I have a Marineland Visi-Therm 400W heater in my 72g bowfront tank. I've seen several pictures on here where people mount the heater sideways and low in the tank. I can see a benefit to this as the heater is better hidden and you don't have to worry about draining the tank too low during a water change. Aside for that is there any benefit in efficiency or safety to having heaters mounted vertical, diagonal or horizontal in the tank? Is it all well and good for me to mount my Visi-Therm heater horizontally like I've seen some of the Stealth heaters mounted?
Heater Placement Question
- Thread starter PhoenixFire
- Start date
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
Since they are water tight and the switch mechanism does not require a particular position I suppose you could mount it anyway you like and at any depth. Personally I take functional approach and inside an aquarium itself I like to mount the heater under or in the path of a filter discharge port so that heated water can be distributed evenly throughout the tank which also saves power. I also mount my heaters vertically so its easy to reach the adjustment knob and also see the temp/ indicator light. But if you have a sump filter it would be the ideal location to keep it even if on its side since the water level rarely changes in a sump and the sump is a safer place to have a heater rupture or crack.
No sump here. I'm still new to the hobby and that's a little more advanced than my skills right now. I have a canister filter under the tank and a UV sterilizer insde that have their discharge on opposite ends of the tank, pointing inward on a slight angel toward the center. As it is now my heater is mounted vertically in the middle of the tank. It probably sees more circulation as it is now. I'll be redecorating and moving the airstones tonight and I figure that's a good time to move the heater if I'm going to move it. I like the idea of mounting the heater low, but I'm still not sure if it's a good thing to move it.
I have always mounted mine horizontally near the bottom of the tank, and near the filter intake.
Mounting the heater low in the tank keeps it in the cooler part of the tank, since warm water rises, the cooler water is at the bottom.
I mount it horizontally because warm water rises, and having the element horizontal gives more flat surface area ... (probably nonsense, but I like it)
And of course mounting it by the filter intake (or output) helps circulate heated water.
Mounting the heater low in the tank keeps it in the cooler part of the tank, since warm water rises, the cooler water is at the bottom.
I mount it horizontally because warm water rises, and having the element horizontal gives more flat surface area ... (probably nonsense, but I like it)
And of course mounting it by the filter intake (or output) helps circulate heated water.
agreed with above, i place mine low also, preferably in a spot with good circulation. Heat rises so i'd think you'd be getting more out of it placed lower than higher.
I like the logic there. I'll see if I can move the UV sterilizer too and get the heater low between both intakes. Hopefully I'll be "done" with the tank for a while after tonight.