Substrate heater

[mattcham]

The more I read about planted tanks the more discouraged I become. Do I really need a separate substrate heater if I want my planted masterpiece to last more than 18 months? The aquarium will be in a room that will get as cold as 70 degrees in winter months.

 

[Kharrnn]

I have never read anything about a substrate heater. I've had a planted tank for over 2 years and the plants are growing so fast I'm trimming almost every week.

 

[philipraposo198]

No you don't need o e nor have I heard of this.

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[dcutl002]

I have heard of them, but I do not have one. My tank is doing well.

 

[jumperlizard7]

You definitely don't need a substrate heater if you have a regular heater in your tank. As long as it doesn't get below 70 in the tank at any time, you don't need any heater.

 

[OhNeil1969]

Thanks to the OP for asking the question and thanks to those that replied. I am preparing to start my first "serious" planted tank and all info is appreciated.

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[schoeplein]

I've only seen substrate heaters uses in 1g bowels, and super massive tanks - like 240g plus (heating pads under the tank). As long as your heater is capable of keeping your tank water warm, you'll be fine.

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[aqua_chem]

Substrate heaters are planted tank voodoo from an age long past. I wouldn't even bother with one.

 

[fishenthusiast]

As long as you have nutrient rich substrate, good lighting, and good ferts, your plants will flourish.

 

[Fresh2o]

I read about substrate heating in a book called "The Optimum Aquarium". The idea was that, along with warming the tank, the heat would promote circulation of O2 and nutrients in the substrate. I actually built a false bottom to house a submersible heating using egg crating and sheets of acrylic. It worked for a while until the heater developed a short. "Are my fingers suppose to tingle when I'm feeding the fish?" Nope. Scary. Cannot remember if I had things hooked up to a GFCI. I unplugged it and it was never used again. That was 25 years ago. So yes, a blast from the past.

 

[mattcham]

I'm glad it's not a necessity. If you guys look back at where the science of the planted tank originated, it was from a German book called "The Optimum Aquarium" published in English language back in 1988. I read this book in 1990 and at that time it was too incomprehensible to me (I was in 10th grade). Much of what is practiced today is based on that book, which was the first of its kind.

The concept of the substrate requiring its own heat source comes from the idea that water does not circulate so well 3 or 4 inches under the substrate and so if the room ambient temperature is cold, it might eventually cause problems. Remember this book is from Germany, so those of you from Florida or Texas would never encounter this problem.