200 n 400 watt heater overkill for 10 gal?

[Natty]

I have a 10 gallon tank and two heaters.

200 watt visitherm
400 watt hydor theo

I know they're both wayyyy over kill for a 10 gallon but do you think its safe?

I'm just going to use one.

Also, I read somewhere that visitherms rarely but have been known to malfunction and overheat and therefore are unreliable, is this true?

[Sponsors]

[epicfish]

I've read a few experience where the VisiTherm has malfunctioned. For what it's worth, I have 6 myself and they're all fine. The three I have on my shrimp tanks ARE run on a temperature controller, for extra safety.

I'd go with 100watt thermometers for a 10g.

[sick lid]

California getting colder? Correct me if I'm out to lunch, but I would have thought a 50 watt would be plenty for a 10gallon. A bigger heater would be cycling more, and thus more prone to failure. FWIW, I have a 300watt on my 180, a 200 on my 86, and 75 watt on my 32, all up in chilly old Canada.

[fishsandwitch]

50 watt for a heater! 5 watts per gallon raises the temp 13 degrees! I dont think you need more than that! If you use the 400 watt then your tank could be like 140 degrees!

[Natty]

Ya but since it stops at a certain temperature, doesn't it just mean that the 400 watter would heat the water a lot faster and turn off when it gets to the setted temperature?

I guess I'm asking this so that I didn't have to run out and buy another heater since I had some spares.

[sick lid]

Originally Posted by sick lid

A bigger heater would be cycling more, and thus more prone to failure.

like I said... Basically, It heats fast, shuts off. Heats again, shuts off. On and off, and on and off, and so on. If you turn a light bulb off and on over and over continually for days until it burns out, it'll burn out much sooner than a bulb that was simply left to burn, or got turned off once or twice a day. Goes for almost everything.

[PDX-PLT]

Is that an aquarium, or a tea kettle?

[mistergreen]

5 watts / Gallon yo. I've temperature shocked fish to death before with a overly high wattage heater.

the fluctuations and rapid heating & cooling is too much for fish in a small tank.

[lnb]

50w unless you're planning on making stew.

I've got:

55g w/200w
20g long w/100w
(2)15g w/100w
3g & 6g eclipse w/25w

All Tronic heaters except for the 25w. The reasoning for 2 heaters of lower wattage in a large tank is if one fails you always the other.

Heat is an accelerator of everything from growth to decomposition. IMO keeping everything at the lower end of their temp range is best. Growth is slower but so is the chance of having a tank crash because of something decomposing "before" you can find it is a big plus.

Agree with all. Constantly cycling on and off will burn up your heaters in no time.

You need to get yourself a thermometer. I have the digital Coralife ones with a probe for $6-7. Costly at first but more accurate in the long run. Needs a new button battery every few years.

[mrkookm]

Ya but since it stops at a certain temperature, doesn't it just mean that the 400 watter would heat the water a lot faster and turn off when it gets to the setted temperature?

C'mon Natty why not apply your logic here, use 2 heaters @ 600watts or even better 1000watts if you can and call it a day......right?

Every now and then we have to use a little common sense.

[Natty]

Originally Posted by mrkookm

C'mon Natty why not apply your logic here, use 2 heaters @ 600watts or even better 1000watts if you can and call it a day......right?

Every now and then we have to use a little common sense.

It's almost the weekend, logics out the door

But yeah I get what you're saying. I'm trying to get a 50 watt hydor right now.

Hey I have a new question:

is a 400 watt heater overkill for a 40 gallon tank?

[lnb]

Hey I have a new question:

is a 400 watt heater overkill for a 40 gallon tank?

If Tronic had a 150w heater I would have gotten 2 of those for the 55g. I would get a 200w, 300w at the most!

Heck, you live in CA. Exactly where I don't know but here in NYC it can get pretty damn cold. If I lived in Socal, depending on what kinda fish you have, you may not need a heater. Up Nocal definitely.

[sick lid]

Again, probably a hundred watt, or 150 is plenty for a 40 in California. Colder climates, bigger temp differential, bigger heater. Nice sunny warm Cali? Save your money. I've got a 200 on my 86 and a 75 on my 32 in *shivers-brrrrr* Canada.