie** · 03-05-2013, 10:01 PM

Oh wow! I just found out that the Rena smart heater is actually designed to fit onto the intake tube of their HOB filter as an option! I found an example which looks like this:

However, I'm wondering if theres a way for stuff to get stuck in the heater? Because it would seem it would be very bad if stuff could get trapped in the heater and just sit there messing up the water quality. I'm thinking this is something to keep in mind because I was already planning to modify my filter intake to better hide it in my tank, right now I have a piece of driftwood that perfectly hides my heater so I could kill two birds with one stone getting up the heater as my filter intake but then my heater cord would still be visible, I'm just concerned about debris going in a heater...opinions?

It would seem attaching it to the intake would be a better option because then I'm not reducing my filter media space with a heater, just gotta decide if the cord bugs me enough to do it anyways..

**AllenIsbell** · 03-05-2013, 10:41 PM

Theoretically, it should work. It's not like the water you are heating is staying inside the filter. It looks like your heater is designed to do just that, anyway. Whenever you remove your intake tube to clean, run a brush through the heater, too while you are at it. Be sure to unplug it so you the element doesn't over heat.

**Cermet** · 03-06-2013, 09:00 AM

I do not think that a normal aquarium heater should be put inside a HOB filter: the temperature the heater would make the water in the HOB would, I'd think, be too high for the filter's bacteria to grow properly in order to hold a good tank temperature!

As for a heater on the output of the HOB, as long as you have good filter floss in the HOB, I'd think the heater would be fine. That said, I thought you wanted to hide the heater? If so, get one that can be put at the bottom and lays horizontal - those are easy to add and operate far better by more uniformly heating the tank!

**Cliff** · 03-06-2013, 10:50 AM

I have used those Rena heaters with the intake of a aqua-clear HOB filter, just as you have shown in the above pic. I found it to work really good like that.

That might be a better option than trying to make it fit inside the filter where the flow of of water through the inside of the heater may no work as well.

**FreakyFishie** · 03-06-2013, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Cliff

I have used those Rena heaters with the intake of a aqua-clear HOB filter, just as you have shown in the above pic. I found it to work really good like that.

What size tube did you use? I was looking at my heater today to figure out how to attach it and the intake tube of the AC is way too big, so I'm thinking there's got to be a tubing size that fits in the heater and inside the upper portion of the intake tube of the AC?