fishylp

Looking around at the LFS and looking at pictures on the web, I've noticed most tanks have the heater attached to the center back of the tank at an angle.

What's the reason for this? Better circulation?

I have mine almost in the corner of my tank. Should I move it?

Alessa

I really dont know, mine is in a corner too... but I guess thats the reason?

Peterpiper

The heater should be in a location that has flow, so as long as the corner has some flow you dont need to move it.

Peterpiper

Ok a little more on heaters
Heaters have a thermostat which is located at the top of the heater, now if the heater is in the vertical position, then as the water is heated, it will rise.... ( You can see this when the heater is on, you will see a haze around the heater that is going up.) With the heated water going up, it will warm up the thermostat and switch the heater off once the water around it has reached the set temp.
Now if the heater is say on a 45 deg angle on the back of the tank then the thermostat will be measuring the true tank temp, ie not affected by the water coming off the heater.
By having the heater set up in the 45 deg, the heater wont be switching on and off all the time and may last a lot longer.
Pete

fishylp

Now that makes a lot of sense.

CHoffman

Good eye fishylp..I've noticed that but never thought anything about it. Good piece of info.

fishylp

Just a followup. I'm still cycling my tank and am keeping the temp kind of hight to help cycle faster.

I had the heater vertical and the water temp was consistantly at 82. I shifted the heater to about a 45 degree angle, didn't touch the thermostat. The temp is now consistantly at 84 and the heater does seem to run for shorter amounts of time. I don't have a stop watch out, but it seems that way.

Works for me, should work for you.