Glass heater: Generally uses an explosion-proof glass shell, featuring low price, wide range of applications, and can be used in various aquariums. The disadvantage is that it is easy to break. If used in large fish tanks, it must be equipped with a protective cover to prevent damage by fish.
Stainless steel heater: Generally uses a stainless steel shell, featuring sturdiness, durability, and texture. However, the disadvantage is that it cannot be used in certain corrosive environments, such as saltwater tanks.
Quartz heater: Uses specially processed milky white quartz tubes, equipped with resistance composite materials, featuring durability, corrosion resistance, and can be used in saltwater tanks. However, the disadvantage is that the price is relatively high.
Ceramic heater: PTC ceramic heater is a commonly used ceramic heater now, composed of PTC ceramic heating elements and aluminum tubes. It has the advantages of low thermal resistance and high heat exchange efficiency, and is an automatic constant temperature, energy-saving electric heater. There is also an MCH ceramic heater that uses alumina ceramic, which is a new type of high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, and energy-saving ceramic heating element with built-in heating wire. Compared to PTC ceramic heating elements, MCH material is more environmentally friendly, saves 20-30% electricity under the same heating effect, and has a longer service life.
Usage Precautions:
① Do not power on the heater in the air. Because it heats up extremely quickly in the air, it may burn out the heater at best, or shatter the glass or burn your hands at worst. Even after powering off, do not immediately take it out of the water, as the temperature is still very high and can easily burn people or damage the heater.
② It is recommended to replace bimetallic strip heaters every one to two years, as the internal bimetallic strip may malfunction after prolonged use, to avoid unnecessary losses. The replaced heater can be kept as a spare and used for heating during water changes.
③ Repairing a heater is not cost-effective; ordinary bimetallic strip heaters are relatively inexpensive, and safety after repair is not guaranteed. Split heaters cannot be repaired by ordinary people, and hiring a professional to repair them costs almost as much as buying a new heater.
④ When changing water, be careful not to let the water level drop too low and expose the heater.
⑤ Regularly observe the heater and thermometer, do not rely on the indicator light of the heater, and use the water temperature as the standard.
Usage Experience:
1. Heaters have a service life, generally not exceeding two winters. Over time, the wires age, the contacts oxidize, and they may malfunction. Even imported heaters claim a lifespan of 1-2 years in their manuals. For safety, you can use the heater in combination with a thermostat. There are many brands of domestic thermostats, and the price is not high. Set the heater temperature slightly higher than the thermostat by 2°C, providing double protection to avoid the tragedy of boiling the fish.
2. Power selection of the heater: Generally, calculate based on the tank volume, with 2W of heating power per liter of water. If the tank has 300 liters of water, the total power of the heater should be at least 600W. Heating in winter may be the most electricity-consuming expense. I strongly recommend that everyone take insulation measures for their tanks. Buy a few 2cm thick foam boards, attach them to the back and sides of the tank, and make a well-sealed lid for the fish tank, which can greatly reduce energy loss. This only takes a little time and a small amount of money, but can save a lot on electricity bills. Why not do it? Remember, every penny we pay is our own labor reward, why go against our wallets?
3. Placement of the heater: For keeping large fish, the heater should be fixed securely, because some large fish can easily knock it against the tank wall and break it with a flick of their tail. Do not bury the heater in the substrate, nor let it directly contact the glass. There have been fish keepers who had the glass crack due to uneven heating from direct contact. Placing the heater diagonally or horizontally provides better heat dissipation, even if it may not look as good. Because heated water rises, a vertically placed heater has a smaller temperature difference between the hot water at the bottom and the top, so heat conduction is slower, which undoubtedly reduces heating efficiency, prolongs heating time, and wastes energy. For clumsy fish like stingrays, it is best to add a sleeve to the heater to prevent burns. If there are two heaters in the tank, try to place them on opposite sides for even heating. The thermometer should be placed farthest from the heater to ensure the water temperature reading is not from just-heated water.
4. It is best to have a spare heater at home. Otherwise, if the heater breaks at night, you won't have to panic.
5. The red light on a bimetallic strip heater does not indicate good working condition; the water temperature should be the standard. Because if the resistance wire breaks, the water temperature drops, the bimetallic strip closes the circuit, but it cannot heat, so the red light stays on for a long time. Of course, sometimes when the temperature is reached, the strip may not disconnect, causing the temperature to continue rising, which can also manifest as the red light staying on.
Selection Method
When choosing a heater, you must consider power matching. Generally speaking, every 5 liters of water requires 10W of power. For example, an aquarium that is 90cm long, 30cm wide, and 38cm deep has a volume of 100 liters and should use a 200W heater. For larger tanks, 90cm or above, it is recommended to use two 100W heaters placed at opposite ends of the tank for even heating and better results.
If your fish tank can meet its heating requirements with one 300W heater, then I suggest using two 150W or 200W heaters instead. This way, you avoid the tragedy that could occur if a single heater fails and you are negligent. Having two heaters ensures that they won't fail simultaneously, thus guaranteeing the temperature requirements for your beloved fish. The power consumption of two 200W heaters is similar to that of one 300W heater (under the same environmental temperature and insulation conditions)! I have specifically tested this with an electricity meter!
