Hydor Inline Heater & Eheim 2217 Question.

[Bedlamer]

Howdy folks. I'm looking for someone with experience to confirm a few things for me before I actually spend some money. I'm looking to buy an Eheim 2217 Classic plus and I'm considering attaching a Hydor Inline heater to it. I think I have this figured out from what I can glean on-line, but I want to double check with y'all first.

1. The Hydor inline heaters should be installed vertically to prevent bubbles from becoming trapped in them over time and creating an air space. My question is does it make any difference if the heater is placed in the intake tubing or the output tubing of the canister filter? I'm thinking attached to the output tubing would be the prefered setup?

2. The Hydor 200 watt model comes in 2 sizes the 12 mm/ 1/2" fitting, and the 16 mm/ 5/8" fitting.
The Eheim 2217 has 5/8" intake and 1/2" output tubing right?

3. So if I have my facts straight so far-- I should be putting the heater on the output tubing, and that tubing is 1/2"--so I need the 1/2" version?

4. I know several of you have or are using the Hydor inline heaters--any issues or concerns with them, or highly recomeeded? I realize it does create two addition potential failure points for leaks in the output tubing due to having to insert the heater in the path. It seems the Hydors are less leak prone with Eheim tubing as opposed to Fluval tubing?

[Totenkampf]

The heater probably isnt going to be more efficient on one side of the filter versus the other. I put mine on the output only because I feel that the heat from the filter can be wicked away more effeciantly from the filter if the water is at a greater temperature differential upon entering the filter. The net heating result of the heater would be that it would be on slightly less but I doubt if the advantages to this are very quantifiable.

If you are using 1/2" ID tubing (eheim 12/16mm) then yes get the hydor with the 1/2" fitting

I havent been using mine long but it seems to be a pretty robust unit. I put it on its own bypass piping leg so that I can control the flow if i need it to have greater contact time with the water for some reason...but for now its wide open and seldom on except at water changes.

[sountfc]

I've had one set up for about a year and a half on a 2217, also on the output. I'm quite happy with it and have never had any issues at all.