Bubbles and heaters

M

Mr.Brongher

New Fish
#1
Mar 2, 2011
8
0
0
The Bronx, NY
#1
Hi, I'm Matt, I'm new here. I'm not actually a newbie anymore, I've been fishkeeping for 7 years now, but I've got a newbie question.

Is it safe to have an airline or bubbler bubbling over a heater? I'm 99% sure it should be okay. I don't see how a quickly moving bubble can cause enough temperature change to crack a heater, and I even think it would help with dispersing the heat more evenly.

But I have a niggling fear that somehow this can lead to catastrophe. Does anyone do this? Has anyone had a heater crack or explode from doing this? Any advice welcome.
 

ryanoh

ryanoh

Large Fish
#2
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#2
Hmm. I'd never thought of that. I guess it depends on how frequently the bubbles are passing over the heater? My bubbles used to go right over my heater and nothing bad ever happened.
 

skjl47

skjl47

Large Fish
#3
Nov 13, 2010
712
0
0
Northeastern Tennessee.
#3
Hello; I do not think it is likely to cause the glass tube of the heater to crack as the air bubbles will cary a flow of water. I have put the bubble stream near a heater thinking to enhance the circulation of heated water and never cracked one. (turns out it is not really necessary to have the bubbles very close as any flow will circulate the water. The heated water near the heater will set up a convection current on its own as well.) I am thinking of the heaters that hang on the rim of a tank. With those types I have found that bubbles too close cause different problems. One is that the air bubbles break at the surface and throw a fine mist for some distance. I have had enough moisture get into the inside of a heater tube to cause problems. Some (newer style)(The old style heaters sometimes were not sealed at the top at all) heaters are sealed well enough to prevent this problem. Another is that the mist will corode the screw holding the top of a heater together. I have one now that needs to be dismantled and the contact points cleaned, but the screw is corroded too badly. I cannot use my normal bits to drill out the screw as the glass tube is too close and my bits are too short. I may be able to use a drill bit extension. The heater type that is completly submerged should not have these issues. I picked one up with a used tank but have not tried to use it yet, so cannot give accurate information. A thing to be careful about is removing a heater from a tank. I have unplugged and pulled a working heater from a tank an laid it on down only to find that there was enough residual heat to melt things like plastic bags. The heat in the ceramic core transfers to the glass tube for a time after it is unplugged. It takes a while for the heater to cool down so be sure to touch one that has been on before sticking it back in the water, that is the likely way to crack the glass tube with thermal shock.
 

M

Mr.Brongher

New Fish
#4
Mar 2, 2011
8
0
0
The Bronx, NY
#4
Wow, quick responses, thanks. It is a submersible heater, one of the fluval ones with the built in digital thermometer - they will flash LF if the flow around them isn't sufficient, which is why the bubblers.

I do know about letting heaters sit unplugged a while before removing them, but it's worth the reminder. If anyone knows of bubblers leading to heater failure go ahead, if I suffer that fate I'll be sure and update.
 

ryanoh

ryanoh

Large Fish
#6
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#6
As I've found with most fish tank things, why not just be safe rather than sorry? Is there a way to put the heater not where the bubbles are just incase?
 

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