Which heater brand?

It doesn't stay cold for long here in Florida but it's been chilly here lately and my tank was at 71 and the Pacu need to have 75-80 water temp. so I picked up the Finnex heater.

 

Upping wattage is a wise decision especially for cold weather. It heats your tank faster not warmer. It will catch up quicker to ambient temperature drops which actually saves energy than an inadequate heater.

 

Got the Aqueon Pro Heater yesterday, submerged it for a half hour before plugging it in as instructed.
Came just in time, the past 2 days have been really cold and the tank was down to 74F!
Now its at 81F on the warm side, and my oh my are my Rams loving it!
(definitely like being able to adjust the temp up higher than the preset Tetra heater I had.)

-Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

What wattage do you use for your 5g? I currently have a Tetra heater in my 5 gallon that keeps it at a steady 78 for my betta, but I came into some gift cards over Christmas and am doing some upgrading Plus, I think he would appreciate it being a bit warmer in his tank!

 

10 gallon fish tank, plan to keep the temperature around 77°, and I know that it should be a 50w heater. But I need help picking out a heater as it's starting to get cold here. Has to be affordable and I am still deciding whether or not ordering online. Help me pick out a good affordable heater. 77° will fit the fish and shrimps in it. Does it matter if I buy any thermometer? If it does which should I get?

 

Of course I should recommend a quality, adjustable thermometer, but if your budget is tight there are some ok presets that should do the job! I started with the Tetra HT10 preset which keeps the water at 78F and worked quite well for me. Unfortunately the quality is suspect so just be warned that they may not last long or they may fail catastrophically. What is your budget?

Oh, and yes a thermometer is important! It's the only way you can check that your thermometer is working properly and catch problems before they hurt your fish

 

I was thinking under $20 but it might not be possible to get a good heater under that. I think I'll buy a thermometer based on reviews..

 

I suggest either the Aqueon Pro or Eheim Jager. Also, yes, you are correct about the money aspect. The cheapest heater out there are the tetra heaters however many people have complaints and wasted their money realizing the money they wasted could have been used to buy a good quality heater! Plus you don't want to get one of the cheap heaters having to worry that one day you find that the temp is at 78 or in the 80s since the heater thermometer didn't work. Someone just had a thread about their heater overheating the tank!

 

I've read about the cheap heaters malfunctioning. I'll see which one of the 2 brands is cheaper and decide to buy it. I don't want to worry about my friends dying or getting stressed out

 

Would this one work?

 

Looks like a good one! Is it a reputable seller and can you return it if it's faulty?

 

I'll check to see if I can return it if it's faulty. Then check if I can order it online..

 

It's on Amazon.com for only a few dollars more

 

Doesnt do returns :/ but has a money back guarantee. Where would I put it when I get a heater?

 

I bought my aqueon from Amazon I love it!

 

Doesnt do returns :/ but has a money back guarantee. Where would I put it when I get a heater?

You mean where in the tank? For a fully submersible I like to put it as much on the horizontal as possible and near the bottom. That way if you forget to unplug it when you do a water change, chances are it will stay submerged and safe when the water level drops. It's also more efficient down there for heating

 

I bought my aqueon from Amazon I love it!

Gonna check out amazon soon.

Alright so better horizontal on the bottom? Away or near the filter or does it not matter?

 

Doesn't really matter but if your tank is really long put where the flow of water will circulate the water most efficiently past it.