[Cerulean]

OK so here it is. I have asked Hester questions on here and got good advice, however the thing is just already have 4 heaters and although the second set keep the tanks 2 degrees warmer than the Marina more pricey ones, they are still not warm enough.

It has been recommended to me that I get the Hydor Theo 25watt heaters. Which I have found for a good price on Amazon. The problem is (and here is where the experiment comes in) I live in a basement apartment and it is cold, especially in winter. With no heater in the winter the water is 58-60f, way too cold for my fishy friends. Now with the second heater (which are 25 watt) got 2 degrees warmer than the first ones (which were 17 watt) and could only get it to 76f. I would like it to 78-80, and so I went and got the same one as the second in 50 Watt hoping they would bring my 2.5 gallon tank to the desired temp and it only got it to the same 76.arrghhh.

So everyone says the 25 Watt should be good enough, however I don't want to end up with 2 more heaters that I cannot return that only keep it the same. That said if I get the 50 Watt of the Hydor ones I don't want to cook my fish.

The experiment : if anyone has a Hydor 25 Watt heater that you are not using , could you try heating, either a much bigger amount of water than 2.5 gallon tank, or if you have access to a place that is really cold naturally, could you test the 25 Watt in 2.5 gallons and see how warm it can get it?

Or I guess we could also try doing a 50 Watt Hydor in a 2 or 2.5 gallon tank and see if it will only get to the desired temp and no hotter. This may be easier.

My tank does have an incandescent light and when it is on, and/or in the warmer months the temp will go up and the it can get warmer in the tank but as is it never gets over 80 and that is on very hot 30 degree days. These happen rarely around here in summer.

If anyone is interested and can help me out with this I would be very grateful.
I am looking forward to seeingif anyone can help me with this, then iI can go ahead and order with confidence.
Sincerely the girl with too many heaters that just don't get warm. LoL

 

[Tree]

Ah! I am glad I looked at this thread because I have the tank size and that heater.

All of my boys live in my room that is in the basement and it gets very cold. (I live in MN. AND I have a Hydro 25 watt heater. In my 2.5 gallon it works really well and it can keep the water at a steady temp. I think I had it at 79 degrees and it was about 80. I have bought myself a 5 gallon tank and I am now using the 25 watt heater for that one. Again I have it set to about 79 degrees and it still keeps the 5 gallon about 80.

I think this answers your question? I don't want to test it to the full heat only because I have fishies living in the tanks. LOL

 

[Cerulean]

Fabulous, thank you so much. I will try the 25 Watt ones then. Great

 

[Tree]

Haha no problem. I kinda want two more of these heaters for my 2.5 gallons. I am using a 10 watt heater for them and it is a little cooler than I want them to be.

what I learned is to have the tanks high. the higher they are off the ground the warmer the tanks will be.

 

[Cerulean]

Makes sense. They are on my dining room table actually as I don't eat at it. Hehe

 

[KFoster]

My 25 watt heater heats my 10 gallon, so you should be good.

 

[Cerulean]

Perfect thx

 

[Cerulean]

That is why I was wondering though, because the 25 Watt one I have is a preset and says it does 2-15 get and the same one also preset in 50 Watt which was supposed to do 10-30 gallons both only got 2.5 gallons to 76.thia is why I was worried.

 

[BettaStarter24]

My boy lives in a 2.5 gallon with a Hydor Theo 25W and I won't turn it all the way up to see how hot it gets but it is great at holding 78 degrees when my dorm room hits a chilly 60 degrees or lower even.

 

[Cerulean]

Well it looks like this is a good heater and that preset ones don't have the same strength as adjustable. I appreciate all the help and no one even had to do an experiment, lol, you were already doing them. Thanks everyone

 

[jaysee]

The standard watts suggested for heaters assume a ~10 degree difference between the air and desired water temp. If the difference is closer to 20 degrees, one would certainly need a larger heater. That being said, since 25 watts is about as small as it gets for adjustables, many betta tanks should be covered for at least a 20 degree difference because the 25 is already oversized for tanks smaller than 5 gallons.