Hey, has BRS thought about redoing the begginers saltwater series, Ryan wasn't energetic back then making it a bit boring to watch, also its almost been a decade since that series was first uploaded and I think that some of the stuff might be a bit outdated or could go more into depth. Btw your love videos ❤.
My tip for heaters, don't be afraid to have 2 heaters each at over half what you need. If one sticks on, it will not overheat your tank. If one fails, you'll still be heating the tank so cooling will be slower. Add an additional thermostat of some kind and you have time to notice. Also find it easier to fit heaters in the tank as they are smaller. Seems that would be ideal with the BRS controller. Is that the case?
I nominate this as the best post. Not only does this post address an issue it recommends a solution. Kudos to you David Geller for not being a naysayer or hater but actually providing constructive feedback.
This was the reason why people moved to solid state in the first place: with MH people were afraid their switches would get "welded on" (literally) due to the arching when turning on over power drawn. As a result they moved to solid state when they became safer. The Apex Classic has mechanical relays for the low-amp stuff, and solid state everywhere else. For a heater, I really do not understand why solid state were not used in a new design.
The BRS titanium heater inkbird combo is by far the best heater I've ever used on my reef tank. I've used ehiems for 10 years and I'm never going back to glass
I just feel compelled to comment, especially in light of some reactions being all over the place. First off, these videos are produced through BRS' lens and their is nothing wrong with that. Their entitled to their opinion and they have opinions about heaters, obviously. That shows in the fact that they took a risk and pushed the envelope to provide a heating system they felt would meet specific needs. Second, kudos to them for choosing to "innovate" through simplicity. They didn't overthink it and I appreciate that they came out with something that they were trying to fit into a targeted price point, which I have to say is a success. They really didn't do bad considering this is their first swing at it. Given what we have seen from them, I'm sure in time they will look to figure out how they can include a wireless option and still stay in the sweet spot on the price point and also throw in a 50w option. Good sales will definitely help that. In the spectrum of good, better, best, I think they nailed it in terms of what they set out to do, and it shows. Everybody is going to use the heater they feel works the best until.............. it doesn't. The two questions I have are will there be any realized cost savings over time based on performance and the ability to replace individual "parts" of the system as needed? Will this force competitors to reevaluate the niche they play in this space and make some changes? Time will tell. Some will call this thinking outside the box. I'd say it is square in the middle of the box with some common sense applied. My hat's off to BRS with a job well done! Keep pushing the envelope, taking risks, and not just settling for the status quo. That kind of leadership will cause the others to follow suit!
@@Sativa098 Like I said "innovation" through simplicity. Innovation isn't always just a new product. Sometimes it's just a new way of doing something. What I find really amazing is the fact that someone else hasn't already done this. Time will tell if this works out well for them. They entered into this space by doing the things they do well, which in actuality is thinking like a hobbyist. Not creating another product that doesn't add any real value. Just my humble opinion, but I could be wrong and sales fall flat and in two years or less BRS will pull out of the heater game. Always a possibility, which is why this is still a risk. That's just the way business goes sometimes.
Here's my blueprint for the BRS 'Platinum' version: independent heater control, independent precision, backup emergency relay, adjustable over temp alarm. The differential setting is already a huge improvement!
nietrelevant I was even think a SSR into a mechanical with the mechanical controlled by a separate temp range that is much wider so it doesn’t turn off very often but prevents a failed ssr from nuking the tank.
Solid state usually can’t handle high wattage. Can probably do 50W easy with solid state but higher wattage causes electron tunneling and other types of heating problems that are easier to solve using solenoid and contacters
You know. When a company tells me to throw a product away and buy a new one every year, even if it’s still working, I tend to roll my eyes. This is not one of those instances. Solid advice. I’ve been replacing my heater every year just to be safe. And it hardly ever turns on
Hi, first of all I would like to say that I love your videos. They are always a great source of information and really entertaining. I like to add that your 2020 which list can be fulfilled right now by using the Inkbird ITC-306A controller. (The BRS controller looks like an Inkbird too) It has redundant relais, redundant temperature probs, it is WiFi enabled and you get measuring and alarms on you smart phone. Plus full control via your smart phone. Combined with two Schego titanium heaters, each half the size your tank needs, I would say the setup is as safe as it can be. Thanks
U guy's are killing it love the heater I will be ordering some soon. I have been putting off replacing my heaters for to long waiting for a really reliable heater controller combo. I have a apex but don't use it as a primary controller and the plastic arrow dosen't inspir confidence for redundancy. Thanks for a proper option u guys are great.
I have been using a schego for the last 2 years in the UK. Awesome piece of kit and allows for very srable temperature settings. Good luck with the BRS branded version 👍
You guys keep making my wish list grow. Going to have to pick up a BRS heater here soon. It's cold where I live and only getting colder. I'm due for a new heater.
I really like the Ti element and the improved temp range of the brs branded inkbird is a huge plus, I also like the dual heat plug. I will say that there are times when I use the cooling output on my old inkbirds and I've also noticed a new inkbird model that has wifi connectivity and dual temp probes, some features to consitter if you update the brs controler.
That heater looks really nice. Good job BRS! Well designed. :) I'm probably in the minority but I still prefer glass/plastic. It's simple ignorance on my part. I simply don't know what effect, if any, the titanium dioxide might have on the inhabitants. I know tons of people run them without any problems reported to date, but I know for sure that glass is inert so I've stuck with it. A heating element sealed in a monolithic plastic that could plug into the same controller you designed would be great.
My biggest complaint with previous heaters wasn't simply that they fail or were inaccurate, the biggest problem is that they can fail on and cook your tank. Failing safe is the most important thing.
Not long ago you reviewed best lights, and I mentioned how it would be great if BRS just made a light. You said "While we know how to use them, we're not lighting manufacturing experts. For now, we'll leave that to the pros." I'm sure you weren't the experts in heaters, but here we are. Is this the beginning of what's to be seen? If so, I'm in! Can't wait to see BRS lights :D
I agree 100%. I love the transparency of these guys and how their passion keeps impacting the hobby in a positive way. More economical, reliable equipment and information make the barrier to entry for our hobby much easier for many others to share it with.
The big difference here is that heater were so unreliable and nobody was bringing a good option to the US market. This is one of those cases where we saw a hole in the US aquarium industry and decided to fill it ourselves with the new heater. Overall, there are a few changes that could be made to the current lighting offerings, but between all of the different options, they hit most reefers' needs.
@@BRStv I mostly agree, but I think most people agree the cost of lighting is out of hand. There's a also lack of good lighting choices for tanks smaller than 20g (seriously, why can't I buy a 12" T5 hybrid?!). You guys are going to change the heating landscape with your cost effective heaters. Other competitors will have to drop prices or copy your offerings if they want to compete for your slice of pie. The same would happen if you guys put out a light. You guys are honest folks and love the reefing community more than most other vendors out there. Time will tell I suppose.
I love how BRS is setting the standard for reef keeping. Keep up the awesome work and videos. Just purchased the 300 watt heater. What do you have next in mind?
That's awesome Brandon! Thanks for the support, and kind words! I don't have a teaser for anything else as these generally take time, but we will continue to work to find the best solutions to making reefing fun, and easy!
Cobalt 300w heater has held 78.6 steady, through winter and summer.... now pushing 3 years old. Though every purchase is not the same and your use may vary. Cobalt heater gets my vote for Best in Show.
@@paulgreiner2243 The best thing they said in the video is that all heaters are going to fail and are unreliable. But like with any electronics we buy some are going to be great while others of the same product are going to be crap.
I bought from you guys when I grabbed my mixing tub heater. You guys carry more wattage variety over Marine Depot. Love that you have your own heaters. Would love if you made your own overflows too.
The biggest issue with the 300 watt Eheim heater... it's so flipping big! I don't have a direction in my sump where it can sit nicely because it's longer than my sump is wide, and it's also longer than the largest chamber in my sump, which means hanging it at some odd angle and that just looks... well bleh.
You're right, we are no longer selling the ITC-308SA InkBird model. There is no secret that we've partnered with InkBird on the BRS heater controller. It's very similar to the old 308SA model, but has two heater plugs instead of one for heater and one for chiller. It also has a 0.3 degree swing instead of a whole degree temp swing. On top of that, we warranty the BRS heater controller directly, so no need to go through InkBird. Long story short, it isn't just a sticker change 🙂
In terms of “wish there was one with an app to notify you”, Inkbird has the app. It actually works with the inkbird model that is being used by BRS for their branded heater.
DD make a temperature controller avaliable in the UK with two outlets but one is for a heater, and the other is for a chiller/cooling fans. It also has an adjustable alarm and you can adjust the heater/chiller on/off temperature difference from +/- 0.3-2.0 degrees Celcius from your target temperature. I think that'd be something you should upgrade to in the future especially since the US where chillers are more commonplace than the UK.
amazing heater i would suggest for the next version to have a high limit switch built into the heater its sell !! also if you could make the the temp prob on the heater controls to have a screw type connector versus the head phone jack !! BUT WOW that is amazing !
Sorry I hadn't replied sooner, I had some medical problems sidetracked me then forgot! Anyway I bought mine five or six years ago and the directions aren't very clear, besides that I'm terrible with tech stuff! If I buy another one I'm going to ask BRS if I give them a little extra would they preprogram it. You should of seen the trouble I had setting up my gyre controller! I'm actually going to clean the gyre for the first time tomorrow, wish me luck!
BRS love that you are doing this! What was the rust color at the bottom at 7:28? Looked like something more happening than just a weld spot. Hard to see. Is there a potential of rust over time? One reason I choose the glass like eheim is for this reason compared to other heaters. Is there any possibility of any metal traces starting from this type of heater or a by product like rust to start over time in the salt water column using this BRS heater?
The bottom of the heater is no doubt discolored by the manufacturing process. That said, we've had a number of these heaters in testing for many months now with no further discoloration on the bottom. With the track record of these heaters in the European market, I think it's safe to say that there are zero issues with anything leaching into the water column over time.
Not a whole lot has changed in the world of aquarium heaters since this video was released. One of the bigger changes from our side of things is that the BRS heating elements no longer come with BRS branded controllers. Rather, we now use the dual relay and dual temp probe WiFi Inkbird controllers.
They make that same controller with WiFi and redundancy built into to it. It has two relay for disengaging the heater if it gets stuck on along with two temperature sensors so if one goes out more that 5 degrees than the other one lets you know there is a problem with Either one of the sensors. It’s made by Inkbird it’s on Amazon I have one works great just thought I would share that info
for my 15 gallon nano should i get the BRS 100 watt titanium heater or the finnex 300 watt heater ? deff going with the wifi controller for whichever i choose
Hey guys, love your work, research and videos. Have you guys considered doing a "Best doser of 2019?" I'd be interested to see what's out there and what compares to Neptune's DOS units.
Hey guys watch your videos love them I am just getting back in to the reefing world not had a tank for far to long so have been getting my fix with watching your videos I have a quick question do yous have a UK version of these heaters as the plugs and Watts are a bit different here many thanks for your time and videos
The cobalt is a disaster waiting to happen. I had 1 fail cold, and Cobalt replaced it. The replacement failed on! Luckily I have the heater positioned high up in my all in one so I saw the light on solid red. Now I use 2 Jagers I feel confident they won’t fail on and the other jager set to come on if the first one fails off.
I have a 100 gallon rubber stock tank with 4 baby koi located in my basement. They're too young to over winter without being fed, i need to add a heater to keep it around 68-70 degrees. My basement right now is around 60-65 degrees kinda chilly but they are still eating, anything below 50 i cant feed them. In the dead of winter, my basement drops down to 40. Which is too cold, they wont eat at that temp and being so young they wont make it without eating, not enough fat on them. Can you suggest which one of your heaters will work for me please???? Ty ty ty :)
Would the 300w one keep it around 70 degrees? Im afraid to buy the 600 watt, would that be too much power for the thermostat to control with only 100 gallons? I need help lol
Unfortunately a 300w heater won't be able to increase 100 gallons of water by 30 degrees over ambient temps. If 600w is the max that your heater controller will control, that would be a better option. Just know that the heaters will be on quite often with a 40 degree ambient room temperature and use up a lot of electricity as a result.
@@BRStv oh boy... any idea of how much it would up the bill? Even a ballpark estimate would help immensely. In my basement it wont get as cold as fast if they were in a pond outside. My 4 koi are about 4-5 inches long. Do you think they could overwinter this young? My only other option is a 50 gallon tank that i can set up in my den, wouldn't need a heater if it was there, but 4 baby koi and 1 shabunkin in 50 gallons would definitelyyyyy be pushing it. Any advice? Ty
The old BRS heater controller has been discontinued since this video was posted. The InkBird wifi heater controller is a great budget friendly option to add some redundancy to your setup.
100w is a pretty common size for tanks up to 40 gallons and would work great on a 10-20 gallon nano as well. Don't get us wrong, they aren't the smallest heaters, but that beefy build quality is by design.
The nice thing about the BRS heating element/InkBird controller combo is that you can replace the heater controller or element independently. Usually when a failure happens, it's with a heater's control system rather than the element itself. We think this is a great feature to have them available separately.
Good god, did I just watch a late night infomercial? I was with you till you said relays last a year. If that's the case then my fridge needs to be replaced every year as well. I could see the heating core failing in a year, but not the switch. This was appealing to have a control to last year(S the s needs to be included) that I could plug multiple cores into, so that if one core failed, the second would kick on. Giving me time to replace the first while still providing heat. Doesn't seem that's the case if my controller is the weak link in this system.
Hey BRS, I really enjoy the reviews you have done over the years so just wanted to say thank you for your help! Also I wanted to ask if you would think or recommend these heaters for turtle tanks as well? I have a 50G tank that is normally filled about 1/3 of the way so whatever heater i get it has to work horizontally rather than vertically which is a challenge to find in cheap 20-30 heaters. I am very interested in your German titanium 200W heater because its more durable than any I have found for its price and my turtle Darrel can be a bit of a rough nut unlike his brother Macaroni. If you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it and if you do not I understand that fish and turtle tanks are significantly different. Thanks again!
We won't claim to be turtle experts, but as far as the heaters go, they can be mounted vertically or horizontally. Given that they're shorter than the average heater of the same wattage, they may work out perfectly for your setup! Just be sure that they don't run dry.
We're hoping to have more by the end of the year. Unfortunately, our supplier is having difficulty getting a hold of one of the parts that goes into the heater.
@@BRStv yea I have ran the titanium finnex for years and I always wondered that. In the reptile hobby(which im also in lol) everything is ran proportional thats what gave me the idea
We don't have a video, but if you're using Ink Bird’s ITC-306a wifi controller, you'll see an option for 'temperature correction' which is how you'll calibrate the controller if necessary.
We wanted reefers to be able to use two heaters for redundancy. Most of the feedback about the ITC-308SA InkBird was that the cooling plug was wasted space and the 1 degree temp swing was too large. So we fixed both issues 🙂
This is perfect timing as my queon pro heaters stopped working so I have been researching what to replace them with. I do use them with a ranco temperature controller. I do wonder if I could daisy chain the controllers, have the brs heaters plugged into the brs(inkbird) controller then have the brs temperature controller plugged into my ranco temperature controller. Which in turn would give me 2 fail safes, I'd have to set the temperature of the first controller (ranco) higher so that it won't disable power to the 2nd (brs) controller. I know some have done a similar method with an apex, maybe I should just cave in and picking up an apex or profilux controller...
So the BRS controller looks very similar to the Inkbird controller (maybe same company). But the question is that Inkbird has a WiFi version with app. Is there a BRS version with this feature?
I think a better option and cheaper is the inkbird and Eheim. The reason I think so is because you have a backup. The heater itself has a thermostat which is mechanical and the inkbird is a digital. If I bought the brs combo I have to rely solely on your controller since the actual heater has no thermostat. Not to mention the brs combo is more expensive then an Eheim and inkbird combo.
I love BRS but the heater controller gets not good reviews in 2020. Maybe more is needed to be sure the controller portion is up to the high standards of a BRS product.
What exactly is there to test? this controller has been around for years and that heating element is very well known for being one of the most reliable titanium heaters on the market. The fact that they brought it to the United States and provide such a great warranty is extremely beneficial to this hobby.
We've had a number of these heaters up and running for months before making this decision. We don't put the BRS brand on anything we wouldn't feel proud to offer to the community.
PSA!!!! Any heater that is not cobalt heaters are good. Cobalt heaters are the least reliable heater I've and any of my clients have ever used. Yes, the cobalt is the best hands down keeping a constant temperature, but it is by far the worst at being kept long term or short term. We had to stop stocking them at the shop due to how many complaints we had from them. This is the only heater we had that problem with. We have had them in our personal display tanks for the shop, and 7 different cobalt heaters failed in the span of 8 months. That's without counting the numerous complaints of it failing from our clients. Then in my personal tank, I had 3 fail on me in the span of 5 months. I urge anybody who needs a heater to skip the cobalt heaters and get a different heater. I love brs but I cant agree at all with cobalt heaters. We havent stocked cobalt heaters for 6 months now after dealing with them. Never again.
Brs one lookes like an Inkbird branded with the BRS logo? Btw, Inkbird now has a controller with wifi and two probes ;) Id like to see it not only have 2 heater plugs though, but one for cooling like on other Inkbirds
Those cobalt are and stable but can also fail early killing your fish and coral. I emailed them when I had a minor glitch with the temperature. They never mentioned it was it ultimately going to failed and needed replacement and nuked my tank.
Very sorry to hear about the tank crash. Truth is, all heaters will fail on a long enough timeline. This is one of the main reasons why we suggest replacing heaters on a regular basis, before an issue pops up.
@@BRStv thanks. just sucks that a heater that was maybe 12-13 old. I also wish the support folks I emailed mentioned something, they’re more familiar with their product than I am. I’m sticking with eheim heater with the ink bird version of the BRS controller. Thanks for the response!!
If you have any questions or issues, we'd be happy to help! Alternatively, feel free to give our support team a call if you'd rather chat over the phone about your questions :) BRS Customer Service Phone: 763-432-9691 Email: Support@bulkreefsupply.com Chat: BulkReefSupply.com
Umm, Inkbird DOES have a WiFi heating/cooling controller The slot 2 for a backup heater that only comes on when slot 1 or the probe fails, is a good idea Randy!
Oddly enough, the InkBird wifi heater controller checks a lot of boxes for us. Thanks for pointing this model out. It seems like it's newer, so we'll have to run it through some testing.
Letting the Inkbird control the temp resulted in too wide a temp swing for me. Letting Apex control the Inkbird was a much tighter temp range. So the Inkbird is just the failsafe against wider swings than Apex is set to.
I'm sure this is a very fine heater, but in terms of value, it's overpriced compared to the Hygger HG Series. The Hygger comes with its own pinpoint controller I have 4 of them and no problems coming up on a year. They're more compact, as well, which is significant when you're trying to place them in your sump.
Best Heaters of 2019!
➡ BRS Heater & Controller Combo : brs.li/BRS_Heater_Bundle
➡ BRS Heater Combo with mounts! : brs.li/BRS_HeaterCombo_Mounts
➡ BRS German Titanium Heaters : brs.li/BRS_Titanium_Heaters
➡ BRS Heater Contoller : brs.li/BRS_Heater_Controller
Just bought one 😊
Have the same Schego titanium heater for 5 years now in my tank, it never failed. Solid quality!
Hey, has BRS thought about redoing the begginers saltwater series, Ryan wasn't energetic back then making it a bit boring to watch, also its almost been a decade since that series was first uploaded and I think that some of the stuff might be a bit outdated or could go more into depth. Btw your love videos ❤.
There is a set of tanks in the studio...oops, I've said too much 😉
@@BRStv 😳😳😳
@@BRStv We need updated opinions on rock! Although it seems like reef saver is the only thing available anymore
@@BiologyIsHot This one might help. :) ua-cam.com/video/PrAzP-rto7E/v-deo.html
My tip for heaters, don't be afraid to have 2 heaters each at over half what you need. If one sticks on, it will not overheat your tank. If one fails, you'll still be heating the tank so cooling will be slower. Add an additional thermostat of some kind and you have time to notice. Also find it easier to fit heaters in the tank as they are smaller. Seems that would be ideal with the BRS controller. Is that the case?
You bet! The BRS heater controller has two plugs, so you can run two heating elements 🙂
I am so glad you are bringing that brand from Germany and white labeling them by backing them up with a BRS warranty! That’s why I love BRS!
If you replaces the mechanical relay with a solid state (power transistor) switch your reliability would go up tremendously
I nominate this as the best post. Not only does this post address an issue it recommends a solution. Kudos to you David Geller for not being a naysayer or hater but actually providing constructive feedback.
This was the reason why people moved to solid state in the first place: with MH people were afraid their switches would get "welded on" (literally) due to the arching when turning on over power drawn. As a result they moved to solid state when they became safer. The Apex Classic has mechanical relays for the low-amp stuff, and solid state everywhere else. For a heater, I really do not understand why solid state were not used in a new design.
Or we can go with a mercury relay that can take 100000s of cycles.
Im dorry vut whats a relay?
How do I do that??
The BRS titanium heater inkbird combo is by far the best heater I've ever used on my reef tank. I've used ehiems for 10 years and I'm never going back to glass
I just feel compelled to comment, especially in light of some reactions being all over the place. First off, these videos are produced through BRS' lens and their is nothing wrong with that. Their entitled to their opinion and they have opinions about heaters, obviously. That shows in the fact that they took a risk and pushed the envelope to provide a heating system they felt would meet specific needs. Second, kudos to them for choosing to "innovate" through simplicity. They didn't overthink it and I appreciate that they came out with something that they were trying to fit into a targeted price point, which I have to say is a success. They really didn't do bad considering this is their first swing at it. Given what we have seen from them, I'm sure in time they will look to figure out how they can include a wireless option and still stay in the sweet spot on the price point and also throw in a 50w option. Good sales will definitely help that. In the spectrum of good, better, best, I think they nailed it in terms of what they set out to do, and it shows. Everybody is going to use the heater they feel works the best until.............. it doesn't. The two questions I have are will there be any realized cost savings over time based on performance and the ability to replace individual "parts" of the system as needed? Will this force competitors to reevaluate the niche they play in this space and make some changes? Time will tell. Some will call this thinking outside the box. I'd say it is square in the middle of the box with some common sense applied. My hat's off to BRS with a job well done! Keep pushing the envelope, taking risks, and not just settling for the status quo. That kind of leadership will cause the others to follow suit!
@@Sativa098 Like I said "innovation" through simplicity. Innovation isn't always just a new product. Sometimes it's just a new way of doing something. What I find really amazing is the fact that someone else hasn't already done this. Time will tell if this works out well for them. They entered into this space by doing the things they do well, which in actuality is thinking like a hobbyist. Not creating another product that doesn't add any real value. Just my humble opinion, but I could be wrong and sales fall flat and in two years or less BRS will pull out of the heater game. Always a possibility, which is why this is still a risk. That's just the way business goes sometimes.
Here's my blueprint for the BRS 'Platinum' version: independent heater control, independent precision, backup emergency relay, adjustable over temp alarm. The differential setting is already a huge improvement!
Digging the new heater.
Have you guys considered using a Solid State relay in your controller to eliminate any mechanical parts?
This, for developing such an awesome heater i don't get how they missed this option. Especially a double ssrelay setup.
nietrelevant I was even think a SSR into a mechanical with the mechanical controlled by a separate temp range that is much wider so it doesn’t turn off very often but prevents a failed ssr from nuking the tank.
Solid state usually can’t handle high wattage. Can probably do 50W easy with solid state but higher wattage causes electron tunneling and other types of heating problems that are easier to solve using solenoid and contacters
Schego have been making aquarium heaters for many decades, looks like an awesome combo.
So excited that you came out with a heater. Bring them this weekend! Want to check it out!!!!
Great Idea. I'll grab a few to bring with!
You know. When a company tells me to throw a product away and buy a new one every year, even if it’s still working, I tend to roll my eyes. This is not one of those instances. Solid advice. I’ve been replacing my heater every year just to be safe. And it hardly ever turns on
I have been using the same heater for 6 years no problems it is run on its my own co troller. It heater just keeps working.
Hi, first of all I would like to say that I love your videos. They are always a great source of information and really entertaining.
I like to add that your 2020 which list can be fulfilled right now by using the Inkbird ITC-306A controller. (The BRS controller looks like an Inkbird too)
It has redundant relais, redundant temperature probs, it is WiFi enabled and you get measuring and alarms on you smart phone. Plus full control via your smart phone.
Combined with two Schego titanium heaters, each half the size your tank needs, I would say the setup is as safe as it can be.
Thanks
We do plan on looking into additional features that are being offered for these controllers! Thank you for your feedback regarding this! (:
LOL PAUSE - "I don't think you should trust any heater." So good, made me laugh. Thank you for being honest guys.
So glad I waited to buy my first heater!!! BRS for the win! Thanks guys
U guy's are killing it love the heater I will be ordering some soon. I have been putting off replacing my heaters for to long waiting for a really reliable heater controller combo. I have a apex but don't use it as a primary controller and the plastic arrow dosen't inspir confidence for redundancy. Thanks for a proper option u guys are great.
I have been using a schego for the last 2 years in the UK. Awesome piece of kit and allows for very srable temperature settings. Good luck with the BRS branded version 👍
You guys keep making my wish list grow. Going to have to pick up a BRS heater here soon. It's cold where I live and only getting colder. I'm due for a new heater.
I’m super excited to get this new heater. It’s in my cart for part of my next purchase 😃
Drumroll..... NONE... Haha it's true though. Thanks for telling it like it is! Excited for the BRS heater to come to market!
I really like the Ti element and the improved temp range of the brs branded inkbird is a huge plus, I also like the dual heat plug. I will say that there are times when I use the cooling output on my old inkbirds and I've also noticed a new inkbird model that has wifi connectivity and dual temp probes, some features to consitter if you update the brs controler.
That heater looks really nice. Good job BRS! Well designed. :)
I'm probably in the minority but I still prefer glass/plastic. It's simple ignorance on my part. I simply don't know what effect, if any, the titanium dioxide might have on the inhabitants. I know tons of people run them without any problems reported to date, but I know for sure that glass is inert so I've stuck with it. A heating element sealed in a monolithic plastic that could plug into the same controller you designed would be great.
My biggest complaint with previous heaters wasn't simply that they fail or were inaccurate, the biggest problem is that they can fail on and cook your tank. Failing safe is the most important thing.
Couldn't agree more!
Not long ago you reviewed best lights, and I mentioned how it would be great if BRS just made a light. You said "While we know how to use them, we're not lighting manufacturing experts. For now, we'll leave that to the pros." I'm sure you weren't the experts in heaters, but here we are. Is this the beginning of what's to be seen? If so, I'm in! Can't wait to see BRS lights :D
I agree 100%. I love the transparency of these guys and how their passion keeps impacting the hobby in a positive way. More economical, reliable equipment and information make the barrier to entry for our hobby much easier for many others to share it with.
A lot more goes into a light that grows and colors living animals than a heater that heats water
The big difference here is that heater were so unreliable and nobody was bringing a good option to the US market. This is one of those cases where we saw a hole in the US aquarium industry and decided to fill it ourselves with the new heater. Overall, there are a few changes that could be made to the current lighting offerings, but between all of the different options, they hit most reefers' needs.
@@BRStv I mostly agree, but I think most people agree the cost of lighting is out of hand. There's a also lack of good lighting choices for tanks smaller than 20g (seriously, why can't I buy a 12" T5 hybrid?!). You guys are going to change the heating landscape with your cost effective heaters. Other competitors will have to drop prices or copy your offerings if they want to compete for your slice of pie. The same would happen if you guys put out a light. You guys are honest folks and love the reefing community more than most other vendors out there. Time will tell I suppose.
The real question is that Is this heater/controller combo going to be what Ryan uses on his 360?
Yes I am sure when it gets set up, and has water in it these would be what he uses. (:
Will definitely give them a try. I have 3 builds I’ll be working on and I’ll definitely try them out on all 3 with controllers
You guys are saints. Ordering a BRS heater now.
Bulk reef supplies really has the Best quality items on the market
I love how BRS is setting the standard for reef keeping. Keep up the awesome work and videos. Just purchased the 300 watt heater. What do you have next in mind?
That's awesome Brandon! Thanks for the support, and kind words! I don't have a teaser for anything else as these generally take time, but we will continue to work to find the best solutions to making reefing fun, and easy!
Cobalt 300w heater has held 78.6 steady, through winter and summer.... now pushing 3 years old. Though every purchase is not the same and your use may vary. Cobalt heater gets my vote for Best in Show.
Daniel Ruiz my Cobalt failed after less than a year and nuked my tank last month. Unfortunately I bought a pair of Finnex already.
@@paulgreiner2243 The best thing they said in the video is that all heaters are going to fail and are unreliable. But like with any electronics we buy some are going to be great while others of the same product are going to be crap.
I bought from you guys when I grabbed my mixing tub heater. You guys carry more wattage variety over Marine Depot. Love that you have your own heaters. Would love if you made your own overflows too.
7:35 you talk about the epoxy "really sealing the top" but there looks to be a rather sizable gap around the cord
And the welded end looks a little rusty 🤔🤔
@@leighwhite1898 GFO built into your heater right? :D
Oh yes finally a heater to rely on the brs heater great job BRS people
The biggest issue with the 300 watt Eheim heater... it's so flipping big! I don't have a direction in my sump where it can sit nicely because it's longer than my sump is wide, and it's also longer than the largest chamber in my sump, which means hanging it at some odd angle and that just looks... well bleh.
You could have gotten 2 150w heaters
Rainbird heater controller disappears from stock and reappears with a BRS sticker on it. 🤔
Ink Bird
@@cprdnick81 It all comes from the same Chinese factory, just tell them what you want the overlay to look like and they'll do it.
You're right, we are no longer selling the ITC-308SA InkBird model. There is no secret that we've partnered with InkBird on the BRS heater controller. It's very similar to the old 308SA model, but has two heater plugs instead of one for heater and one for chiller. It also has a 0.3 degree swing instead of a whole degree temp swing. On top of that, we warranty the BRS heater controller directly, so no need to go through InkBird. Long story short, it isn't just a sticker change 🙂
In terms of “wish there was one with an app to notify you”, Inkbird has the app. It actually works with the inkbird model that is being used by BRS for their branded heater.
DD make a temperature controller avaliable in the UK with two outlets but one is for a heater, and the other is for a chiller/cooling fans. It also has an adjustable alarm and you can adjust the heater/chiller on/off temperature difference from +/- 0.3-2.0 degrees Celcius from your target temperature.
I think that'd be something you should upgrade to in the future especially since the US where chillers are more commonplace than the UK.
amazing heater
i would suggest for the next version to have a high limit switch built into the heater its sell !!
also if you could make the the temp prob on the heater controls to have a screw type connector versus the head phone jack !!
BUT WOW that is amazing !
I thought they have a WiFi controller the Ink bird 306t-A , which would be able to send you alerts..that would be a great combo for 2 heaters...
They do. I have just purchased the 306t-a (here in Australia) - its app configurable with temp. monitoring and alarms.
Sorry I hadn't replied sooner, I had some medical problems sidetracked me then forgot! Anyway I bought mine five or six years ago and the directions aren't very clear, besides that I'm terrible with tech stuff!
If I buy another one I'm going to ask BRS if I give them a little extra would they preprogram it. You should of seen the trouble I had setting up my gyre controller! I'm actually going to clean the gyre for the first time tomorrow, wish me luck!
Hey guys really enjoy the videos. I am setting up a 75 gallon tank (my first saltwater tank). How do you feel about inline heaters
BRS love that you are doing this! What was the rust color at the bottom at 7:28? Looked like something more happening than just a weld spot. Hard to see. Is there a potential of rust over time? One reason I choose the glass like eheim is for this reason compared to other heaters. Is there any possibility of any metal traces starting from this type of heater or a by product like rust to start over time in the salt water column using this BRS heater?
The bottom of the heater is no doubt discolored by the manufacturing process. That said, we've had a number of these heaters in testing for many months now with no further discoloration on the bottom. With the track record of these heaters in the European market, I think it's safe to say that there are zero issues with anything leaching into the water column over time.
OK OK. You talked me into it. I just bought the BRS 300w heater.
We appreciate the support Don! Be sure to reach out to us if you need any assistance. (:
Any updated videos on the best heaters? I'm starting up a 100 gallon tank and wondering what to buy.
Not a whole lot has changed in the world of aquarium heaters since this video was released. One of the bigger changes from our side of things is that the BRS heating elements no longer come with BRS branded controllers. Rather, we now use the dual relay and dual temp probe WiFi Inkbird controllers.
@@BRStv Great!!! Thanks!!
Nice addition to the inkbird controller
Like the new heaters. Wish you made a 150w. I like to have two heaters so having 2 150w is better.
They make that same controller with WiFi and redundancy built into to it. It has two relay for disengaging the heater if it gets stuck on along with two temperature sensors so if one goes out more that 5 degrees than the other one lets you know there is a problem with Either one of the sensors. It’s made by Inkbird it’s on Amazon I have one works great just thought I would share that info
for my 15 gallon nano should i get the BRS 100 watt titanium heater or the finnex 300 watt heater ? deff going with the wifi controller for whichever i choose
Hey guys, love your work, research and videos. Have you guys considered doing a "Best doser of 2019?" I'd be interested to see what's out there and what compares to Neptune's DOS units.
I do believe that we will be covering these as well, so keep an eye out for our future Best of series. (:
Hey guys watch your videos love them I am just getting back in to the reefing world not had a tank for far to long so have been getting my fix with watching your videos I have a quick question do yous have a UK version of these heaters as the plugs and Watts are a bit different here many thanks for your time and videos
Great question. We ship to the United States and Canada currently, so all of the products we sell will have plugs designed for use with 120v.
The cobalt is a disaster waiting to happen. I had 1 fail cold, and Cobalt replaced it. The replacement failed on! Luckily I have the heater positioned high up in my all in one so I saw the light on solid red. Now I use 2 Jagers I feel confident they won’t fail on and the other jager set to come on if the first one fails off.
When are these going to be back in stock. I need to get a new heater very soon.
We have 600w heaters available now, but if needing a smaller heater these should be back in December!
Got Two Shego Heaters In My Tank , Definitely Best Aquarium Heater
I'll have to check Shego out, I've had great luck with Aqueon Pro's!
Awesome to hear! The BRS heating elements are made in collaboration with Schego, so you can expect the same reliability :)
Should i get one 200w with a controller for a 50 gallon cube with a sump, or one controller with 2 100w's plugged in
For the sake of redundancy, two heating elements would be my choice.
@@BRStv thats what I was thinking, Ryan had pounded redundancy into my head. Any idea when they will back in stock?
Is the controller discontinued? And if so why? Thanks.
You guys and saltwater aquariums came up with one at the same time, but you guys seem to have a heavier duty one...
Will you be testing the Aquael Platinium 300W Aquarium Heater
I have a 100 gallon rubber stock tank with 4 baby koi located in my basement. They're too young to over winter without being fed, i need to add a heater to keep it around 68-70 degrees. My basement right now is around 60-65 degrees kinda chilly but they are still eating, anything below 50 i cant feed them. In the dead of winter, my basement drops down to 40. Which is too cold, they wont eat at that temp and being so young they wont make it without eating, not enough fat on them. Can you suggest which one of your heaters will work for me please???? Ty ty ty :)
Would the 300w one keep it around 70 degrees? Im afraid to buy the 600 watt, would that be too much power for the thermostat to control with only 100 gallons? I need help lol
Unfortunately a 300w heater won't be able to increase 100 gallons of water by 30 degrees over ambient temps. If 600w is the max that your heater controller will control, that would be a better option. Just know that the heaters will be on quite often with a 40 degree ambient room temperature and use up a lot of electricity as a result.
@@BRStv oh boy... any idea of how much it would up the bill? Even a ballpark estimate would help immensely. In my basement it wont get as cold as fast if they were in a pond outside. My 4 koi are about 4-5 inches long. Do you think they could overwinter this young? My only other option is a 50 gallon tank that i can set up in my den, wouldn't need a heater if it was there, but 4 baby koi and 1 shabunkin in 50 gallons would definitelyyyyy be pushing it. Any advice? Ty
2023 now, when I check BRS, I see the BRS controller is actually back to being an Inkbird controller?
The old BRS heater controller has been discontinued since this video was posted. The InkBird wifi heater controller is a great budget friendly option to add some redundancy to your setup.
Can’t be best in show if you don’t offer a viable option for nano tanks!
100w is a pretty common size for tanks up to 40 gallons and would work great on a 10-20 gallon nano as well. Don't get us wrong, they aren't the smallest heaters, but that beefy build quality is by design.
Brsheater is a Schego😳could this be ?
Truly, yes☺️watch out also for their legendary membranepums. Works and works and works...
Aqua logic is what I use. Great commercial controller. Rugged, indoor/outdoor use.
Always a fan of titanium
So after you set the temp DS comes up and the CA comes up. Can you tell me what DS and CA is please? Thanks in advance
The cobalt neo therm has been horrible for me, even when i set the temp to 80, all 3 of my cobalts cant seem to keep my tank above 74.5
so your saying the BRS heater is better to go with than the finnex? im stuck between the two for my 15g nano build
The nice thing about the BRS heating element/InkBird controller combo is that you can replace the heater controller or element independently. Usually when a failure happens, it's with a heater's control system rather than the element itself. We think this is a great feature to have them available separately.
Good god, did I just watch a late night infomercial? I was with you till you said relays last a year. If that's the case then my fridge needs to be replaced every year as well. I could see the heating core failing in a year, but not the switch. This was appealing to have a control to last year(S the s needs to be included) that I could plug multiple cores into, so that if one core failed, the second would kick on. Giving me time to replace the first while still providing heat. Doesn't seem that's the case if my controller is the weak link in this system.
Hey BRS, I really enjoy the reviews you have done over the years so just wanted to say thank you for your help! Also I wanted to ask if you would think or recommend these heaters for turtle tanks as well? I have a 50G tank that is normally filled about 1/3 of the way so whatever heater i get it has to work horizontally rather than vertically which is a challenge to find in cheap 20-30 heaters. I am very interested in your German titanium 200W heater because its more durable than any I have found for its price and my turtle Darrel can be a bit of a rough nut unlike his brother Macaroni. If you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it and if you do not I understand that fish and turtle tanks are significantly different. Thanks again!
We won't claim to be turtle experts, but as far as the heaters go, they can be mounted vertically or horizontally. Given that they're shorter than the average heater of the same wattage, they may work out perfectly for your setup! Just be sure that they don't run dry.
Nice, now we need to get it to Europe :)!
When are you getting More heaters in stock?
We're hoping to have more by the end of the year. Unfortunately, our supplier is having difficulty getting a hold of one of the parts that goes into the heater.
@@BRStv any promo codes out there?
any plans on restocking the 600 watt model?
You bet! We recently sold out of the 600w heating element, but have more on the way
@@BRStv thank you! I have a 300 gallon and a 120 so I don't mind waiting for ur products.
On the brs heaters, could they be hooked up to a proportional style thermostat rather then an on/off?
We've not tested them running that way. There were designed with on/off control in mind. I like your idea though 🤔
@@BRStv yea I have ran the titanium finnex for years and I always wondered that. In the reptile hobby(which im also in lol) everything is ran proportional thats what gave me the idea
is there a video on how to calibrate the brs heater with the ink bird controller ?
We don't have a video, but if you're using Ink Bird’s ITC-306a wifi controller, you'll see an option for 'temperature correction' which is how you'll calibrate the controller if necessary.
Why dont you use the Inkbird itc-308 controller? It has one outlet for heating and one for cooling. Great idea though.
We wanted reefers to be able to use two heaters for redundancy. Most of the feedback about the ITC-308SA InkBird was that the cooling plug was wasted space and the 1 degree temp swing was too large. So we fixed both issues 🙂
So if it nukes my tank in 3 years you'll replace my tank lol
This is perfect timing as my queon pro heaters stopped working so I have been researching what to replace them with. I do use them with a ranco temperature controller. I do wonder if I could daisy chain the controllers, have the brs heaters plugged into the brs(inkbird) controller then have the brs temperature controller plugged into my ranco temperature controller. Which in turn would give me 2 fail safes, I'd have to set the temperature of the first controller (ranco) higher so that it won't disable power to the 2nd (brs) controller. I know some have done a similar method with an apex, maybe I should just cave in and picking up an apex or profilux controller...
We do plug these Inkbirds into our Apex systems for additional redundancy. Its a good idea to be extra careful!
So the BRS controller looks very similar to the Inkbird controller (maybe same company). But the question is that Inkbird has a WiFi version with app. Is there a BRS version with this feature?
Not yet, but we're looking into it as we speak :)
What if the FUSE blows in the plug?
When fuses are built into a piece of equipment, it's there for safety. When there is too much current, the fuse's job it to blow and cut power.
I think a better option and cheaper is the inkbird and Eheim. The reason I think so is because you have a backup. The heater itself has a thermostat which is mechanical and the inkbird is a digital. If I bought the brs combo I have to rely solely on your controller since the actual heater has no thermostat. Not to mention the brs combo is more expensive then an Eheim and inkbird combo.
Also I can get a WiFi inkbird!
I love BRS but the heater controller gets not good reviews in 2020. Maybe more is needed to be sure the controller portion is up to the high standards of a BRS product.
Love the info guys! Your videos have inspired me to keep up the content on my channel! If I ever switch careers I'm working at BRS! 😉
Thanks! We'd love to have you 😁
Isnt that controller the exact same as the ink bird one???
You guys made a sales pitch to buy your heater but did any of you even test it? And throwing it in a tank to see if it works doesn’t count as a test
What exactly is there to test? this controller has been around for years and that heating element is very well known for being one of the most reliable titanium heaters on the market. The fact that they brought it to the United States and provide such a great warranty is extremely beneficial to this hobby.
We've had a number of these heaters up and running for months before making this decision. We don't put the BRS brand on anything we wouldn't feel proud to offer to the community.
Is the controller compatible with other heaters or only the brs heater?
You can use the BRS heater controller with any heater. Just be sure not to exceed the maximum wattage of 1200W
PSA!!!!
Any heater that is not cobalt heaters are good. Cobalt heaters are the least reliable heater I've and any of my clients have ever used. Yes, the cobalt is the best hands down keeping a constant temperature, but it is by far the worst at being kept long term or short term. We had to stop stocking them at the shop due to how many complaints we had from them. This is the only heater we had that problem with. We have had them in our personal display tanks for the shop, and 7 different cobalt heaters failed in the span of 8 months.
That's without counting the numerous complaints of it failing from our clients. Then in my personal tank, I had 3 fail on me in the span of 5 months. I urge anybody who needs a heater to skip the cobalt heaters and get a different heater. I love brs but I cant agree at all with cobalt heaters. We havent stocked cobalt heaters for 6 months now after dealing with them. Never again.
BRS heater work with Apex controller?
Yep! The only model to stay away from on the Apex would be the 1200w heater system as a single Energy Bar outlet can't handle that big of a heater.
@@BRStv Thanks!
Brs one lookes like an Inkbird branded with the BRS logo?
Btw, Inkbird now has a controller with wifi and two probes ;)
Id like to see it not only have 2 heater plugs though, but one for cooling like on other Inkbirds
@@Sativa098 they arent really readily available in 110-120v before brs started selling them.
Cobalt in my tank ....best heater and regretted waiting so long to buy
hallo is you heater also conpeteble voor europeen yous and am I abel to order this?
Hi there,
Right now, we are only able to ship to the United States and Canada.
Those cobalt are and stable but can also fail early killing your fish and coral. I emailed them when I had a minor glitch with the temperature. They never mentioned it was it ultimately going to failed and needed replacement and nuked my tank.
Very sorry to hear about the tank crash. Truth is, all heaters will fail on a long enough timeline. This is one of the main reasons why we suggest replacing heaters on a regular basis, before an issue pops up.
@@BRStv thanks. just sucks that a heater that was maybe 12-13 old. I also wish the support folks I emailed mentioned something, they’re more familiar with their product than I am. I’m sticking with eheim heater with the ink bird version of the BRS controller.
Thanks for the response!!
I buy those 300w Eheim heaters like 10 at a time >.>
Tom Gionet i had one exploding in my freshwater... god thanks nothing happend due to soft freshwater... imagine it was seawater..
I cant recommend
Please do a video on the Ink Bird, this thing's making my brain hurt!
If you have any questions or issues, we'd be happy to help! Alternatively, feel free to give our support team a call if you'd rather chat over the phone about your questions :)
BRS Customer Service
Phone: 763-432-9691
Email: Support@bulkreefsupply.com
Chat: BulkReefSupply.com
Any chance your releasing a 50w for nanos?
No plans right now, but I won't rule it out 🙂
Umm, Inkbird DOES have a WiFi heating/cooling controller
The slot 2 for a backup heater that only comes on when slot 1 or the probe fails, is a good idea Randy!
Which model? Also is the precision as good as the BRS version? I agree, having 1 main heater with a backup in the same controller is my preference.
Jeremy Phillips ITC-306A WIFI is the dual heater model
It even has dual probes, but the probes don’t look replaceable
According to the ITC-306A manual, that only sets the minimum and maximum temperature for both heaters.
Right, it’s something they “should” add
Oddly enough, the InkBird wifi heater controller checks a lot of boxes for us. Thanks for pointing this model out. It seems like it's newer, so we'll have to run it through some testing.
Letting the Inkbird control the temp resulted in too wide a temp swing for me. Letting Apex control the Inkbird was a much tighter temp range. So the Inkbird is just the failsafe against wider swings than Apex is set to.
Set the inkbird to C and it will be 0.5 degree swing in F.
The new BRS heater controller will be able to control the temp swing down to 0.3 degrees F 🙂
I'm sure this is a very fine heater, but in terms of value, it's overpriced compared to the Hygger HG Series. The Hygger comes with its own pinpoint controller I have 4 of them and no problems coming up on a year. They're more compact, as well, which is significant when you're trying to place them in your sump.
Where’s the setup video teaching us how to set up the controller
Are there also models coming with an european outlet?
I hear those Cobalt heaters blow up in the tanks a lot.
That was an issue a number of years ago, however, that has since been fixed. We've not had any reports of cracking Cobalt heaters recently.