Heaters for a cold room

[FishCR]

I've been reading incredibly conflicting reports on this, so I figured I would just ask.

I have a 55 gallon aquarium in a room that can get around 50 degrees in the winter. Filtration will be a 500 gph canister filter. Do I need to use two heaters? Or will one suffice? What wattage?

Also, someone seemed to think that two 200 watt heaters don't add up to 400 watts, is this true?

I'm just as concerned as the next guy about the heater sticking on and boiling my fish, but at the same time, I don't think that is something I can control if I need to heat the tank as much as 30 degrees.

 

[mellowvision]

I'd get a couple of hydor inline 300w heaters, and use them together, one acting as a backup for the other.

 

[mellowvision]

also, you might be able to retain a lot of heat by insulating the bottom and back of the tank, and even the hoses and filter, from the cold room.

 

[SubRosa]

Why fight it? Keep North American natives or Uruguayan Cichlids that benefit from a winter cool down. There are alot of knockout fish that would love that cold room!

 

[FishCR]

Why fight it? Keep North American natives or Uruguayan Cichlids that benefit from a winter cool down. There are alot of knockout fish that would love that cold room!

The problem is that it gets really, really hot in the summer.

 

[thesixis]

also, you might be able to retain a lot of heat by insulating the bottom and back of the tank, and even the hoses and filter, from the cold room.

+1

 

[SubRosa]

The problem is that it gets really, really hot in the summer.

That might be a problem for the Uruguayan Cichlids, but you still haven't talked your way out of NA natives yet!

 

[SubRosa]

Here are some fish that would be fine in your room year round with no temperature adjustment:

 

[FishCR]

I've really thought about a native tank... There's a whole lot of cool stuff around here that I wouldn't even need to buy, just collect. I do a lot of fly fishing and have dreamed of a trout tank, but then I have the issue of a chiller in the summer.

What are the names of some of the fish you've posted?

 

[garyfla]

Hi
I use a 200 watt on a 75 and I allow the room to go to 50 minimum while the tank is kept at 75 I use the room mainly for over wintering plants which benefit from the cool temps Never had a problem . I do use a space heater to keep the minimum but the aquarium actually does most of the heating but does produce a lot of humidity on the window lol gary