Help with heaters please

GaryTurtle

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I'm new here and fairly new musk owner. I received him May 9th of this year. He is a rescue. I have a 40 gallon breeder aquarium filled with approximately 4 inches of water, just enough to cover the Fluval U-4 filter placed horizontally. I have a sandy floor stopping about 6 inches before the filter, with a stone blockade that doesn't always keep him off of it. The last heater I had was a Aquatop glass heater which was in a guard. It no longer works. I have to get another heater. I'm not sure which to pick. I thought titanium would be best. Am I on the right path or is there a better type heater out there? Keep in mind I'm a inexperienced newbie
 

Moozillion

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I'm new here and fairly new musk owner. I received him May 9th of this year. He is a rescue. I have a 40 gallon breeder aquarium filled with approximately 4 inches of water, just enough to cover the Fluval U-4 filter placed horizontally. I have a sandy floor stopping about 6 inches before the filter, with a stone blockade that doesn't always keep him off of it. The last heater I had was a Aquatop glass heater which was in a guard. It no longer works. I have to get another heater. I'm not sure which to pick. I thought titanium would be best. Am I on the right path or is there a better type heater out there? Keep in mind I'm a inexperienced newbie
Hi!
I have a razor backed musk turtle. He’s a good 4 inches long, so I keep him in 6 inches of water in a 40 gallon tank. I use an Aqueon Pro 250 watt heater. It’s actually higher wattage than it needs to be, but I just always like to get equipment that can function how I want with power to spare. It has worked just fine for several years. I will be redoing his tank and increase the water depth later this year, and will keep the same heater.
I hope this helps! ??
 

GaryTurtle

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Meridian
Hi!
I have a razor backed musk turtle. He’s a good 4 inches long, so I keep him in 6 inches of water in a 40 gallon tank. I use an Aqueon Pro 250 watt heater. It’s actually higher wattage than it needs to be, but I just always like to get equipment that can function how I want with power to spare. It has worked just fine for several years. I will be redoing his tank and increase the water depth later this year, and will keep the same heater.
I hope this helps! ??
Yes it does help. Thanks. I thought I would do the same, purchase a heater stronger than I need, then it won't work as hard. Do you have a heater guard on yours or does your razorback not bother it?
 

Moozillion

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Yes it does help. Thanks. I thought I would do the same, purchase a heater stronger than I need, then it won't work as hard. Do you have a heater guard on yours or does your razorback not bother it?
I do not. He pretty much ignores it, except to climb over it.

My MUD turtle, on the other hand, keeps me hopping! She was constantly trying to eat the rubber off the heaters, so I had to build cages around them.
I set up my heaters either horizontally or at an angle, but not vertically.
 

GaryTurtle

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Hi!
I have a razor backed musk turtle. He’s a good 4 inches long, so I keep him in 6 inches of water in a 40 gallon tank. I use an Aqueon Pro 250 watt heater. It’s actually higher wattage than it needs to be, but I just always like to get equipment that can function how I want with power to spare. It has worked just fine for several years. I will be redoing his tank and increase the water depth later this year, and will keep the same heater.
I hope this helps! ??
I apologize to the forum in advance. I have never been in a forum and don't know my way around. Since you answered a question I had Sunday, I was hoping you could help me. Do heater guards come in different diameters? I'm having trouble finding the correct one. Also, could you tell me where to look to find out how to navigate this forum please
 

Moozillion

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I apologize to the forum in advance. I have never been in a forum and don't know my way around. Since you answered a question I had Sunday, I was hoping you could help me. Do heater guards come in different diameters? I'm having trouble finding the correct one. Also, could you tell me where to look to find out how to navigate this forum please
I made my own- and you know if I can do it, then it’s GOT to be easy!! ? I used plastic “egg crate” light diffuser (easily purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s etc). I just cut it down to size with my husband’s heavy duty wire snips. When I had pieces cut to the right size to make a “cage” for the heater, I just put the heater inside and tied the pieces together with plastic cable ties. It ain’t pretty, but it works! ?
 

Moozillion

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As to how to navigate the forum, I’m probably not the best person to help you there- I’m a bit of a Neanderthal.? I just got on the forum s bunch and clicked different buttons to see what happened. ??‍♀️
 

GaryTurtle

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I made my own- and you know if I can do it, then it’s GOT to be easy!! ? I used plastic “egg crate” light diffuser (easily purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s etc). I just cut it down to size with my husband’s heavy duty wire snips. When I had pieces cut to the right size to make a “cage” for the heater, I just put the heater inside and tied the pieces together with plastic cable ties. It ain’t pretty, but it works! ?
Thanks for the help again. Can you let me see a couple of pictures please
 

GaryTurtle

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Location (City and/or State)
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I made my own- and you know if I can do it, then it’s GOT to be easy!! ? I used plastic “egg crate” light diffuser (easily purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s etc). I just cut it down to size with my husband’s heavy duty wire snips. When I had pieces cut to the right size to make a “cage” for the heater, I just put the heater inside and tied the pieces together with plastic cable ties. It ain’t pretty, but it works! ?
I read your message over and over. I think I may be able to figure it out. The egg crate part was throwing me off. I finally realized what that is. Thanks again
 

Moozillion

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I read your message over and over. I think I may be able to figure it out. The egg crate part was throwing me off. I finally realized what that is. Thanks again
Did my photos not come through???
 

Moozillion

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DANG!!! I just took a look: I sent 4 photos, and although they showed up when I posted them, I can't seem them anywhere now.:oops: Weird. I don't know what happened...?‍♀️
 

Moozillion

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This is the end where the cord goes in.
I think this view is the best to show the overall shape of my heater guard. BUT I make mine like this because my tank is SO SHALLOW- the top of the heater guard is often out of the water, but the heater stays down on the "floor" of the guard.

It ain't pretty, but it works just fine for me! I hope this helps! :)

tempImageeW5QoM.png
 

GaryTurtle

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Location (City and/or State)
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This is the end where the cord goes in.
I think this view is the best to show the overall shape of my heater guard. BUT I make mine like this because my tank is SO SHALLOW- the top of the heater guard is often out of the water, but the heater stays down on the "floor" of the guard.

It ain't pretty, but it works just fine for me! I hope this helps! :)

View attachment 316382
Thank you for helping me. As usual I have more questions, I hope you don't mind.

Do you have yours vertical? I have very little water in my aquarium as well, just enough for Gary to stick part of his head and his nose out.
I had to put my heater horizontally in order to get it fully submerged. I wish I could place it vertically, l have more space.

I bought the egg crate yesterday. I'm wondering if your turtle checked yours out.
Gary has to inspect anything new or objects I've rearranged. The squares look big enough for him to get part of his head in, as well as a foot. Have you had any issues like that?
 

Moozillion

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I have mine situated horizontally- even in my other tank that has deeper water. It works fine. I watched a video from Aquarium Co-op on YouTube that recommends mounting your heater either horizontally or at an angle ROUTINELY.
Their reasoning is this. The more a heater cycles on and off, the sooner it will wear out or malfunction. When it's mounted vertically, the warm water immediately around the heater rises and the temperature sensor, which is in the head or the top of the heater, senses the heat and so cycles off. The water around it cools a bit, so it cycles back on again, etc etc etc. But if the heater is mounted horizontally or at an angle, MORE of the water is heated before there is sufficient heat in the tank for the sensor to cycle off. The idea is that a vertically mounted heater cycles on and off a lot more often than a horizontally or angle mounted heater, so it will wear out sooner; the horizontally or angle-mounted heaters will last longer.
I'm no expert, but that logic makes sense to me. So all mine are mounted horizontally.

Yes, Millie checked out her heaters both before and after I put the guards on them. The gaps in the egg crate are much too small for her to get her head or foot into. If your musk turtle is an adult, then there should be no problem; Millie is 4 inches long. Gary sounds like a curious little guy- kinda like my Millie is! that's part of what makes them fun. :)

I hope this helps! And don't apologize for asking questions!!!! Wanting to learn is a GOOD thing!!!!!!! :)
 
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