Substrate Root heaters with no thermostat or control

thefirethief

thefirethief

AC Members
Feb 15, 2006
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Scotland
I know there are a lot of differing opinions on heating the substrate but after much reading and deliberation Ive came to the conclusion that it is a good idea for me in the long run.

So heres my question....

If I buy a root heater which (I assume) has no thermostat and no temperature controler, how can I be guarranteed that the substrate will be heated to a higher temperature than the water column?

Or do they automatically heat the substrate to a temperature that the water column of a tank would never need (95F for example).


Any ideas?
thanks!

Mark
 
Why would you want to do that? Just me asking? There is nothing that can't grow in regular substrate with a heater in the water column.
 
The basics of it....


Apparently many planted tanks with high lighting, CO2 injection and fertilizers but with no substate cables do amazingly for a few years but then go rapidly downhill with no real explanation.

Substrate heating induces water circulation through the substrate. The warm water from the substrate rises into the water column, which effectively washes out harmful allolochemicals and other inhibitors which build up in substrate over a few years. Its really a long term solution.

A majority of people seem to disagree with the need for substrate heating. This might be because its effects and advantages only really come into play after the aquarium has been established for a few years.

This is all from reading, and not from my own experience. Here is a good article on it..... http://aquaticconcepts.thekrib.com/
 
You know, George is the only person I ever knew that ever supported their use and if you search the various cable debates from the APd going back 10 years, you'll see he fessed to the insignificant nature of them.........

Think about it: they contribute subtly only over long time peroids and has no definable traits really.........just an opinion......

I can say that about doing a waetr change on Thur instead of Fri, or 30% vs 40%, or I fed my fish less this year than last.

Point is, with such subtle variations, it could be anything, there's no control and when dealing with such insignificant variations.......you really cannot say much, George finally said and fessed to this.

There are no studies in any research journal on this and no aquatic horticulture company uses them etc.

If you increase the rate of flow through the substrate, it'll clog faster, it'll also provide too high flow rates for optimal root growth of most aquatuic species. They are really just an added expense that really does not do anything. You can use UG filters slowly to do the same thing if you buy into the marketing junk they claim.

So I did that, I used RFUG's and you may search old threads goign back a decade on that subject as well.

Spend more and watch the CO2.
That's far far more significant.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
I agree with Tom....and I would listen. A few people may have opinions and state them, but I have to say tom reproduces the situation in the 'lab" and either agrees or disproves. IMO you shouldn't waste your time with it.
 
I'm not really suggesting they are bad, they have3 no effect other than as heater really near as I can tell.

If you can find something significantly good that the rest of the folks have missed, that's worthwhile bringing up, but no one has yet to date and there's no research in the literature either.

Believe me, I've asked around.
So has Troels from Tropica and Ole from the Univesity there in Demark , I spent several days with them and they said the same things I have.

We all agree most everything....... but it's the hobbyists that get caught up in the hype.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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