[mronan]

Hi all!

Im fairly new to the heater thing and I would really appreciate some help!

As for water changes, I usually do 100% water changes. 2 or 3 times a week. What do I do with the heater when Im cleaning the tank? I saw that you should unplug for 15, take it out, then plug it back in once its submerged. Is my heater going to have to reset every single time I clean my fish's tank?

Also, Im worried all of my water isnt getting heated. My heater is set to 77-78 degrees and according to my thermometer my water is around 74 degrees. Should I get a bubble stone? As of right now I do no have a filter and am not interested in getting one.

Any tips would be great! Thank you!

 

[BettaStarter24]

How long has the heater been in the tank? It can sometimes take a bit for the heat to reach the thermometer. Or you could try putting a different thermometer in the tank, some thermometers read low.

As for changes, unplug the heater, set it somewhere it wont fall (its shatterproof but just a precaution), do the change then put the heater back in, don't plug it back in until its in water. You shouldnt have to reset it. It should be fine. Just be sure to match temperature of the water to what it was prior as best you can. It's easier to cool down then it is to heat up. So if you get it to 84-85 degrees just let it sit for a bit to let it cool down to at least 82. I've gotten the water up to 95 before and I ended up taking some water out and replacing it with cooler water to bring the temp down.

 

[mronan]

My heater has been in there for a couple of days.
Do I unplug for 15? Then take it out?

 

[MikeG14]

Try positioning the heater horizontally along the bottom of the tank. It will operate more efficiently that way.

You really don't have to do 100% water changes. If the heater is still submerged you can leave it plugged in. That's one of the advantages of having it horizontal. If you can do 75% water changes and not unplug the heater that would be your best bet. It would also save you from having to acclimate your fish 3 times a week.

 

[Sadist]

Also, since it's adjustable, you can adjust the temperature until the tank is where you want it. I have one that I set on 82 to get the tank to 80, and another that I have to set on 70 to get the temperature correct. You can fiddle with this if moving it the way MikeG14 doesn't do the trick.

 

[mronan]

Thank you all! I appreciate it!