Via Aqua Titanium heater with external sensor and external controller.

The heating for this tank is provided by one Via Aqua 300W titanium heater in each sump. This doesn't sound like much for a tank this size, but it keeps the tank comfortably at 80°F (27°C). Slight temperature fluctuations of ±2° occur, but don't appear to be causing any problems.

These heater offer good value for money and seem to hold up well over time. What I like particularly is their unbreakable titanium construction, and the external controller, which allows you to adjust the temperature without reaching into the tank or sump. However, once broken it is best to simply discard these heaters, even if they are still under warranty. The reason for the warranty being useless is that it requires the customer to pay postage to and from the manufacturer, which will invariably be more expensive than the price of a new heater.

Addendum March 2009:

These heaters seem to receive very mixed user reviews on Cichlid-forum. For me they have done a great job, but judging from the user reviews there seem to be some quality control problems, and I am reluctant to recommend these heaters.

Addendum:

I later found that 80°F is too hot for a Tanganyikan tank, and lowered the temperature to 77°F, which works much better and saves on heating costs.