Can I Use A Heater In A Plastic Tank?!

[MermaidMel]

I never did before, but I kinda read on ebay when they are selling plastic tanks sometimes can be used for cold or tropical
I don't want to melt the tank though

 

[paul_219]

No u cant u a heater in a plastic tank imagine putting hot water in a plastic cup what migh happen few times it will melt down or get reformed.

 

[raptorrex]

highly unlikely i would have thought. plastic that would melt at the temps we use in fish keeping, would, i would have thought, collapsed on the shelfs of many shops. and if correctly fitted your heater should not actually rest on any part of the tank, even a glass one. on cheaper plastic tanks, uv would be your main enemy. that said, some plastics may give off some thing when heated, above a set temperature.

 

[MermaidMel]

Figures. That's why I checked, it's the numpties on Ebay that need to think on!Saying that, some of our tropical tanks are laiden with plastic plants, the casing to the filters are plastic, even the cages round the actual heaters sometimes are made from plastic..... mebe this isn't such a dumb idea after all

 

[arvlyn]

No u cant u a heater in a plastic tank imagine putting hot water in a plastic cup what migh happen few times it will melt down or get reformed.

If the water was heated *that* hot, the fish would be boiled way before the tank ever melted!! lol

 

[lilfishie]

i have a 3 gal that is plastic with a heater, no problem at all

 

[MermaidMel]

i have a 3 gal that is plastic with a heater, no problem at all

Ah ha thank you hun

 

[BigC]

Of course you can as long as its kept off the tank walls. I've used heaters in plastic washing-up basins to raise fry and also in pond liner box tanks and placed the heater on ceramic tiles.
So the answer is yes, your not boiling the water.
Regards
BigC

 

[MermaidMel]

Of course you can as long as its kept off the tank walls. I've used heaters in plastic washing-up basins to raise fry and also in pond liner box tanks and placed the heater on ceramic tiles.
So the answer is yes, your not boiling the water.
Regards
BigC

Thanks mate, it's not the water I'm concerned about just the wall of the tank near the heater, but obviously in it's cage on the suckers we're talking nigh on impossible it would melt, thanks

 

[buttercupbabe078]

When you put a heater in a biorb you get a plastic strip thing with suction cups on and I always figured that if I had a plastic tank I would use that so that the heater isn't directly infront of the tank plastic. If that makes sense? x

 

[kat11180]

im at the mo using a heater in a plastic tank which is attached to the side of the tank and as of yet not melting lol plastic needs high temps to melt it, as long as the water aint boiling the plastic wont melt hence why babies bottles are made out of it and iv always added water right from the keetle without cooling it then cooled after without any problems. (i know that aint what was asked just pointing out that water temp needs to be very high eg boiling to melt plastic and as fish aint kept at that high a temp its safe to use a heater in a plastic tank)

 

[MermaidMel]

How stupid do I feel right now

 

[darkwolf29a]

80 degrees should not be anywhere close to a temperature tha can melt plastic. If it's melting the plastic...the heater's probably broken.

I have two 5 gallon bow tanks that I'm using for 2 trios of guppies. I put heaters in both tanks. I'm not sure if ithe tanks are acrylic or plastic, but I'm not going to worry about melting, that's for sure.

And Mel...I wouldn't worry about feeling stupid. We've all been at that stage of development when we weren't sure that doing something would harm the fish. After all....IMO, it's more important that the fish are alive and happy. If asking any question makes me feel better about doing something for them...I'll ask, whether someone else thinks the question is stupid.

 

[dthoffsett]

How stupid do I feel right now

Don't feel stupid, you don't know until you ask.