underpowered heater?

[batang_mcdo]

What will be the effect if i use a underpowered heater?
lets say my tank is 300 gallons, and i just use 300 watt heater?
room temp is 27 deg celius.
water temp is 26 deg, trying to bring it up to 27 deg celcius.

 

[jimk]

The heater will most likely not cycle like heaters normally do. It will always be on. This will shorten the life and you will need a new one. You might as well get the new one now and correctly heat the tank. As you probably know, heaters usually fail in the on position so you are risking cooking your fish.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy, and welcome to MFK!

If your room temp is permanently 27`C, even in winter (do you have winters in the philippines?), and you want your water temp to be 27`C, then the heater you have right now will be just fine. Your tank will even reach it without a heater. Furthermore, filtration and lights will add some heat, too. It will take longer to reach the desired temp after water changes with cooler water, but honestly, I do not see a big problem here.

As you probably know, heaters usually fail in the on position so you are risking cooking your fish.

The risk of cooking fish with a 300 W heater in a 300 gal tank is quite low. I doubt the heater could do any damage. However, problems arise when heater wattage is too high.

HarleyK

 

[Ducati996]

Howdy, and welcome to MFK!


The risk of cooking fish with a 300 W heater in a 300 gal tank is quite low. I doubt the heater could do any damage. However, problems arise when heater wattage is too high.

HarleyK

i agree i couldnt get my one heater to get my tank warm enough in the winter (temp in basement hovered around low 60 at times and that was a 300w in a 220 gallon.

no risk of cooking fish using 300w on a 300 gallon tank....

 

[Dr Joe]

What will be the effect if i use a underpowered heater?
lets say my tank is 300 gallons, and i just use 300 watt heater?
room temp is 27 deg celius.
water temp is 26 deg, trying to bring it up to 27 deg celcius.

What's causing the differential. Tank should climatize to its surroundings. For a tank that size you should need about a thousand watts of heater.

 

[batang_mcdo]

thanks! 26 deg would be the lowest temp i think. its quite warm here. but its rainy season , right now and there are typhoons , no winters though. my arowanas appettite are not as good as when the water is about 28 deg celcius so thought of raising the temp just a little


btw i just added another 300 watt heater into the 300 gal tank. not sure if their settings are exactly the same though.