# A bit of research - heater cable poll



## Jeremy (23 Feb 2008)

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to ascertain what percentage of planted tank enthusiasts use heating cables.

Please answer the poll below.

Thanks in advance,

Jeremy.


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## Dan Crawford (23 Feb 2008)

I doubt you'll get many yes's mate! 

This is the new school baby! LOL


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## JamesC (23 Feb 2008)

A big NO from me

James


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## StevenA (23 Feb 2008)

Absolutely no way i will ever use heating cables :!:


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## Joecoral (24 Feb 2008)

never have, and never will


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## Martin (24 Feb 2008)

I bought one of my tanks on ebay and a heater cable was thrown in as part of the sale. To this day I have never used it, never saw the benefit in using it, and it's just another cable uglying up the tank! so my answer is nay.


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## TDI-line (24 Feb 2008)

Hi Jeremey, 

i am in the minority here, i am using 2 x 75W Dennerle Bodenfluter cables rigged upto a Duomat Evolution D/L. I bought all this gear a year before finding this site. 

Not being an expert (like yourself  ), i can only notice root growth is very fast, but it is early days yet with my tank.

http://www.dennerle.de/en/HG09UG02.htm

http://www.dennerle.de/en/HG09UG01.htm

There is also a layer off Deponit mix under the gravel.

http://www.dennerle.de/en/HG09UG03.htm


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## Dave Spencer (24 Feb 2008)

My first tank had a heater cable alongside a sand/laterite substrate, high light, CO2 and EI dosing. Plant growth was very quick and very healthy. Basically, there probably wasn`t anything I couldn`t grow.

During the summer, the tank temperature was getting quite high, especially with the T5 lights on, so I switched off  the cable heater. Seven months down the line, it hasn`t been switched back on and there has been no discernible change in plant growth that I have seen.

Since the rescape in January, I have taken the cable out, and will probably never use it again.

Dave.


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## vauxhallmark (24 Feb 2008)

Some of my tanks have them, some not. Depends on what substrate you're using - I wouldn't fancy using a soily/peat containing substrate like Dennerle's without a cable. The other consideration is the temperature of the room and the insulation at the bottom of the tank - I've had tanks in cold rooms that had noticably cold substrates (I could tell when I was replanting). I'm sure that can't be optimal for growth - soil heaters have been used in terrestrial horticulture for over 200 years, and I wouldn't want my plants to be growing in two widely differing temperature zones.

If you have a modern house with double glazing, insulation, and heating this won't be a problem. 

I had a small tank years ago that wasn't really being used so I set it up with soil/sand under gravel with a cable, tiny internal filter and (I think) just one tube for light. No CO2 or fertilisers. It grew like a mental thing, even plants that were supposed to be small had to be harvested weekly, and in the end I took it down cos it was so much work keeping up with the plant growth, and just put a fighter in it.

I wouldn't be worried about setting up a tank without a cable, but I don't understand the current 'hatred' of using them. Just a fashion I suppose - maybe next year Amano will start using large swordplants in his tanks again, and then the current batch of Cyperus, Pogostemon and Utricularia will all be composted and everyone will have to have the latest sword! (Actually it's more likely that he'll start using a plant we haven't heard of yet, or that hasn't been used for 50 years.) There are lots of fantastic tanks on this site (and others), but they are so fashion led - looking at any picture of a planted aquarium from the last fifteen years it's quite easy to date it to within a year or two - what about Amano's turquoise background years (thank god that never took off in a big way!).

There's plenty of options available in equipping, designing, planting and maintaining a tank, and I'm for it. Choice, freedom, creativity, patience, nurturing.

Enjoy all your tanks, and enjoy other people's - even if they have some different ideas from you! Nick the ideas you like, ignore the others!

Mark


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## sks (24 Feb 2008)

DId you say the word RESEARCH?

Generally people conduct research into issues/areas that they DON'T know about. It's about discovering the unknown, being a pioneer and going into uncharted territory.

Unfortunately the subject of this thread does not fall into the above category for the reason that the issue was resolved ages ago. If person A says that they can't grow plants well without heating cables, but person B has the same if not better result without heating cables then there is nothing to "research".      

Heating cables get in the way anyway, and why should I be shelling out 75 watts in extra electricity for some "placebo" effect. That 75 watts can be better spent on the filtration and extra lighting.


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## Dan Crawford (24 Feb 2008)

SKS - jeremy is doing research on whether or not people USE them, not why or how. Its as simple as that.


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## Themuleous (24 Feb 2008)

I never have.  I don't hate them and I wouldn't stop someone from using them, but I think the problem lies in that companies sell them as an 'essential' for a planted tank when its not the case at all.  I also prefer to spend my money on things that are guaranteed to make a difference to plant growth, like better lighting or a CO2 kit, etc.

Sam


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## sks (24 Feb 2008)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> SKS - jeremy is doing research on whether or not people USE them, not why or how. Its as simple as that.



That's my point: the one's that are using them should not, and that ones that aren't using them are doing the right thing.  

For my next project I'm going to take a survey of people in the general population who still think that the earth is flat. . . .


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## George Farmer (24 Feb 2008)

sks said:
			
		

> [
> For my next project I'm going to take a survey of people in the general population who still think that the earth is flat. . . .



You may well be surprised.


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## sks (24 Feb 2008)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> sks said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Indeed, I fully expect to be well surprised. But the point of the matter is that the result of such a survey is useless since the issue has been resolved.  

I remember the first time I heard about the term "placebo". In order to the test the effectiveness of a drug a group of people with said ailment were taken and split into 2 groups equal in number. One group were given the pills to be tested, and the other a dummy pills that did nothing but they were told it was the real thing. It's quite amusing that they have to do this, and are still doing this . .


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## George Farmer (24 Feb 2008)

sks said:
			
		

> But the point of the matter is that the result of such a survey is useless since the issue has been resolved.



Please refrain from being so aggressive in your posts.  Referring to Jeremy's poll results as "useless" is frankly quite offensive.


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## nickyc (24 Feb 2008)

I agree


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## edwardo (31 Jul 2008)

I thought they were supposed to create a gentle current of nutrient flow through the substrate.

Personally, my tank is sitting on an electric blanket thing and its has served it well for the past 6 years.
(OK, I'm doing a refresh right now, hence my stumbling into this forum).


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## TDI-line (1 Aug 2008)

Hey, can i change my answer to NO please.

Removed mine when the subsrate when anerobic, removed all deponit mix and gravel, and 2 heating cables, and exchanged for ADA aqua soil.


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## altaaffe (2 Aug 2008)

I started with one  but it has remained off in the last couple of months, I won't use them anymore as I really don't see any difference.


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## John Starkey (3 Aug 2008)

Hi Jer,mine is a no,when i started out in the planted side i was readily informed by the good guys on here not to bother and my plants grow really well,regards john.


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## altaaffe (3 Aug 2008)

*Re:*



			
				sks said:
			
		

> For my next project I'm going to take a survey of people in the general population who still think that the earth is flat. . . .



... you mean it's not ??


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## nrwatson (12 Aug 2008)

I do


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## Wolfenrook (12 Aug 2008)

Another big no here.  On exactly the same tank as I have now I ran a heater cable for about 3 years until it broke and blew all of the house fuses.  Never bothered to replace it and to be quite honest (prior to the lighting upgrade and pressurised CO2 addition) I noticed absolutely no difference in growth rates, nor any anaerobic areas forming in my substrate.  This was a good 5 years ago as well, with the exact same home made substrate.  I'd rather spend the money on good ferts or CO2 than on a useless heating cable.  All they do is act like a normal but lower powered aquarium heater, and if you don't link them to a thermostat can cause real overheating problems on hot days.  More trouble than they are worth, and of absolutely no benefit either to plant growth or to the prevention of anaerobic pockets in a substrate (which in a well planted tank never get a chance to form anyway).

Ade


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## garyvp (29 Sep 2008)

I used the Ehiem heater cable in my 90 g. and after the first year it stopped working. I just ignored it ( I did not want to take the tank down). I went  about 10 years without it and the plants did just fine. When I did take took the tank down I found the break - not caused by trauma, either.. I would never use it again.

Gary


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## Fred Dulley (29 Sep 2008)

I do not. Not worth the money and you don't get any better results when using them. I right pain when re-scaping the tank as roots can in-tangle around the cable.


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## amy4342 (29 Sep 2008)

Mine's a no aswell. I nearly bought one - was going to go with the full Dennerle setup where you have to use the heater cable with the deponit mix, but found this website just in time!   . On another note, I find it annoying that some company's advertise a heating cable as an essential piece of equipment, when it's definately not.


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## LondonDragon (29 Sep 2008)

Also have one in my tank that I installed about 2 and a half years ago at the recomendation of the LFS, it stopped working about a year later and its still there burried in the gravel, pops up once in a while when I take plants out. Maybe they don't do a lot of benefits but don't see them causing any harm either  and the flow of the heated water through the gravel could be beneficial for the bacteria within it for filtration purposes rather than plant wise.


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## George Farmer (29 Sep 2008)

Tom Barr's reply to Robert Hudson is interesting on this subject....

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/forum/e ... #post11920


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## Fred Dulley (29 Sep 2008)

Thanks for sharing, George.
Was a brilliant read, Tom knows his stuff.


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## George Farmer (29 Sep 2008)

I've tidied up the end of this thread as some of the posts _may_ be interpreted as offensive.


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## ukco2guy (9 Aug 2010)

I`ve never used them and i`m about to start another tank so looking over that report and the general response on this thread i think i`ll give it a miss. 

Walking into a LFS here in Swindon last week the guys in there were besotted with them and made all kinds of threatening comments that nothing would flourish or grow without one. They also condemed EI dosing suggesting it forms a more complicated balance with nutrients (oh if only Clive was there at the time)!. After 5 minutes of that i grabbed a couple of pots of HC cuba and walked out. I know we all have different opinions because different solutions work better in different environments but their was no need to try and commercially push products so hard surely!

Cheers,


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