Heating is very important. There are many types of heaters, and different types perform better then others. But first, you should ask yourself, do you want a Clip-on, or a Submersible type of heater? Both do the same job, but one might be better for you than the other. But submersible are better in the long run. They can be hidden better because they can be put at the bottom of the tank and you can put a rock in front of it or plant plants around it. Some submersibles have built in thermometer in them so the can to set to an exact temperature. Here are some of the different types of heaters there are:

•     Economy Heater. This is your basic, cheapest heater. They just clip on to your tank and heat up when the water gets too cold.

•     Deluxe Heater. This is a better version of the economy heater. They have better circuits, and sometimes magnets to reduce sparks when that water temperature changes.

•     Submersible Heater. These come with thermostats so you can easily set the right temperature. Submersible heaters are very convenient because they can be put almost anywhere in the aquarium to easily be hidden. A common spot to put them is parallel with the bottom, and just above the gravel. Here, it can be hidden by plants, rocks or other decorations. Submersible heaters can also be put in a sump so that it is not in the aquarium at all.

•     Heating Cable. You may never see these in store because of the price. Dealers don't sell these much because they don't get good enough business off of them, they are just too expensive to rely on average aquarium costumers to sell. This does not mean they are bad, in fact, they are very good. They can buried into the gravel and completely hidden. They are good for warming the roots of live plants too. But if you have fish that bury themselves in the gravel, or fish that dig up the gravel, don't even think of getting this kind of heater, unless you want wires floating around your tank. 

    Heaters are measured in size and wattage. The best size heater is for the top of the heater to be at water level, and the bottom be 2 or 3 inches off the bottom. This only applies for small or shallow aquariums. To determine the right wattage for your tank, you have to first determine how low the aquarium will get. A rule of thumb is to have 2 to 4 watts per gallon, but you are not heating up freezing cold water, you are heating room temperature water. If you live in a climate where it usually doesn't get below 70ºF, then you should go for a heater on the small end of this measure. But if your house gets really cold, then you may want to go on the higher end of this scale.

    This chart will help you find a heater that is right for your aquarium. The top row is aquarium size in gallons. Find where your aquarium is and it will show you approximately how many watts you need. Find the heater that is closest to this measurement and that's the one you'll need.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 10:44:28 AM -0500