Heater wattage. Help!?

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GrantA94

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 12, 2011
985
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cumbria
Well, I have just got back from a night away to find all my fish sat on the bottom (alive), alarmingly still. So I checked my params with a dip strip and the water felt freezing. So I checked the temps which are at 19*C. I had a look in mysump to find my indestructable heater had exposed wired. The wires had come away from the case and obviously tripped the fuse. Needless to say I will be writing to Rena.

However, I am now on my way to the lfs. My question is, a 300w heater worked previously for the 135g I have, do I need 300w again or can I go smaller? The room temp is around 16-20*C for the most part and I will be heating to 22-24*c. I know its said 3watts per gallon, but I had a 300 on my 180, so thats less than 2 per gallon.

Thanks in advance.
 
I have mostly always done 1 heater in a tank but I have had the same thing happen as you. If you got 2 200 Watt heaters you will always have a back up incase this happened again the tank would hold an Alright temp and having two would spread the heat out. Most 300 Watt heaters always say they are for about 100 gallons some say far more but just depends on room temp.
 
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately buying 2x 200w was out of the question because they didn't have any. It was either 50w or 300w. So needless to say I came home with another 300w and a dint in my wallet...

Sounds like a stupid question, but...
Is running 2x 300w heaters going to use the same amount of electricity as 1x 300w heater. In simple terms they would be on half as much? I know there is variables but as a rule?
 
Basically they will run half the time to heat the tank rather than one heater. Sometimes one heater running too much can burn it out faster also than 2 running less. So replacement cost also night be better because heaters last longer.
 
U shoulda ordered an inline heater! Indestructable for reals

#1 S. Vettel
 
F1 VET said:
U shoulda ordered an inline heater! Indestructable for reals

#1 S. Vettel
Click to expand...

This was a rena smartheater, the inline one. Supposedly indestructable... I guess not. It popped off the suction cups and pulled the wires through.

Two heaters is something I'll look into, because I don't wanna lose my fishies!
 
Well, the heater is in the tank. Its slowly warming it up. Around 20-21*C now. The fish seem alright. No ill effects visable atm, so fingers crossed. Thanks for the concern :)
 
Im guessing my 400 watt would be fine alone but hey. I never trust them to all work. I think one was brokedn so what ever.
 
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