# Heater for a 2.5 gallon tank?



## Sky

Hello everyone!

I'm currently looking to buy a heater for my betta fish. Unfortunately, I don't know which I should get so I'm looking for any suggestions, recommendations, or advice. I have a 2.5 Gallon Aqueon Mini Bow Desktop tank and it's an acrylic tank, so I'm slightly worried about heaters melting through the tank which is another reason why I haven't purchased a heater yet.

Does anyone know which heater is the best for a 2.5 gallon acrylic tank? I was looking at the Marineland Thermal Plastic Shatterproof Heater (10 watts) but I'm hesitant to buy it just yet.

Thank you.


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## xMandy

Have you ever seen Zoomed betta heaters?
I have two. I use them in my one gallon and my 2.5g. Works great. 
It's also nice because it can go under the gravel. The only thing you see is the cord.


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## Lion Mom

I have a few of the Hagen Elite Mini 25 watt heaters is as little as 1 3/4 gallons & they work great. Also, they are 100% submersible & adjustable. 

No worry with the acrylic tanks - I heat all my acrylic tanks and have for years. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1309132234&sr=8-1&seller=


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## gummi

Lion Mom said:


> I have a few of the Hagen Elite Mini 25 watt heaters is as little as 1 3/4 gallons & they work great. Also, they are 100% submersible & adjustable.
> 
> No worry with the acrylic tanks - I heat all my acrylic tanks and have for years.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1309132234&sr=8-1&seller=


I've seen conflicting information regarding the submersible nature of the Hagen Elite Mini. I've seen several comments on various forums about them being fully submersible, but in the description on most web sites it says that they're not, including the product description in the Amazon link that you posted. I leave the adjustment knob of mine out of the water just in case. I wish there was a definitive answer on this.


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## Sky

Lion Mom said:


> I have a few of the Hagen Elite Mini 25 watt heaters is as little as 1 3/4 gallons & they work great. Also, they are 100% submersible & adjustable.
> 
> No worry with the acrylic tanks - I heat all my acrylic tanks and have for years.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1309132234&sr=8-1&seller=


Thanks for the advice! I'm pretty new to heaters. I just had a couple of questions. I went ahead and followed your link (thank you for providing one!), and I read that it is not a fully submersible heater, and yet in the title of the product it says it is? So it is fully submersible? Also, I saw that it has a suction to the actual tank. Is it attached to a long chord that you have to plug into an outlet? One last question, does it tell you what temp. the water is? Thanks again!


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## danifacetastic

I used to heat my 1 gallon with a 25 watt heater and it worked fine. Now I use the same 25 watt to heat my 10 gallon.


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## Sky

xMandy said:


> Have you ever seen Zoomed betta heaters?
> I have two. I use them in my one gallon and my 2.5g. Works great.
> It's also nice because it can go under the gravel. The only thing you see is the cord.


Thanks for the advice! Nope. Never heard of it. I'll check it out.


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## Lion Mom

Sky said:


> Thanks for the advice! I'm pretty new to heaters. I just had a couple of questions. I went ahead and followed your link (thank you for providing one!), and I read that it is not a fully submersible heater, and yet in the title of the product it says it is? So it is fully submersible? Also, I saw that it has a suction to the actual tank. Is it attached to a long chord that you have to plug into an outlet? One last question, does it tell you what temp. the water is? Thanks again!


Yes, it IS fully submersible. I have mine in a horizontal position at the bottom of the tanks/bowls I use them in. 

Yup - long cord that is plugged in to an outlet. Don't worry, the cord is water proof! :-D

The one thing lacking on these heaters is the lack of temperature numbers to help you set it. You have to play with it a little using your thermometer to get it set to where you want it, but once you do I have have them to be VERY dependable.


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## Sky

Lion Mom said:


> Yes, it IS fully submersible. I have mine in a horizontal position at the bottom of the tanks/bowls I use them in.
> 
> Yup - long cord that is plugged in to an outlet. Don't worry, the cord is water proof! :-D
> 
> The one thing lacking on these heaters is the lack of temperature numbers to help you set it. You have to play with it a little using your thermometer to get it set to where you want it, but once you do I have have them to be VERY dependable.


Sounds great! One last question, please excuse my ignorance, but could I burn myself if I touched the heater while it's on in my tank or could my fish burn himself? Because he would go poke it as soon as he saw it.


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## Lion Mom

Sky said:


> Sounds great! One last question, please excuse my ignorance, but could I burn myself if I touched the heater while it's on in my tank or could my fish burn himself? Because he would go poke it as soon as he saw it.


No problem! :-D

I have been keeping fish (and heaters) for over 10 years and have yet had a fish burn himself. I haven't burned myself yet, either! :lol:

Sure, if you grad the end with the heating element it IS uncomfortable, but haven't actually burned myself. 

Hope that helps!


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## Sky

Hey there! I wanted to let you know that I just got in the heater a couple of days ago and I wanted to ask you about the installation before I do it. I read that I should first leave it in for 30 min before turning it on so it can adjust to the water, and then I need to leave it in there for 12 hours before putting my fish in there just to make sure the temp. is good for him.

Do I really need to wait 12 hours though? And if that is correct, then the next time I do, for example, a water change, I would only have to first wait for 30 min so it can adjust to the new water and then turn it on and maybe wait for an hour or so?

I'm just not sure on the timing. I do have a thermometer just to let you know. 

Thanks!



Lion Mom said:


> No problem! :-D
> 
> I have been keeping fish (and heaters) for over 10 years and have yet had a fish burn himself. I haven't burned myself yet, either! :lol:
> 
> Sure, if you grad the end with the heating element it IS uncomfortable, but haven't actually burned myself.
> 
> Hope that helps!


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## gbose

Sky,

I thik the 12 hours only matters if you are in a really cold place and use cold tap water. Check your thermometer. When it gets into the high 70s, you're good.

GB


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## BasilBetta87

Nah, you won't have to wait 12 :shock: hours. When you put it in, let it sit so it adjusts to the tank temp and then turn it on. If you have a thermometer just monitor the temp as the heater is running and adjust the heater until your desired temp is reached. 

For my tank I don't even run a heater, my bed room stays pretty consistent and it sits between 77-79 degrees. But the closer it gets to winter, I'll be in the market for a small heater as well.


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## Pitluvs

I *think* the 12h thing isn't to warm the water up, but to make sure the heater isn't faulty and gives it 12h to make sure it doesn't break. I put a new heater in mine (Tetra 50W) and it held at 78F. I went to bed and the next morning, my tank was at 86F! I had Danios and Swordtails in it, along with two plecos. It was a 10g. So ya, when using new heaters, just keep an eye on the thermometer


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## Sky

Okay, thanks for all the advice guys! Yeah, it's my first heater so I'm new to it and just hesitant to do something wrong. But 12 hours is just so long to keep watch on it because I haven't been able to be in my room for that long a time straight through. Right now my thermometer says 73 degrees F. It really hasn't moved much, I guess my room just keeps a steady temperature for it.

For the future though, once I know the heater works, how long would I have to wait for the water to warm before putting my fish in during water changes?


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## Pitluvs

I would wait until it goes back to the normal temp it usually goes to. Mine is 78F, so when I do a tank change, I'll wait until 78F reads on my thermo and then I'll put Ben back in. The light on mine turns off when it hits 78F. Does yours have a light?


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## Sky

Pitluvs said:


> I would wait until it goes back to the normal temp it usually goes to. Mine is 78F, so when I do a tank change, I'll wait until 78F reads on my thermo and then I'll put Ben back in. The light on mine turns off when it hits 78F. Does yours have a light?


Thanks for the advice! Yes it has a light and it says that it blinks when it's on and it turns off when it's off. Which somewhat confused me. Does that mean it has a sensor or something?

This is the one if you want to see it: http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Submers...X8QG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310882885&sr=8-1


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## Pitluvs

It means that your heater has a thermometer in it so it knows what temp the tank is and when it has to turn on/off. Mine turns on once the temp drops to 75F, and brings it back to 78F and shuts off. If my tank goes over 78F on its own, the heater won't turn on. The light it just to let you know when it's on and off. 

Remember, turn off your heater and let it set for about 10mins before taking it out of water. Hot heater + cold air = no good.


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## Sky

I'm so glad you told me. I really need to remember that so there's no nasty surprises later when I take out the heater. I'll be a bit hesitant to leave my fish and the heater on at night, but I'll just have to remember to check the thermometer to make sure everything is going well in the morning. Thanks again!


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## nel3

has anyone tried the sponge to baffle the filter? i dont have a aq sponge yetbut i have a cushion stirp that comes off a anacharis stalk (the material wrapped with lead to hold 6-8 stalks together) seems to do a slight improvement but then again theres no fish in.


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## Sky

Hey guys! I just plugged in my heater for the first time and smoke started to come out :shock:

Is that normal for heaters that you turn on for the first time? It freaked me out and so I took it out of the tank. It wasn't too too much but it was noticeable.

Could it be broken?


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## Lion Mom

No, not normal at ALL!!! Do NOT use & return it!!!


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## nel3

Sky said:


> Hey guys! I just plugged in my heater for the first time and smoke started to come out :shock:
> 
> Is that normal for heaters that you turn on for the first time? It freaked me out and so I took it out of the tank. It wasn't too too much but it was noticeable.
> 
> Could it be broken?


which brand of heater was it?


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## Sky

nel3 said:


> which brand of heater was it?


It's the Elite mini submersible heater 25 watts.


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## Lion Mom

Sky said:


> It's the Elite mini submersible heater 25 watts.


WOW - I have a number of those & they all work PERFECTLY!!! Can you return it? Or maybe call Hagen. 

Sorry to hear about your trouble! :-(


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## Sky

Lion Mom said:


> WOW - I have a number of those & they all work PERFECTLY!!! Can you return it? Or maybe call Hagen.
> 
> Sorry to hear about your trouble! :-(


I was planning on calling them tomorrow to ask them about it. I bought it off amazon so I think I can return it and get a refund, but I'd prefer a replacement.

I was quite surprised too at the smoke! It received so many positive reviews and it really caught me off guard. It was so sad too because I actually just totally remodeled the tank with new decorations and plants since my fish was bored and biting his tail, and it looked so good in there! It felt like a totally new tank, and I finally got my heater after a year without one.

Since the directions said I needed to wait 12 hours before putting my fish in I totally blocked out today to just monitor it. I'll just have to try again another weekend. Hopefully my next one won't give me trouble.


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## nel3

:shock: i'll have to keep an eye out for it. got 2 heaters crossing the border today. one wont be used for a few weeks while i get my first betta used to a 1gal tank. how long did it take for it to smoke?


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## nel3

my 2 elite mini 25w heaters came in yesterday, didnt have time to inspect themn then. the heaters are weird, they have some sort of paper insulation iside the glass at the bottom of the heater. i havent yet tested them, will it burn the paper insulation when tested or is it made that way. 

how did you set up the heater that smoked sky? did you fully submerse it and which area was the smoke coming from? i'll see if mine do that same.


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## Sky

nel3 said:


> my 2 elite mini 25w heaters came in yesterday, didnt have time to inspect themn then. the heaters are weird, they have some sort of paper insulation iside the glass at the bottom of the heater. i havent yet tested them, will it burn the paper insulation when tested or is it made that way.
> 
> how did you set up the heater that smoked sky? did you fully submerse it and which area was the smoke coming from? i'll see if mine do that same.


The paper inside the glass is fine. It's supposed to be there. I thought the same thing and called their customer service line and they said it was fine. I didn't fully submerse it. I had it right at the recommended water level where it had that minimum water level right below the actual knob. I didn't have the whole thing submerged because some people have complained that it leaves an oily residue in the water if they fully submerge it. Probably some lubricant for the smaller turning knob on the top. 

I'm not sure where the smoke came from. I smelled it more than I saw it. It might have come from the actual knob.

I hope you have better luck than I did! I think I was just unlucky.


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## nel3

Sky said:


> The paper inside the glass is fine. It's supposed to be there. I thought the same thing and called their customer service line and they said it was fine. I didn't fully submerse it. I had it right at the recommended water level where it had that minimum water level right below the actual knob. I didn't have the whole thing submerged because some people have complained that it leaves an oily residue in the water if they fully submerge it. Probably some lubricant for the smaller turning knob on the top.
> 
> I'm not sure where the smoke came from. I smelled it more than I saw it. It might have come from the actual knob.
> 
> I hope you have better luck than I did! I think I was just unlucky.


thank you, i think i'll have to submerge mine just below the tuning knob for the 2.5g, the water level for the filter might be a bit low for the recomended heater level.

edit: looks like the recommended level will be fine in both 1g and 2.5g.


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## hermeh

my betta looks exactly like yours
try this : 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4134008&clickid=cart


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