Ye Olde Stealth Heater Explosives

[echoofformless]

Well I think it turns out that I had one of those wonderful exploding Stealth heaters. Came home from a few days away from the tank to find all plants dead, all fish dead, a split open heater, and lots of ferrous debris stuck to the mag-float and the mag-clips.

Some questions:


Being lucky that the glass didn't break, should I perhaps discard this aquarium and replace it just to make sure I don't run into any potential weakened glass problems down the road?


Does anyone know if this explosion causes any poisoning of the water or equipment? In other words, are all of my rocks, wood, substrate and filter media now contaminated and in need of being replaced?



Did my fish die a horrible, slow boiling death or were they offed quickly by a jolt of electricity in the water upon the explosion?

 

[toddnbecka]

Tank should be safe enough, if it was going to fail it would have done it when the heater blew. Shouldn't be any toxic residue from the heater, most likely they were zapped instantly.

 

[SMinNC]

I'd suggest anyone that still has an older Stealth Heater to get rid of it.

I haven't done much fish stuff shopping for a while now, and even longer for a heater. (2 years, maybe?) So IDK if they even make them any more.

I had one in my 55g that stuck in the On possition, and luckily while I was home. And even better being close by to notice the digital thermometer on the wall reading 90 something degree's. Done the finger in the water, temp test to confirm it. Unplugged the heater, and took it out. The remaining water on it sounded like I was frying a hamburger, all the way to being tossed out the back door.

IDK if this had anything to do with it. And I hadn't put the two together until you mentioned it. Butt... a month or two later my tank's back glass cracked from top to bottom. Which just happened to be right where the heater was. Coincedence, maybe, maybe not.

Then... a few more months down the road I got an e-mail. I'm pretty sure it was from Dr.'s F&S, because thats where 90+% of my supplies come from. Stating stuff about the Stealth Heaters malfunctioning. I think it had something like a re-call thing for them. But mine was long gone, to be able to trade it in.

-

I would guess from my experience. That your's probably stuck On until it finally melted itself, exposeing everything to the water(which was most likely over 100* by then). Then zapping the fish.

Sorry about your losses!

 

[wesleydnunder]

It's likely the fish were dead from overheating long before the heater split. I doubt any reidue from the heater is particularly toxic; it's just a metal resistive heating element.

Mark

 

[Bushkill]

I'll just agree with all of the above regarding toxicity and that the fish most likely suffocated from the low oxygen levels caused by excessive heat.

Now the part you don't want to hear: If it actually exploded, yes there is a possibility (stressing possibility) that some portion of the explosion nicked the tank's glass(high on the panel) and created a weak point that can cause a crack to run from that nick to the opposite side of the pane. Taller tanks like SMinNC's 55G would be more susceptible, and less likely in shorter tanks like a 20L. Glass is an odd material that way.

 

[Star_Rider]

residue from the heater can be toxic

and remain in the tank for some time.. I had this happen in marine tank and after complete water change and cleaning..I discovered the live rock will not support inverts..snails, crabs, coral...

 

[wesleydnunder]

residue from the heater can be toxic

and remain in the tank for some time.. I had this happen in marine tank and after complete water change and cleaning..I discovered the live rock will not support inverts..snails, crabs, coral...

Interesting...

Mark

 

[Narwhal72]

Stealth heaters have an epoxy fill that would vaporize. I think this is what dissolves in the water and kills livestock in a heater failure. Same thing can happen with submersed pumps and powerheads.

Although I do not have any direct proof of that. The rest of the components are metal, mica, and silica and should not affect livestock.

 

[SMinNC]

here ya go....

http://www.marineland.com/update.aspx

 

[echoofformless]

So you think I should discard all of the filter media, substrate, wood, rocks, etc?