My kit came with a 100 watt heater. Is that a good size? I have 1 question though. I set it to be like 75 or soo, but the water got heated up to liek 82, and it was still on. I set up teh tank yesterday, so does it still have to adjust or is there something wrong with it?
What's a good sized heater for a 20 gallon tank?
- Thread starter $eaba$$
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Just keep your eye on the temp. As long as it stays at 82 it will be just fine. Just ignore the temp on the heater and use your thermometer to get the temp right. That's how I do it. But my heater doesn't even have a temp setting just a little dial that looks like the dial to set the temp for the heater in cars.
Edit: My heater for my 20 gal. is 50 watts so 100 should be plenty.
Edit: My heater for my 20 gal. is 50 watts so 100 should be plenty.
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I'm not sure what you mean. Mine doesn't show any numbers, no way to just set to a certain temperature. So there really is no way for it to be innacurate. Unless there is something in the directions that says what the temp is supposed to be? Becaue I didn't read the directions I just stuck it in my tank and turned it on low. Then slowly raised it until I got my temp to 82. It took about 2 days to get it right.
use a digital or regular thermometer to accurately find out what your water temperature is. a general rule of thumb for heaters is 5watts per US gallon in your fish tank, so 100watts is just right. you can probably go up to 150watts without a problem depending on the brand of heater you have. mine has an auto shut off when the right temperature is met.
defective/unreliable heaters may heat above or below your set temperature though.
defective/unreliable heaters may heat above or below your set temperature though.