Why you need an Aquarium Heater

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Chances are the fish in your aquarium came from warm waters and the room temperature it’s placed in just doesn’t cut it.

Don’t worry,in this article we’ll go through what you need to focus on when getting your very own fish tank water heater. It’s easier than you think.

To understand why you need an aquarium heater, you need to look at how water temperature affects fish. To a fish, water is all the space around them. It is literally their source of oxygen and life. Everything from water cleanliness to acidity to temperature has an effect on the fish similar to how everything around us affects us humans.

Focusing on water temperature, research has shown changes in water temperatures has a direct effect on a fish’s immune system, respiratory functions, body organs, feeding and breeding practices. A general rule of thumb is colder water temperature slows down a fish’s bodily functions and warmer water temperature increases the rate of a fish’s bodily processes. But that doesn’t mean warmer is always better, if it was then we’d welcome global warming with open arms any day. This rule is a simple reminder that water temperature is critical to a fish’s survival.

So going back to our main topic of choosing aquarium heaters the first thing you really must to do is obvious, research on your fish. Hopefully you haven’t purchased it yet as some fish are just not hardy enough to adapt to colder water temperature environments. However, if you did and it’s doing pretty good it doesn’t mean you don’t need an aquarium heater anymore, it just means you’re lucky you’re fish is still alive.

To research on your fish, ask your pet/fish store’s sales clerk or look for a reputable resource online. This is easy.

Once you’ve done that, you need to measure the temperature where you’re aquarium or fish tank is placed. This is also easy, since all you need to do is get a thermometer, make sure it reads 32 deg Fahrenheit (0 deg Celsius) at first, leave it in the room and return five minutes later. List the temperature down.

Now that you know the room temperature and the ideal fish tank water temperature for your fish it’s time to choose your water heater.

What you need to do is a little math. Subtract the room temperature from the temperature you want to maintain in your fish tank.

Then check this simple guide below for the wattage you need based on your total aquarium water volume and the temperature difference you got from subtraction.

Aquarium Heater Power requirements

Gallons/Liters            5oC/9oF         10oC/18oF         15oC/27oF

5gal/25L                   25 watt            50 watt              75 watt

10gal/50L                 50 watt            75 watt              75 watt

20gal/75L                 50 watt            75 watt             150 watt

25gal/100L               75 watt            100 watt            200 watt

40gal/150L               100 watt          150 watt            300 watt

50gal/200L               150 watt          200 watt          two 200 watt

65gal/250L               200 watt          250 watt          two 250 watt

75gal/300L               250 watt          300 watt          two 300 watt

If you’re heating requirements is between two levels, choose the larger size. Once you have this, go to your pet/fish store and ask for a heater with the determined heating requirement.

Some additional things to consider when choosing a water heater is to get one from a reputable manufacturer and get a heater with a built-in thermostat to be able to regulate heating and a thermometer for your fish tank so you can readily check the water temperature.

Now that you have your aquarium heater, it’s time to decide where to place it. The best place to put your heater is near the water flow or at the fish tank bottom. This ensures the quick and even distribution of heat throughout the fish tank.

If you have a large aquarium, around the size of 40gallons (150L) and above, it is best to get two water heaters and place them in opposite ends of the tank. This is also convenient in case the other water heater fails.

After successfully installing the heater let it run for at least a whole day before adding the fish in. You don’t want to be in a rush and have to inconviniently take all the fish out because your aquarium heater isn’t working.

And there you have it. Your very own water heated aquarium.

Some more tips you might find helpful:

I would suggest is to place a permanent underwater thermometer for your aquarium. That way you can readily check the water temperature with ease.

In case of emergencies (believe me, this happens more often than not) be prepared with an emergency water heater. Preferrably a submersible, portable and battery operated one.