OMG Need Help Quick - Heater Exploded!!!

[Limi310]

My F8 tank just so happens to be right next to my computer. Well I was sitting here, heard this CRACK and a fizzing noise, I look over and all these bubbles are spewing out of the heater.

Thankfully I was here and acted fast, grabbed the specimen container and got those little puffs into it. They are well trained, they swam right in......lol.

Anyway......do I need to worry about my water...can the heater leak anything dangerous???

It was a Rena Cal in case you are wondering....don't think I will be buying one of those again. Luckily I have a spare I can use in the meantime.

ok.....my heartbeat is starting to slow down now..............

 

[Lotus]

As far as I know there's nothing harmful in a heater. I would definitely do a water change, though... just in case.

I hate heaters... they suck!

 

[The Cable Guy]

Umm, you unplugged the heater before sticking your hand in the tank, right?
I'd like to make sure nobody gets electrocuted around here...

 

[Limi310]

Arrrgggghhhhh. I just did a 50% water change like 3 hours ago.....sigh. Oh well.
My boyfriend has a friend over right now, and the friend now things I am completly nuts (if he didn't already) because I started screaming for my boyfriend to come into the room to help.

Now in hindsight, I realize I could have totally been electrocuted trying to get those puffs out because I hadn't unplugged the heater yet. My first thought was getting them out of there. The things we do for our fish.

Thanks Lotus!! Yes they definitely suck! *thumbsdow

Edit: LOL cable guy.....nope. Brainiac at work here

 

[The Cable Guy]

Well, sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart*SUPERSMIL

I'm glad you and your puffs are OK!

 

[FishGeek]

Wow Limi!!! I didnt know that happened!! Glad to hear things are ok!! Let us know how it goes!!! Good Luck!!!!

 

[tubbs24]

HOLY COW!!!! I sure hope that NEVER happens to me. That would scare the @#$! outta me!

 

[Limi310]

Yeah, it was! I'm just glad I was here and the little guys didn't get electrocuted (or me!). I did another water change and they are back in the tank now. Everything seems fine *thumbsups

It's a good thing puffers are so nosy and curious because they swam right into that little plastic box. Otherwise I might have had my hand in there longer. I guess we all do boneheaded things once in a while

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Um, just a question... is the heater umplugged NOW?

Good thing that you were able to save the fish and that for whatever reason you weren't electrocuted while you did about the worst possible thing you could with electrical appliances in water...

 

[Limi310]

Yeah..........I was thinking maybe tomorrow I would dry my hair in the bathtub.....lol.

YES the heater is out!!!!! Come on, I'm not THAT silly The heater is actually sitting in the trash.

 

[BigDaddy420]

you said you just did a water change? by any chance did you unplug the heater while u were doing the water change? i made this mistake once or twice, if you dont unplug the heater it gets out of water and overheats, usually followed by a huge cracking sound and a busted heater.

 

[Big Vine]

Wow Limi! That's some serious excitement!

by any chance did you unplug the heater while u were doing the water change? i made this mistake once or twice, if you dont unplug the heater it gets out of water and overheats, usually followed by a huge cracking sound and a busted heater.

I'm also curious about this...
Come on Limi, you can admit it......you've already admitted to sticking your hand in the water with the broken heater still plugged in, so this won't affect our opinion of you! Good opinion, I mean.

Seriously though, it would also ease my mind to know that there was a 'reason' for the heater exploding on you, rather than being left to wonder whether or not mine might end up doing the same thing randomly or not.

LOL! I'm just glad you managed to not get electrocuted. Phew.
Big Vine

 

[seastaar88]

oh my god limi!!!!!!! i can't even imagine how freaked out you must have been!!! glad everything is OK now. i'm glad i dont have a heater in my tank after reading that!

 

[Orion]

I hate heaters... they suck!

Amen to that. To bad there isn't a better way to keep a tank warm. Some of the best I've seen in recent times however are the external in-line heaters. Those look sweet, but I've not had a chance to try one yet.But I've heard nothing but good things about them.

lol, we all so silly things when we get excited sometimes Limi. I'm just glad that you were ok. I agree with the Cable guy, it's better to be lucky than smart anyday.

 

[Limi310]

you said you just did a water change? by any chance did you unplug the heater while u were doing the water change? i made this mistake once or twice, if you dont unplug the heater it gets out of water and overheats, usually followed by a huge cracking sound and a busted heater.

*DING *DING *DING...yes Big Daddy hit the nail right on the head with that one!! I am pretty much convinced now that was probably the cause. So this whole drama filled story could have been prevented by simply unplugging the heater before the water change. I'll tell ya what, I won't make that same mistake twice. Now, don't get me wrong, I know you are supposed to.................can't really explain myself there. Chalk it up to laziness, forgetfullness, not thinking anything would happenness.

So, let this be a lesson to everyone else....ALWAYS unplug your heater!

Edit: And thanks to everyone for caring about my wellbeing....makes me feel....liked

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

i have a heater that i really like that goes of utomatically when water goes below the line and comes on after the water goes back up. unless you just plug it in, then it goes on right away, and then goes off.

 

[Orion]

I have two Visa Therm Stealth heaters in my 75 gallon that say they turn themselves off when not in water as well. I found out that they don't. They got so hot during a water change once that water evaporated as soon as some was splashed on it. So I wouldn't trust what a manufacturer say's a heater will do, and unplug the sucker.

When dealing with electricity and water, always err on the side of caution. I normaly unplug everything for a water change. I've been zapped one too many times.

 

[turtlefish]

Thats strange, my stealth has been working great and Id expect it to have the auto shut off function work-although iv never tested it. I would still purchase a heater that has the auto-shut off function just in case and maybe get a stealth? They work great and won't crack or explode. Yours just cracked, i was speaking with someone who works at a retail store and he said one guy had a heater blow a hole in his 90 gallon! that must suck...

 

[supapoopa]

Yours just cracked, i was speaking with someone who works at a retail store and he said one guy had a heater blow a hole in his 90 gallon! that must suck...

I would BE P.O.'d!!! Just a couple gals is not fun on when it gets on the floor. I wouldn't imagine 20+ gals. *crazysmil

I've never turned off my heaters, but its because I have the Stealth heaters that are made of that thermal plastic and they also say they shut down automaticly when out of water. False sense of security or do most find it OK when the heater is not made of glass?

 

[Orion]

False sense of security

I have two Visa Therm Stealth heaters in my 75 gallon that say they turn themselves off when not in water as well. I found out that they don't. They got so hot during a water change once that water evaporated as soon as some was splashed on it. So I wouldn't trust what a manufacturer say's a heater will do, and unplug the sucker.

Just my experence though.