Heater for 10 gal?

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Blackpearl

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Messages
97
Location
Saskatoon, Canada
Hi,

I'm positive now that I have ich in my tank, and would like to proceed with the heat treatment. What is the recommended heater specs for a 10 gal?
 
A heater for a 10 gal should be around 50-75 watts. I have Ebo-Jagers...never had a problem before.

Raise the temp only a degree or so an hour till you get to about 80-85 degrees.
 
Do you have a heater in the tank now? If not, you really should - especially with your frigid Canadian winters. Temperature fluctuations stress fish and leave them vulnerable to diseases. Most fish do well at 78 - 82oF

5 watts per gallon is the norm, so 50W should be OK for your 10 gal. Perhaps 75W if the room gets chilly at night.

To treat ich, raise the temp over the course of a few hours to 88oF and leave it there for three weeks, no less. Ich be gone - almost guaranteed.
 
Since you live in Canada, I would go with a 75w or 100w heater like QTOFFER said. 5w/gallon is usually plenty, however I ran into some situations where the room temp droppped quickly and 5w/gallon was not enough to keep a 10g tank above 85F for the Ich treatment. Once you drop below that threshhold, you are actually making the Ich worse so you need to be certain you have enough of a heater to maintain 86F+. I live in Maine, which is pratically tropical compared to most of Canada :D

The extra wattage will only cost another few $$$ so definitely go with somethine over 50w if you can.
 
Thank you very much for the quick response! One water change away and so many helpful responses.

I don't have a heater yet, it was pretty warm in the summer, and this is the first winter with the tank. Since my apartment is usually quite warm even in the winter, I think I'll go with 50W. I'm getting the heater tomorrow.

Kudos to you all.
 
If not, you really should - especially with your frigid Canadian winters.
The tanks aren't kept outside!!

I agree with the 50 W heater--that's what I use and all is fine.
 
I've just came back from LFS with 50W heater and just finished setting it up. Temperature is currently at 78 F.

** monitoring tank temperature anxiously **
 
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