Although often overlooked, aquarium heaters are critical to maintaining aquarium life. We should not underestimate their importance. If a problem occurs, it may not only damage the fish tank. It will also put the entire tank of precious fish at risk of extinction.If you just want to buy safe and reliable fish tank heaters or wholesale aquariums, please visit yee aquarium wholesale center.
Potential risks of aquarium heaters
There are indeed many problems with aquarium heaters. Their power often exceeds the recommended tank size standard, usually 2 to 3 watts per gallon. In addition, most heaters lack built-in redundancy. This means that if a failure occurs, there is no backup mechanism to ensure the stability of the water temperature. If a failure occurs, the water temperature in the aquarium will rise sharply. The high-temperature water will make the fish suffer the fate of boiling. Such tragedies are common on the Internet. When the heater fails, the aquarium transforms into a “fish boiling pot”. The water temperature surges to an extreme level, so high that the owner cannot even touch it. The heater is often seriously overloaded. That is the root cause of all this.
Key points for purchase and use
1.Power selection is particular
The power standard of 5 watts per gallon recommended by many heater manufacturers actually hides risks. 5 watts per gallon can raise the water temperature significantly when the heater is “on”! It can increase by 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (17 to 28 degrees Celsius). A reasonable “basic rule of thumb” is to control the total maximum power to 3 watts per gallon. At the same time, choose the appropriate wattage heater based on the size of the aquarium. For example, a 100-gallon (379-liter) tank can use two 100-watt heaters. A 55-gallon (208-liter) tank uses two 70-watt heaters.
Because water tanks of different sizes have different surface area to volume ratios. Small tanks that dissipate heat quickly may require relatively high power densities. The actual selection should be as close to the recommended power as possible and take environmental factors into consideration.
2.Redundancy is essential
Redundancy is essential to prevent fish from dying due to heater failure. You can use two smaller 1 – watt/gallon heaters. Or you can use an electronic controller besides the one on the heater. For example, a 100-watt heater could fail. This could raise the water temperature in a 20-gallon aquarium to a deadly 105 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 41 degrees Celsius. However, if one of two 50-watt heaters fails, the water might only reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). We greatly reduce the risk as the probability of both heaters failing simultaneously is extremely low. We should set the two heaters to different temperatures, like 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) for one and 74 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius) for the other. This can reduce wear and tear caused by frequent opening and closing.
3.Be careful in placement and installation
The angle and position of the heater in the aquarium are also important. It should be placed at a 45-degree angle. Because vertically placed heaters are more likely to open and close due to temperature rise. And the thermostat is mostly located at the top. At the same time, we should ensure that there is good water flow around it. For example, we can place it at the water outlet of the filter. In addition, it is best to buy a fully immersed heater.If it has a glass shell, you should install it at a low 45 degrees close to the substrate. This avoids the glass breaking from thermal shock when you change water. Also, you don’t need to switch it on and off often. Additionally, you need to coil the wire inserted into the water. This prevents water flowing into the socket along the wire and causing a short circuit fire. You should know that the GFI circuit is powerless against such short circuits.
Common misunderstandings and truths
1.Bigger is not better
Many people mistakenly believe that larger heaters are more “efficient” and consume less electricity, have a longer service life, and the more expensive the price, the better the quality. In fact, from the perspective of energy conversion, regardless of the wattage, the heat generated by one kilowatt-hour of electricity is fixed, and high-wattage heaters are not energy-saving. Moreover, the higher the wattage, the more frequently the heater “cycles”, and the mechanical thermostat contacts are prone to failure after a limited number of “contacts”. Coupled with the pressure of thermal expansion on the components, over-powered heaters fail faster. The number of cycles of a 4-watt per gallon heater is about twice that of a 2-watt per gallon heater, and the wear time is halved. Furthermore, expensive titanium heaters are only expensive in terms of shell material cost, and the internal working mechanism is the same as that of glass and plastic heaters. Expensive prices do not mean high quality.
2.Misconception of temperature stability
Some people think that heaters should be turned on and off frequently to maintain a stable water temperature. However, studies of fish in aquariums have shown that a rapid change of 10 degrees Fahrenheit in water temperature is harmless, and the temperature difference between the “on” and “off” of the heater solenoid valve has nothing to do with the size, usually only one or two degrees, so there is no need to excessively pursue absolute stability of water temperature.
Ways to extend life
To extend the life of the heater, the key is to reduce the number of times it is turned on and off. In addition to the above-mentioned 45-degree angle placement, good water flow environment, and reasonable redundant design, you can also start from the following aspects. For example, avoid using overpowered heaters in small tanks, because this will cause them to cycle on and off frequently, and each heater has a limited number of on/off cycles. Oversized heaters are very likely to fail quickly or even boil the fish to death.
In the selection, use and maintenance of aquarium heaters, we need to abandon wrong ideas, follow scientific and reasonable methods, and pay attention to redundant design and safety details. Only in this way can we create a safe and stable living environment for the fish in the aquarium, avoid tragedies caused by heater problems, and allow our aquarium breeding hobby to continue for a long time and happily.
