# Undergravel Heating Cable?



## azn1stknightsou (Aug 25, 2005)

How many of you guys use undergravel heaters? Is there a discernable difference? What is the cost one should expect?


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## CaysE (May 21, 2006)

For the cable and controller, it's above $100 easily. How big is the tank you'd use it for?

http://www.hydor.it/index_en.htm look under Heaters -> Hydrokable


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

There have been NO studies to prove that they help planted tanks. Most think they are a waste of money.


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## azn1stknightsou (Aug 25, 2005)

My tanks 45 gallon hex. Bit of an odd shape for a planted tank, but I wanted to challenge myself.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Undergravel heating cables are a complete waste of effort, time and money.


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

Ive read a couple accounts of people saying they helped, but only thinked they helped by a very small a mount. All of these people stressed that the benefits were not worth the cost/hassle though.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2006)

is everyone saying that they don't work well to heat a tank, or just that they have no qualities better than a standard submersable heater and therefore are not worth the extra cost?


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## azn1stknightsou (Aug 25, 2005)

Well the heaters are not meant to heat the entire tank, it is only used to create a slight convection current in the substrate in order to stimulate plant growth. As far as I know, one is not supposed to use regular submersable heaters in the substrate.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Correct. They are not used to heat the tank, just the substrate. There still has been no noticeable differences between heated and non heated substrates.


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## PaulInKingston (Dec 4, 2005)

Put the extra money into fish or a filter, don't bother with it.


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## azn1stknightsou (Aug 25, 2005)

Thanks for you advice guys. You just saved me about $120.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

azn1stknightsou said:


> Thanks for you advice guys. You just saved me about $120.


now go spend it on CO2


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## azn1stknightsou (Aug 25, 2005)

Already purchased a 5lb CO2 tank with reg. Now I can put the extra money into plants.


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