Heater.. is there such thing as too big?

[KreativJustin]

I'm looking at Amazon.com and saw this
Marineland Visi-Therm Deluxe Submersible Heater 100W 10.25 in - up to 29 gallons


It's only 16.68, not too bad of a price.

I have a 55gal and my gf has been driving me nuts about starting up her own tank. So I got her a 10 gallon to start out with some Glass Painted Fish and Glow Tetras. Now, I want to buy the one up to 29gal in case she decides to move on to a bigger tank.

This won't fry her fish up will it? It does have a temp control on it.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I'm looking at Amazon.com and saw this
Marineland Visi-Therm Deluxe Submersible Heater 100W 10.25 in - up to 29 gallons

It's only 16.68, not too bad of a price.

I have a 55gal and my gf has been driving me nuts about starting up her own tank. So I got her a 10 gallon to start out with some Glass Painted Fish and Glow Tetras. Now, I want to buy the one up to 29gal in case she decides to move on to a bigger tank.

This won't fry her fish up will it? It does have a temp control on it.

No. I like to use heaters that are used for big tanks in small tanks so I have some heat. This is if you like your temp around 80 though.


On the side note, don't get painted glass fish. They go through a painful process called tattooing and are usually sick when bought. Look for regular ones.

 

[dollabill420]

O have a 200 watt heater in a 20 gal, if you did the math and worked it out I figure a bigger heater will actually save you money and keep your tank more stable because it doesn't run as long as a heater that is under powered, a good rule is 5 watts a gallon, you can go lower say if in a warmer climate but if in a colder climate or like to have your house/room a bit on the chilly side it's a good idea to get at least 5 watts per gallon for small tanks for a 55gal and over I like using a couple smaller heaters (two 100-150watt) but this is not to say a tank would do fine with 2 watts per gallon with only one heater, mostly depends on the environment the tank is subject to

Hope this helps a bit PM me or post again if need more answered this is just a general statement and nothing of fact just experience

 

[jeffp]

It is possible there is such a thing as too big, but it would likely be hard to achieve. It would be too big if in the time it took for the heater's temperature sensor to read the new temperature, the heater continued heating enough that it overheated the water. The power consumption of both will be nearly the same since the amount of energy will need to be added to the water no matter what size heater you have. The only reason you need to get a bigger heater for a bigger tank is to combat the additional mass of water, and the additional surface area for heat transfer to occur (namely heat leaving the water and entering the air around it)

 

[dollabill420]

I think 20 500 watts lined up along the back of a 10 gal could push it over the limit lol

 

[jeffp]

Oddly enough, probably not, lol.
specific heat of water = 4.186 kJ/kgC
10 gal water = 37.85 kg
energy needed to raise 10g of water 1C = 158.44 kJ.
20*500 watt = 10 kW = 10 kJ/s. So it would take about 16 seconds to heat the water 1 degree. Assuming the temp sensor has say...a 30 second delay in reading the temp, the tank would only overheat by 2 degrees, which will probably not kill any fish.

 

[KreativJustin]

Thanks Since she might move up to a 29 eventually, should I buy one for a 50!?

 

[dollabill420]

Thanks Since she might move up to a 29 eventually, should I buy one for a 50!?

Couldn't hurt to buy one

 

[KreativJustin]

Good deal, hopefully she feels like me and wants to get a 280