Heater Touching Gravel-Okay or Not?

Big Vine

Elite Fish
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
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Florida
#1
I'm using a heater in my 6.6 gallon tank, and the very bottom of the heater is buried in the gravel by about 1/4 of an inch.

Is this a recipe for disaster?

I could "hollow out" an area of gravel around the bottom of the heater, but then it would look kinda dumb. I can't position the heater any other way---it is in the only spot in the hood that will allow it to fit.

Is it okay that the bottom of it is somewhat buried in the gravel?

Big Vine
 

lordroad

Large Fish
Sep 2, 2004
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43
Shelby, NC
www.joshday.com
#2
I've had heaters touch plastic plants with no problems, but I don't know about gravel... Could you position the heater diagonally if it's fully submergable? A lot of people do this anyway cause it's more condusive for heat exchange.

The bottom is the heating element on most heaters and this may not be good longterm.
 

Big Vine

Elite Fish
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
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47
Florida
#3
Thanks for the input lordroad. I don't think it's fully submersible, so I'll probably just hollow out the gravel surrounding the bottom of the heater. It'll be very close to the bottom of the tank, but it won't be touching it.

I don't wanna take any chances. It was an expensive heater, and I'd hate to see it damaged.

I'll just stick an ornament or something in front of it to hide the big crevice that this creates.

Big Vine
 

Mar 14, 2006
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#5
While nothing might happen, the risks you take are your cray bumping it and forcing the stone to cut the glass. You are also heating the surrounding gravel more b/c the heating element is at the bottom. Most people will angle their heaters...the other option could be a small peive of pvc...that way you don't have to make a BIG crevice around the heater, just allow water to flow by/around it. Kinda a Tube around the Tube, but only in the gravel so it's hidden.
 

Big Vine

Elite Fish
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
0
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Florida
#6
Thanks guys.

jasnfeller said:
the other option could be a small peive of pvc...that way you don't have to make a BIG crevice around the heater, just allow water to flow by/around it. Kinda a Tube around the Tube, but only in the gravel so it's hidden.
Sounds like a great idea. Maybe I'll try that or just cover it up some other way. I will definitely keep it off of the gravel though. Oh...and I've decided not to put a cray in there.

Big Vine