Fish tank heater

G

GTurner

Member
A person on this site told me about using a fish tank heater to help in heating my lye bath. Is there a brand or type of heater that is better than the others? Since it will have items that can possibly break the glass, cast iron, I wouldn't want to purchase one that isn't going to hold up.

Also, will the lye cause any problems to the electrical wires?

I have a 10 gallon bath in a 19 gallon tub.
 
You'll want a submersible model. Hang on types require a minimum immersion level in order for the thermostat to function properly. Submersibles do as well, but since they are usually completely submerged it's not an issue. I would still recommend keeping the rubber top part out of the lye solution as it may, over time, become brittle and cause the seal to fail. This would of course require a vertical install, meaning your bath would have to be deep enough for the end of the heater tube to clear the bottom of the tank. You don't want the tip with the heating element in contact with anything but liquid, as it may cause shattering.
 
They can be mounted horizontal or any angle totally submerged, but the mounting is normally suction cups to glass, probably not going to work too well on plastic. I wouldn't want the tip touching anything.
 
Okay, thanks. I'll try to figure out how I might be able to mount out since it is on plastic. I might use a super glue on the sides, hoping it won't melt through.
 
i bought 2 from Amazon a while back I'll have to see if I can see what model numbers they are when I get home I just let them dangle in the lye tank and they were completely submerged I use them for a couple months in a row and never had any issues with the lye eating the rubber.
 
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