# Small heater for 1.5 gal tank?



## shellybee (Jan 25, 2010)

Can anyone recommend the best small heater to get for a 1.5 gal tank? I tried a Marineland 10W heater, but it was calibrated too low so I am exchanging it to try another one...
I have also seen something similar "Newattino Plus" but I have no idea where it is sold here, if at all. It seemed to only appear on UK sites.
I am not interested in anything that does not have a thermostat to regulate temperature. Also needs to be compact due to the already tiny tank. If it were adjustable that would be perfect, I'm not sure if I trust the pre-set ones.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

For a small tank, I think you will only be able to get preset heaters.

The heaters that you can set the temperature will likely be too big; unless you can find a 25 watt heater (I see this only very rarely).


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## officerben (Dec 21, 2006)

I saw some small tank heaters at Big Als today, didn't really take a good look at them, but they flat and slender looking 15watt, check this out:
http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp56998/si3277195/cl0/hydorminiaquariumheater15w

Ben


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

A friend of mine had one of these...it is NOT set-able, it just raises the temperature "a few degrees" higher than ambient room temperature. It nearly nuked his 5g tank...


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

shellybee said:


> Can anyone recommend the best small heater to get for a 1.5 gal tank? I tried a Marineland 10W heater, but it was calibrated too low so I am exchanging it to try another one...
> I have also seen something similar "Newattino Plus" but I have no idea where it is sold here, if at all. It seemed to only appear on UK sites.
> I am not interested in anything that does not have a thermostat to regulate temperature. Also needs to be compact due to the already tiny tank. If it were adjustable that would be perfect, I'm not sure if I trust the pre-set ones.


What is your tank measurement?

IIRC (and I could be wrong here) but I've heard someone mention of a thermostat device that attaches to the 2 or 3 prong plug of the device you're using to control the heat. Mind you he was thinking of using that for a electric blanket but it can still be applied here as well.

IIRC the thermostat thing for the blanket thing I think was just either regulating the current or wattage to the device thus allowing the temps to be controlled. I could be wrong as I'm not an electrician but a hobbyist with a tiny electronics understanding.

Perhaps someone else here can chime in on this. If such a device exsists I'd like to know where to get one as well so I can temp control my heater pads in my seedling growbeds. Wait! I think I also saw that at the online gardening seedling heater grow mats.

I'll check in a few mins as I'm tending the stove cooking some dessert. Now I'm curious on this...


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Zoo med makes a heat mat similar to, but bigger than the hydor heaters. And yes, you can get an optional temperature control dial (called a rheostat) that you plug the heat mat into. I have one on my terrarium and it works quite well...


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

carmenh said:


> Zoo med makes a heat mat similar to, but bigger than the hydor heaters. And yes, you can get an optional temperature control dial (called a rheostat) that you plug the heat mat into. I have one on my terrarium and it works quite well...


So it's placed under the tank?

I too have a 1.5 gallon tank I was at Walmart and they have preset one for 2 - 5 gallons. None where their I picked up a 10-30 gallon Terta submersible I bet the smaller one would work. I put the big one in the 1.5 and it didn't seem really warm


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

It sticks on the bottom glass of a larger tank or terrarium. Then you can plug the heating pad either into the wall (simply raises the temp) or into the rheostat (sets the temp where you want it). It does a good job but is not really recommended for water. I have it on my exo-terra that has several inches of water and hydroton in it but when I top it up, I make sure the new water is warmer than what's in there to avoid cracking the glass. No harm to the inhabitants (carnivorous plants), as the water level is below the roots, but with fish you wouldn't want to add water warmer than what's in it so it might be risky. That and 1.5 gallons of water would overheat very fast...


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Pending how tall the OP's tank is (waiting measurements) Hydor makes a 25W version when dropped to the lowest temp may help you out. It's ~6" IIRC.

Yahj it's higher Watts but if the lowest gets you +2-3C difference to there you need it it'll help and still give you that dialing option.


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## shellybee (Jan 25, 2010)

The tank I have is made by Tetra, approx. 7" cube.
The Hydor mini mat does not have a thermostat so it remains on all the time. I also tried this one, 7.5W size, but it only draws 5W (nice quality control) and does not raise the temp enough. Plus with the house temp fluctuating so does the tank.  
To regulate the temperature, there needs to be a thermostat on the heater (i.e. in the tank) to shut it off once the tank is the right temp. An external rheostat would simply adjust the power supply to the heating element.
I had considered the Hydor Theo, 25W but it seems physically too big (hydor website says it's 7") plus I'd worry about the failure case which would cook my poor fish.
So I'll try another Marineland unit, and keep you posted.


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

why not get a 25 watt heater, submersible and just bury it underneath the gravel?


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