Review on 🐠 Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro Aquarium Heater (25-200w) - Fully-Submersible, Thermostat, Thermometer, Shatterproof for Freshwater and Saltwater Tanks by Lisa Zimmerman

I have purchased a large number of aquarium heaters over the years and they have all been variations with the same one function and the same design, and has remained virtually unchanged for more than five decades - a long tube, glass or plastic case containing heating elements, which are then connected to some sort of thermostatic circuit. My last one, the Aqueon, failed and almost wiped out my entire tank population because it overheated the tank and didn't have a kill switch. In this incident I lost 3 neon tetras and 2 snails and swore (not verbally) that I would never use tubular heaters again. Enter the Neo-Therm heater. I was impressed with the new sleek look; very modern and high tech. It wasn't a tubular form factor, but a flat one that seemed to offer more surface area for water contact. The LED display is a great way to check the water temperature at a glance and let you know if you want it above or below the desired temperature you have set for the unit. A lit LED means that the set temperature and the tank temperature are the same. A flashing light before or after the set temperature means that it is higher or lower. To set the temperature, you press a button on top of the heater, which is a little hard to press because it's small and a bit slippery. But it is okay. Unlike tubular heaters, the numbers on the LED dial actually have a meaning, while in most cases the numbers on tubular heaters do not correlate at all with the actual temperature. They are only intended as a reference for setting the temperature and this can be extremely inaccurate. I bought the Neo-Therm and got it up and running in no time, not counting the recommended 15 minutes (or more) to calibrate the heater when you first put it in your tank. After that, I plugged it in and watched the LED dial show the water temperature. It already has a factory default temperature setting of 78 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's very easy to set up. off and do not continue to heat the water. This feature alone makes the purchase worthwhile for me. The accuracy of the Neo-Therm is spot on as I tested the device's accuracy to +/- 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit using a digital thermometer. I was very impressed. The Neo-Therm is durable and the outer casing is made from high impact plastic and should withstand bumps and bruises for a very long time. However, there were several problems. The first device I ordered was inaccurate by about 1-2 degrees and kept those incorrect readings for two weeks. I returned this unit, got a new one through Revain's excellent customer service and the unit exchange is flawless. The second is subjective and doesn't affect the functionality of the Neo-Therm, but may pose an issue for some. The digits of the temperature display surrounding the LED display from 66 to 96 degrees are set to multiples of two, or in other words, all even numbers. So if your tank temperature is actually 79 degrees Fahrenheit, the display will still show either 78 or 80 depending on whether it's rounded up or down. So for people with OCD, this can be a deciding factor. I've seen Neo-Therm flash two numbers at the same time, and maybe that's how he meant to show you intermediate numbers, but I've only seen it once. and this happened to the block I was returning so it was probably an accident. Maybe in the next software update there will actually be a feature to show "tweener" numbers. But aside from these two issues, I'm very happy with the purchase. Yes, it's more expensive than other aquarium heaters, but when you add up the cost of all the heaters you've bought over the years that have failed or become inaccurate, it makes the Neo-Therm a steal when you compare the price difference . and performance.