[justin182]

Hi. I was going to buy the 100W Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth Heater for my 10g tank, which is located in a room normally at 50-60F during winter time. The tank has no hood/canopy with over-the-tank lighting fixture w/ legs.

But from Big Al's,
100W = $27
200W = $23
250W = $24

,which makes me wonder whether I should get the one with higher wattage, and be able to use it in a bigger upgrade tank in the future.

Does it hurt using a much higher rated (200 and 250W) for 10g. It will probably turn on and off quite A LOT in the 10g tank, right? Also, is its surface gonna get much hotter than the 100W? Will it accidentally kill my lovely otos???

Thanks!!!!

 

[Postal Penguin]

In a room that is 50 the heater will have to raise the water >20F so I would go with a 200W at least heater. Just make sure you have adequate flow around the heater to keep it effective.

 

[WhiskeyD]

I think i would go with two smaller heaters in each corner, maybe two 150 watt heaters?

 

[GTR]

50° INSIDE the house????? Brrrrrr. lol

I'd go with two smaller as well and unplug one in the summer. Less likely to cook things if it malfunctions.

SteveU

 

[airborne_r6]

Check Drs Foster and Smith, stealth heaters are on sale until Oct 6 and are cheaper than the prices you just listed. If for some reason you dont want to buy there, buy the cheaper one.

Link:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+12060&pcatid=12060

 

[justin182]

In a room that is 50 the heater will have to raise the water >20F so I would go with a 200W at least heater. Just make sure you have adequate flow around the heater to keep it effective.

The problem is that I really have no prior knowledge that a 100W or 200W will suffice. Assume that the room temp is 50 F (THE lowest it could get), the water needs to be raised by ~25 F.

From another site

It says to raise water temp by 15 C / 27 F in a 10g tank, 100W is needed. I just wanna play safe and get a higher W one, which is just a dollar or 2 more expensive.

 

[justin182]

I think i would go with two smaller heaters in each corner, maybe two 150 watt heaters?

50° INSIDE the house????? Brrrrrr. lol

I'd go with two smaller as well and unplug one in the summer. Less likely to cook things if it malfunctions.

SteveU

I would love to have 2 100W on each corner IF REALLY NEEDED (costing ~$45 there) ... but the 150W (and 200W) one are listed as 13 3/4", so they have to be put either diagonally or horizontally. 2 of them put this way may seem a little too conspicuous. If I have to put the heater this way, I rather have just one 200W (which is just $23) or one 250W (which is even an inch longer, and costing just a dollar more) to hide.. hummmmmmmmmm...........

 

[justin182]

Check Drs Foster and Smith, stealth heaters are on sale until Oct 6 and are cheaper than the prices you just listed. If for some reason you dont want to buy there, buy the cheaper one.

Link:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+12060&pcatid=12060

Still thinking about getting the 100W one or the 200W one. What do you think?

 

[FSM]

My 200 watt stealth had no trouble raising the temp of my 75 gallon tank to 90, probably 15 degrees higher than room temperature at the time.

Your tank is 10 gallons



You could stand a 100W vertically in the 10 gallon, a 200W is 3" longer though and will be much more noticeable.

 

[airborne_r6]

You could stand a 100W vertically in the 10 gallon, a 200W is 3" longer though and will be much more noticeable.

Thats a good point.

 

[lauraleellbp]

50° INSIDE the house????? Brrrrrr. lol

I'd go with two smaller as well and unplug one in the summer. Less likely to cook things if it malfunctions.

SteveU

+1

I'd start with one 100w and get a 2nd one if one doesn't do it... which I think should.

 

[justin182]

thanks guys!!
i will just get a 100W for now.

 

[Left C]

+2 on the 100w

I have two 10g aquariums and one 15g aquarium in a room that gets down to the 50's in winter. I have 100w heaters in each of the 10g and a 150w in the 15g. The water stays around 78°. I keep the heaters in them all year round. All of these heaters are Jäger's.

 

[jreich]

i still think you should get 2x 100w because if 1 failes your gona have a 10gal fishy popsicle. besides 50 is pretty chilly thats goint to stress 1 heater, but 2 would only help. that is if you dont mind looking at the ugly things

 

[Left C]

Here's an idea. Get an Eheim 2213 or 2215 for your 10g. It has 1/2" or 12mm fittings. Then get a Hydor ETH 1/2" 200w inline heater. This way a lot of stuff will be out of your aquarium.

 

[talontsiawd]

I have had only one heater fail. What it did is sent my temps WAY too high. This came with my tank. I got by with setting it at the lowest setting (65 degrees) which is about 78 but sometimes spikes to 80. I am actually getting the inline heater posted above when I have money to take things out of the tank. The heater is the ugliest in take piece so I want it out.

 

[justin182]

Here's an idea. Get an Eheim 2213 or 2215 for your 10g. It has 1/2" or 12mm fittings. Then get a Hydor ETH 1/2" 200w inline heater. This way a lot of stuff will be out of your aquarium.

This is very true and this is actually what I would love to get... but after paying $7500 tuition.... really not that much money left brother!!!!

Demn... i should leave this forum and find a job........

 

[Burks]

50° INSIDE the house????? Brrrrrr. lol

I'd go with two smaller as well and unplug one in the summer. Less likely to cook things if it malfunctions.

SteveU

Bingo! Take it from someone who knows, I fried an entire tank full of RCS before...

A buddy fried a 120g packed with a couple grand of coral by using a single 1000w heater. Killed a vast majority of his fish, including a prized (and HUGE) Purple Tang.

 

[Left C]

This is very true and this is actually what I would love to get... but after paying $7500 tuition.... really not that much money left brother!!!!

Demn... i should leave this forum and find a job........

Next semester, can you enroll at a in-state, state supported university? It's a bit cheaper that way. :hihi:

I'm just kidding.

 

[vca2004]

I'd just get a reliable heater and go with 150-200W. Get an Ebo Jager (Eheim), they are the very best. You can research them, I did and couldn't find any heater malfunctions that killed stuff. They are extremely precise, made w/ pyrex glass, and have an auto shut-off.

BTW, bigals will pricmatch (and beat the price by 5%). Do a google search and you'll find cheap prices on the Jager heaters for them to beat.