Any thoughts on the use of substrate heating cables? Pros and cons? I tried one, but really wasn't able to determine it's effectivity. My plant growth was zit- I wasn't using Tom's methods- and really wasn't able to give it a fair evaluation.

I think they woud be great if you had a small tank, or an overabundance of cash. I dont think I could ever get past the exorbitant price however. I would likely go with a hydor inline or two instead.

I don't think anyone has determined their effectiveness. If the cost was little then it would be worth a try. But as a good set-up is quite expensive...........Spend your money on more effective tank issues.

Ian

Jonathan:

Well… I fell for the heating cable thing a few years back. I seriously doubt I would consider doing it again.
For me, the perceived benefits just don’t outweigh the headaches. First off, the cable manufacturer stated to “take note of the cable placement because this will be the last time you get to see them” (presuming you bury them with gravel). What a bunch of hooie!

Imagine what will happen when it’s time to up-root an Amazon Sword plant or some other similar rooted plant. Regardless of how carefully I remove plants I find (no big surprise here) that the roots have grown around the cables, so the cables come up along with the plants. Even an aggressive vacuum job can bring up the cables. I get an opportunity to see my bright orange cables each and every weekend! A real thrill, especially since they’re very difficult to re-bury. Once the suction cup cable fasteners come loose under the gravel there is little chance re-fastening them, and the problems begin.

My last observation (complaint) in using heating cables centers on the additional equipment added to the tank. For whatever reason, should you care to remove all equipment from the tank, you are stuck with having to leave the cables in place. The alternative being undergoing a major (at least for me) project to remove the cables, which will wreak havoc with plants, gravel, and fish... My Plant growth has changed little since I added the cables, and my population of MTS has seriously declined. (The snails may have suffered some other mysterious malady)

For an example, I had pretty much eradicated a BBA out-break with the exception of the power cord leading down to the heating cables. The power cable was covered with algae. I would have been nice if I could have removed the cable and cleaned off the last bit of BBA in my tank….bummer.

I feel my hard earned greenbacks could have gone to a better cause.

If I had it to do over, I would at least glue the cables to the tank bottom.

Peter

I had read on another forum, the idea of putting the cables on the underside of the tank.. on the bottom of the bottom glass. Someone else had the idea of trying to use a waterbed heater on a large tank... I thought that was pretty brilliant... Maybe sandwich it between the bottom of the tank, & another piece of glass for added fire safety.

Those reptile heating pads had the same idea.

Nothing novel certainly, folks have been doing it for many years.

Heating cables are not bad for heat distribution, which was the main reason I felt they were useful way back when, prior to using them for planted tanks.

You can search my comments off the APD from year's past.
I have done my part to save folk's $ and see the cable go the way of the dodo. They are not bad per se, but they do not work according to the maker's claims, and they cannot support these claims other than with "the tank's long term stability is improved" beliefs.
If the effect is that subtle, is it really an effect?
How can you suggest it is significant without a control?
Is the control really a control?

More often it is not.

I'd never suggest anyone to use one.
Yes, I've used them for 10 years, had 7 of the god forksaken things.

Regards,
Tom Barr









Regards,
Tom Barr

too many tanks out there doing just fine with out cables. just another gimmick. i'm finding that working at getting the right amount of co2 and a little fertilizer is doing it for me. we have to keep this hobby simple or we are going to scare all the nubby's away. we should spend that money on good substrate like flourite,onyx, and ec , then you SEE results. regards, cornhusker

Overall, I was not pleased by its performance. However, until you experiment with something, you never really know. Would anyone like some cable heaters at a good price? Tom, you sure you don't need another one?

I sold off my last Dupla set back in 1997 to some chump that still thought they were the cat's meow.


Regards,
Tom Barr

sure wish i had read this thread a month ago.