How to use two heaters in a single tank?

[Niki86]

So I bought two heaters for my tank, I was wondering how to use them properly? Do I set both at the temperature I want the tank? Do I set both a little lower than I actually want the tank? (I'm pretty sure thy need to be set at the same temperature so they are not competing with each other, and please correct me if I'm wrong)

Let's say hypothetically I want my tank 27 degrees, what do I set them at (27, 26??)

Thanks in advance

 

[hennaartist]

You need to set them at the same temperature.

 

[Gillie]

Set them at the same temp, obviously at opposite ends of the tank.

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[Niki86]

Should I be setting them at the desired temp? Or just below what I want the temp to be? May sound like a silly question but if one heater is heating water and so is the other one would it make the temp hotter than the setting? (Not sure if I'm making sense)

 

[ScotJudd]

Set both heaters to the temp that you want. I have found that even digital heaters differ a little from the set reading and from each other. When I set up the tank I put a heater each in two buckets of water and checked them out. I found one heater was spot on and the other heated a little bit high. I adjusted that heater so the two buckets were the same. Now, if I need to raise or lower the temp I know that one is spot on and the other I set to 1 deg lower than I want.

 

[Niki86]

Awesome, thanks scotjudd

 

[pip walters]

Set one heater a little lower than the other. If you have both set the same, both will come on each time the temp drops slightly, which means twice the electricity to heat the two elements.

If one is set at say a degree lower, it will only come on if the temp drops to a degree below that required. A drop of one degree won't cause a problem.

 

[Niki86]

Thanks, this site and the people are fantastic! Always so helpful!

 

[ScotJudd]

Niki is quite right about the heaters being a little different but if you aim to set them the same they will more than likely be a little different anyway especially if they are not identical heaters.


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[ukejoe83]

Was goin to ask why u need 2 heaters in the summer, but seen ur a bit north. Just to be a prying American, how big is the aquarium.

 

[Niki86]

Yea I live in Canada probably won't need them much in the summer but come fall we will, I have a 40g breeder I got for free and I'm planning to upgrade to a 75 within a year (just waiting for the right deal)

 

[T1KARMANN]

The problem is even if you set them at the same temp one will always click on before the other

For best results buy a temp control unit then plug them both into that
A temp controller is a great bit of kit and fairly cheap
You plug both heaters into the controller and turn them above what you want the temp and then set the temp you want via the controller
Temp controllers are far more accurate than a heater thermostats


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[Niki86]

I didn't even know these things existed!! Is that the proper name for them?

 

[ukejoe83]

Yea I live in Canada probably won't need them much in the summer but come fall we will, I have a 40g breeder I got for free and I'm planning to upgrade to a 75 within a year (just waiting for the right deal)

Sweetness, I understand now. Ya I had to use two heaters last winter, left one on all day and plugged the other in a trimmer so it would only kick on at nite. That's cause I dont heat the house when I'm sleeping. Just to give u another idea

 

[T1KARMANN]

Temp controller
Temperature controller
External thermostat

All names given to this kind of unit


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