# good 50 watt adjustable heaters?



## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

I need a small, adjustable heater for my 10 gal. The one I have now 'sits' at 76F permanently. I'd like a heater of good value, but also non-destructible/exploding, and possibly one small enough to hide in a filter basket.

The online shops only carry a few brands. So if anyone has tips or places to look for a good heater of good value (price) let me know!


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Have you considered a hang on type. With small heaters the cord often is a problem.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

BettaBeats said:


> I need a small, adjustable heater for my 10 gal. The one I have now 'sits' at 76F permanently. I'd like a heater of good value, but also non-destructible/exploding, and possibly one small enough to hide in a filter basket.
> 
> The online shops only carry a few brands. So if anyone has tips or places to look for a good heater of good value (price) let me know!


I was looking for the same thing as well last year. I went with the Hydor Theo 25W and 50W. The 25W is in the 5.5gal right now and has been running solid for almost a year now (got in on Boxing Day sales so give it like 16 or so days and it'll be a year). I've turned the dial uip and down on it and verified the temp is a couple degrees from the listed temp on the dial with a mercury aquarium thermometer, laser thermometer (MasterCraft, IIRC ~3% accuracy), and with a expensive ExTech IR/laser thermometer (specs state IIRC +/- 1 degree accuracy).

Mind you when I drained wate out of the tank I either unplugged the heater or drained it just a couple mm's under where the plastic meets the heating surface. This heater is fully submersible and able to be positioned vertical/hortizontally (even the manual says it can). It is the shortest heater that I know of but then again I don't normally check up on the heaters often so my info is dated a year now. It is ~7inches and the 25W/50W both share the same form factor.

Hope this helps. IIRC It was ~$15ish when I got it at BA's online. Oh, I've not opened the 50W yet. Only the 25W is in use. I only got the 50W thinking the 50W in the 10gal was going to go soon but turns out that 50W heater in the 10gal kit is kicking good and does move the temp up/down as I adjust it.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

^ Excellent! I don't know how I overlooked the Hydor Theo on BigAlsOnline.ca 
I guess I will have quite a few purchases to make during boxing week.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I would assume the 50W would give the same results. You could load up 2 x 25W in the 10gal for redundancy. If my heater lasts 3 yrs I'll be happy. 5 or more the better.


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