Aquarium heater

For aquarium fish, it is necessary to create an appropriate habitat, since for the most part they are brought from warm countries, therefore they can only exist at a temperature of at least 25-30 degrees. Even if the aquarium is in a warm room, an aquarium heater is usually required. This is due to the fact that the water in the aquarium should not only be warm, but also because the temperature of the water should be as stable as possible. Indeed, some fish species are highly susceptible to fluctuations in water temperature.

The power of the aquarium heater is calculated in watts . Manufacturers usually indicate on the package for what volume (size) of the aquarium the specific heater is intended.

An aquarium heater usually consists of two parts: a heater and a regulating element to maintain a constant temperature. It may or may not have a thermostat . It is used mainly in warm-water and tropical aquariums.

In modern aquariums , electric heaters are more common, in which the electric spiral is the heat source.

In combination with regulating elements, such heaters make it possible to accurately maintain the required temperature at a relatively small size and cost. Previously, electric heaters were made of radio resistors , which were mounted in a chemical test tube and filled up with sand; earlier, test tubes filled with saline solution were used as a heater, in which two carbon electrodes from old batteries were placed.

According to the energy source, aquarium heaters are divided into:

• electric, in which water is heated from an element receiving power from an electric current;
• fuel, in which water is heated by an open fire;
• powered by central heating systems.

Depending on the placement in the aquarium, heaters are divided into:

• internal, completely submerged in water;
• with partial immersion, in which the heater is in water, and the regulating element in air;
• external, in which the heating element is in the open air.

Internal heaters are installed either at the bottom of the aquarium, or in a place where there is an influx of water from the filter, duct, and the like.

Most heaters have a suction cup that allows you to attach the device to the glass wall of the aquarium or terrarium.

The power of the heater is determined by the parameters of the aquarium ( volume , surface area , the presence of a cover or coverslip, installation location, type and power of lighting lamps, etc.) and the temperature difference at which it is necessary to heat the water. In the most general case, the heater power is determined by the volume of the aquarium and the temperature difference from the range (0.2: 0.5 W) / (l * degree). In heaters with a regulator, the relative power can be up to (1.0 W) / (l * degree).

On English-speaking sites it is indicated that, as a rule, heating up 1 gallon of water (from 3.79 to 4.55 liters) requires 5 watts per gallon. Thus, a 20-liter aquarium will require a 100-watt heater.

It is undesirable to install heaters with a significant power reserve, since failure of the regulating equipment or untimely shutdown of the heater can lead to overheating of the water and the death of aquatic organisms .

Additionally, with a heater, the temperature in the aquarium is monitored visually using an aquarium thermometer .

• Sheremetyev І.І. Aquarelle ribi. — K.: Rad. school., 1989, -221 s. ISBN 5-330-00394-6 (Ukrainian)
• Rud M.P. Schoolboy Aquarium. M.: Rad.shk., 1990.-64s. ISBN 5-330-01196-5 (Ukrainian)

• How to choose an aquarium heater / aquadaily.com, 2009