if u have them, they’ve been recalled…
http://petsmart-mail.com/P/v3/Microsite.asp?E=1524;069698;1930618359;25;02&R=T1_ONL&A=1007
I have the visa therm stealth model, it seems only the pro models are being recalled.
How do you tell the difference? I’ve got about 5 stealth heaters laying around…
Well I’m going to assume that the one I have that sh*t the bed after a few months is one of the defective ones.
I checked mine, and they only say stealth on them…i would assume the others have stealth pro on them???
I also checked the product code, and the stealths didnt match up with the recall…
Also I believe the pro has the led indicator on the top to let u know when its working…mine doesnt have a led.
Just to be safe Im calling today.
I think all of mine shock me if I use them in the water, wonder if that qualifies…
[quote=“IanH, post:5, topic:3880”]
I think all of mine shock me if I use them in the water, wonder if that qualifies…[/quote]
:-)lol
i really need to upgrade to titanium, these things suck.
I purchased a ViaAqua titanium heater about a month ago. I am extremely satisfied with it’s construction and design. I had a stealth running for 1.5 years without any problems. But continuing with a product with known issues didn’t seem logical. I still have the heater,hopefully I can get a refund.
this might help a little- Marineland recalls/refunds Stealth heaters! - Reef Central Online Community
looks like you can return them to petsmart no problem, should give them a call just in case.
Sweetness
Our team of Aquatic Specialists recommends the Marineland Visi-Therm Heaters or Fluval M Submersible Heaters as appropriate substitutes
Looks like Im ok for the time being…
But continuing with a product with known issues didn't seem logical
Looks like Ill be looking for something new…
I was going to get the JBJ temp. control system but I’ve been reading some horror stories about them recently on RC.
what a ashame, marineland used to be a great company that had a life time garentee on everything but now it seems they outsourced and its all going down the tubes >LOCO< i bought a 280 for my fw fishtank and my manifold was warped and i had to ask them 3 times for the part bc they kept sending me the 400 version not the 280 and i had to point it out to them. they actully thanked me bc they were marked wrong and they had a palet of them going out the next day. needless to say it was a mess
im so glad i got a blue line titaimium heater for my new 75 gallon reef tank
What’s really a shame is that they probally knew about the defects for some time and waited too long to do a recall. ::hitsthefan::
In the meantime, people have lost too many animals due to heaters going bad. It’s all about GREED!!! ::bs::
what’s the difference between visi therm and pro??
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/14/marineland-stealth-pro-heaters-recall/
Thats what the Pro looks like…if you have a Visa Therm its plain black composite style plastic with no extra fancy stuff…
The Pro has the LED indicators and also an LED digital read out…if yours has the LED indicator to let you know when your put is on its the Pro version.
The VisaTherm just comes on, doesn’t have any indicator…just read about a guy in texas whose heater blew his sump out yesterday…and he read about the recall on his club forum today…sad…said he is filling a claim…
kind of like the movie Fight Club, where he explains in the car industry soo may people have to crash and die, and then they consider litigation cost, before they consider a mandatory/voluntary recall…too bad our fish, homes, and lives could have really been at stake…I hate having the powers of Captian Hindsight and his trusty side kick Mr. What If…
that reef builders link has the best info about the recall…
if you have a PRO heater between 10-75w, they arent being recalled. Again, none of the visatherms are being recalled.
It just sucks tho, because my confidence is slowing shriveling up with the products they claim are fine…why would I trust the visa therm? Its not even worth the worries…unless they can come up with an explanation on why the design on the pro’s are failing and the design on the visa therm is flawless, im getting new heaters and maybe use these still just for water changes or something, i dont know…
what would you guys do with yours?
[quote=“longballz84, post:15, topic:3880”]
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/14/marineland-stealth-pro-heaters-recall/
Thats what the Pro looks like…if you have a Visa Therm its plain black composite style plastic with no extra fancy stuff…
The Pro has the LED indicators and also an LED digital read out…if yours has the LED indicator to let you know when your put is on its the Pro version.
The VisaTherm just comes on, doesn’t have any indicator…just read about a guy in texas whose heater blew his sump out yesterday…and he read about the recall on his club forum today…sad…said he is filling a claim…
kind of like the movie Fight Club, where he explains in the car industry soo may people have to crash and die, and then they consider litigation cost, before they consider a mandatory/voluntary recall…too bad our fish, homes, and lives could have really been at stake…I hate having the powers of Captian Hindsight and his trusty side kick Mr. What If…[/quote]
thanks. that makes me feel a bit more secure.
Wow I got 2 of these and mine do say stealth pro on them. I just picked up a used 200w and the 100w I bought for my copepod tank… wonder If the retail stores are giving full credit as these do cost around $35-40 verdict_in . Think I might try the titanium heaters you guys are talking about.
This is for the people who do not want to click all the links out there…lol. and answers my question 
February 11, 2011
Dear Valued PetSmart Pet Parent,
Marineland has issued a voluntary withdrawal of the Stealth PRO Submersible Heater (100, 200 and 250 watt). The product is being withdrawn due to a quality issue.
If you have this product, please stop using it immediately and take the following steps:
- Unplug the heater from the wall to stop the flow of electricity
- Let the heater cool for 15 minutes
- Remove the heater from the tank
Please bring the product to your closest PetSmart for a full refund or exchange. Replace the product with a comparable heater as soon as possible to maintain the temperature of your aquarium. A PetSmart store associate can help you select the right heater for your aquatic environment.
If you have questions about this withdrawal, please call Marineland Customer Service at 800-526-0650 or 800-432-6986.
At PetSmart, we are concerned pet parents, too. We will continue to do everything we can to help you and your pet during this time.
Sincerely,
Debbie Gonzalez
Vice President, Brand and Customer Marketing