Heaters

[CAR]

Hello - im a newbie and trying to learn everything before i set up my first fish tank,done lots of research and read tons on here so im confident now BUT i got one question (probably really stupid to experienced fish keepers) i read a question on this website that someones heater broke and instead of leaving it for 30mins took it out the tank straight away and burnt there hand!!! now im scared!!!

How do heaters work?

Will it burn my fish if they touch it?

How do i tell its working properly before i put it in the tank? (i know i have to get a thermometer for the side of the tank) but what if it is faulty and give the fish electric shocks (and me!!) Can i test the new heater in a bucket with a thermometer before i put it in the tank?

Where is the best place to put a heater in the tank?

Sorry if you are laughing where i am so stupid!! but i would realy like to be reassured heaters are ok and how they work.

Thanks

 

[fluttermoth]

Heaters are, in general, very safe. I don't know the technicalities behind how they work, but it's essentially running an electric current through a coil of wire. The whole thing is sealed, and you should never rty to repair heaters yourself, as you'd break the seal.

The main things to remember are never, ever plug it in and switch it on while outside the tank, as then they overheat (as there's no water to transport the heat away) and can crack, and leave it to cool down in the tank before you try moving it.

Most fish won't go near heaters, but occasionally a sick or frightened fish might try to hide behind the heater, and some catfish like to lie near them. You can buy a heater with a heater guard (a dilled piece of plastic that covers the heating element) to be on the safe side.

The best place for heaters is horizontally, as low down in the tank as you can, without it being covered or touching the substrate. You want it low down as hot water rises, like hot air and if the heater is too high in the tank it can possibly leave cold spots lower in the tank. You mustn't let the heater touch the substrate as that means the heat can't circulate properly which could again lead to cracking.

Try not to panic; in all my years of fishkeeping I've only ever had one cracked heater, which was entirely my own fault; I was doing a large water change and forgot to switch the heater off, and it ended up running dry.

 

[CAR]

Heaters are, in general, very safe. I don't know the technicalities behind how they work, but it's essentially running an electric current through a coil of wire. The whole thing is sealed, and you should never rty to repair heaters yourself, as you'd break the seal.

The main things to remember are never, ever plug it in and switch it on while outside the tank, as then they overheat (as there's no water to transport the heat away) and can crack, and leave it to cool down in the tank before you try moving it.

Most fish won't go near heaters, but occasionally a sick or frightened fish might try to hide behind the heater, and some catfish like to lie near them. You can buy a heater with a heater guard (a dilled piece of plastic that covers the heating element) to be on the safe side.

The best place for heaters is horizontally, as low down in the tank as you can, without it being covered or touching the substrate. You want it low down as hot water rises, like hot air and if the heater is too high in the tank it can possibly leave cold spots lower in the tank. You mustn't let the heater touch the substrate as that means the heat can't circulate properly which could again lead to cracking.

Try not to panic; in all my years of fishkeeping I've only ever had one cracked heater, which was entirely my own fault; I was doing a large water change and forgot to switch the heater off, and it ended up running dry.

Hiya

I feel more reassured now thanks,phew i understand now why the heaters get hot if not in water, did make me worry;, so if i need to keep my water at ie 22C the heater wouldnt be too hot in the tank, as it would keep the water at a constant temperature and just warm it a little if need be, is that correct how i am understanding?.(i live in the UK and my house is quite warm so the water shouldnt get too cold). Still best to ask even if silly questions before i start so i make sure i get my tank spot on before i start to keep fish. Might try and get one with a guard though, put my mind at rest.

Sorry another questions. If i put the heater up straight on the glass, is it best to put it where the flow from the pump is or on the other side of the tank?

Thanks again

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Hi there..

You should always put your heater at angle, this way the heat that is given off in transferred into the tank and not straight up onto the thermostat of your heater, which would constantly tell your heater that your water is too warm and the heater wouldn't work as well as it should.
Personally, i like to have my heater just below and to the side of my external filter outlet, this way the warm water is circulated around my tank to the best of it's ability.

Hope this helps,

Terry.

 

[Cazgar]

Place your heater horizontally near to the flow from your filter so the warm water gets evenly distributed.
As for temperature, it depends what fish you want to keep. You shoul have a thermometer too, placed away from the heater so you can keep an eye on the temp
As a guide, if you have a 50 litre tank, then you want a 50 watt heater

 

[DBT85]

Another option are Hydor external heaters. They just go inline with your external filter if you have one. It means a cleaner look inside your tank and no possibility of a fish getting scalded.

 

[Jamie24]

Slightly changing the topic here, when I do my 90% water change after my fishless cycle is it ok to use boiled water from a kettle to get the water warm, I use a hosepipe for changes as my tank is tall but I only get cold water from a pipe so how do I get it up to temp without having to wait 3 days for the heater to do its job

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, it's fine to use boiled water; it's also safe to use water from the hot tap, unless your loft storage tank or your pipes are in a state of disrepair. In most houses it'll be fine to use.

 

[Cazgar]

Boiled water is fine, as is the hot water from a combination boiler, but if you have a hot water tank, I wouldn't use that

 

[CAR]

Thanks so its horizontal or on a angle, and low down in the tank but not touching anything (glad i asked now! i thought you can stand them up straight). I have a 90L tank and internal Interpet Filter for 90L tank. So i will put heater where the outlet flow is and make sure i get a good thermometer.

Ohh another question just sprung to mind, reading on here other peoples messages, it seems i should get a spare heater incase mine breaks, is that a good idea?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

i have a spare filter (internal and external), spare bulbs, spare media/sponges and floss wool...and a spare heater. The thought of running round like a headless chicken at 0200 on a weekend really doesn't do it for me.. but be sure your spare heater is suffucient for your tank size

Terry.

 

[Cazgar]

I also have spares just in case, no wonder my shed is looking full lol

 

[CAR]

Thanks a lot !!! looks like i will be spending a lot of money!! ha ha

 

[jenjen_82]

Place your heater horizontally near to the flow from your filter so the warm water gets evenly distributed.
As for temperature, it depends what fish you want to keep. You shoul have a thermometer too, placed away from the heater so you can keep an eye on the temp
As a guide, if you have a 50 litre tank, then you want a 50 watt heater

I had a 21 litre tank and had to get a 50w heater as the 25w wouldn't heat it. I now have a 64ltr tank and that had a 150w heater supplied with it which works a treat

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Place your heater horizontally near to the flow from your filter so the warm water gets evenly distributed.
As for temperature, it depends what fish you want to keep. You shoul have a thermometer too, placed away from the heater so you can keep an eye on the temp
As a guide, if you have a 50 litre tank, then you want a 50 watt heater

I had a 21 litre tank and had to get a 50w heater as the 25w wouldn't heat it. I now have a 64ltr tank and that had a 150w heater supplied with it which works a treat

1 important thing that i cant see (shame on the expericed members lol ) Make sure you have a drip loop (google will show an image) and make sure when your hands are in the water there is no elecricity going into the tank.

Many members will reply i put my hand without turning them off at the mains but remember safty 1st it only take the once to go wrong. Stay safe BBA