Here is my review of the True Temp 1000w heater that I just bought. I am not associated with JBJ, paid the full retail price, and do not make anything from this review. Please note that the views and opinions expressed are solely those of Harry Singer.
Details:
Price:
$184.99 (Amazon)
Packaging:
The packaging of this heater was amazing- almost overkill. Every component is separately wrapped in bubble wrap and put into the box perfectly. The box seems to be a laminated cardboard- very strong and nice looking.
Instructions:
The instructions to this heater are pretty basic, but cover everything and provide a lot of advice regarding installation, maintenance, and how to use it.
Physical Quality:
The controller seems to be very water resistant- it has some sort of rubbery covering that makes it not only easy to hold, but will also definitely protect the controller from any water damage. The heater itself is titanium- strong and nontoxic- and is covered in a strong plastic shell to protect it from directly contacting fish and other materials. The wiring of the included heater is very thick, and will definitely not tear or become damaged from normal usage. In addition, the temperature controller is also strong, and all the included magnets are covered in a protective plastic shell.
Installation:
After unwrapping everything, I decided to go with the in sump approach. The True Temp Heater includes awesome magnets to hold the heater wherever one desires, as well as the temperature probe. No more suction cups! After connecting the probe and heater to the controller and mounting it on the edge of the sump (It has a rubber- ended clip), you can immediately get to setting up the probe/heater.
I chose to install the heater in my sump, which has a lot of extra space. It lies under water, held about two inches above the bottom via three high strength magnets. Following the instruction manual's advice, I attached the probe (Magnetically) right near the water input to accurately measure the temperature of the tank rather than the sump.
Final setup/ Initial Programming:
Once it is all connected and the heater in the sump, you can connect the power.
It immediately displays the current temperature, which was right on the dot. I use two mercury thermometers in the tank, and the controller did NOT need to be programmed. I would like to mention that if there is an "off" factory calibration, the manual includes instructions for calibrating the probe/controller. The controller constantly displays the temperature in large red block numbers, which I like but some (who have the controller visible) may get irritated with. To change the temperature, one just holds down the "Up" button until the temperature flashes, and you can use the "Up" or "Down" buttons to set the temperature.
First Week's Performance:
In my 300 gallon aquarium (Closer to 350 gallons including sump), the heater was definitely strong enough. I brought the temperature to 78* (From 74*) over a time frame of four days by giving it an "Up" click every night. The True Temp 1000w heater does not struggle at all with this, and I am sure it can raise the temperature faster if one desires. I had fish in the aquarium in discussion, so did not want to stress them with a quick temperature change.
Here are some of the Pros and Cons I have come up with.
Pros:
Cons:
I hope you find this review helpful, and feel free to ask any questions!
Details:
- Digital Heater Controller - accurate and precise to +/- 0.5° F
- Titatium Heater with Safety Guard
- Remote Temperature Probe - remote quick disconnect temperature probe can be placed up to 5 Ft away from the heating element for a comprehensive temperature measurement of the total volume of water.
- Smart Memory Chip - to reset your temperature settings after a power failure
Price:
$184.99 (Amazon)
Packaging:
The packaging of this heater was amazing- almost overkill. Every component is separately wrapped in bubble wrap and put into the box perfectly. The box seems to be a laminated cardboard- very strong and nice looking.
Instructions:
The instructions to this heater are pretty basic, but cover everything and provide a lot of advice regarding installation, maintenance, and how to use it.
Physical Quality:
The controller seems to be very water resistant- it has some sort of rubbery covering that makes it not only easy to hold, but will also definitely protect the controller from any water damage. The heater itself is titanium- strong and nontoxic- and is covered in a strong plastic shell to protect it from directly contacting fish and other materials. The wiring of the included heater is very thick, and will definitely not tear or become damaged from normal usage. In addition, the temperature controller is also strong, and all the included magnets are covered in a protective plastic shell.
Installation:
After unwrapping everything, I decided to go with the in sump approach. The True Temp Heater includes awesome magnets to hold the heater wherever one desires, as well as the temperature probe. No more suction cups! After connecting the probe and heater to the controller and mounting it on the edge of the sump (It has a rubber- ended clip), you can immediately get to setting up the probe/heater.
I chose to install the heater in my sump, which has a lot of extra space. It lies under water, held about two inches above the bottom via three high strength magnets. Following the instruction manual's advice, I attached the probe (Magnetically) right near the water input to accurately measure the temperature of the tank rather than the sump.
Final setup/ Initial Programming:
Once it is all connected and the heater in the sump, you can connect the power.
It immediately displays the current temperature, which was right on the dot. I use two mercury thermometers in the tank, and the controller did NOT need to be programmed. I would like to mention that if there is an "off" factory calibration, the manual includes instructions for calibrating the probe/controller. The controller constantly displays the temperature in large red block numbers, which I like but some (who have the controller visible) may get irritated with. To change the temperature, one just holds down the "Up" button until the temperature flashes, and you can use the "Up" or "Down" buttons to set the temperature.
First Week's Performance:
In my 300 gallon aquarium (Closer to 350 gallons including sump), the heater was definitely strong enough. I brought the temperature to 78* (From 74*) over a time frame of four days by giving it an "Up" click every night. The True Temp 1000w heater does not struggle at all with this, and I am sure it can raise the temperature faster if one desires. I had fish in the aquarium in discussion, so did not want to stress them with a quick temperature change.
Here are some of the Pros and Cons I have come up with.
Pros:
- High quality, with great instructions, materials, etc.
- Fair pricing (Same or cheaper than most other suitable heaters)
- Accuracy is spot on- I do not doubt the +-.5* they state
- "Smart" controller that will not burn out the heater if it is out of water.
- Easy programming, very intuitive.
- Large display for those who struggle with tiny controllers/heaters.
- Upgradable by purchasing additional heater units (Without buying heater/probe)
- Addition port for the attachment of a redundant temperature probe
- Memory stores even when power goes out
- Magnets (For installation) included, a big plus over the older suction cups
Cons:
- Cannot shut off controller display- may be remedied with tape.
I hope you find this review helpful, and feel free to ask any questions!
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