water temp rise

[Xile]

My 20 gallon tank had a small heater so for a while the temp was as low as 66 degree F. Last night I bought a 200W heater (a mistake) and even though I dialed it to lowest possible point, the temp went up to 80 in 10 hrs (I unplugged it once a while to slow it down). I used the old heater again and water temp seems to stablize at 74 F. Are the platies and algae eater in danger?

Thanks,
Xile

 

[Xielos]

You definetly don't want that to happen again, rapid temperature changes can throw fish into shock. Does your heater just have "Low, medium, high" settings or does it have actual temperature settings?

 

[patoloco]

Sudden changes in temp may stress fish. Don't think they may have been damaged.

Be more careful next time and for platies keep it around 78º, but raise it slowly and around 1-2º daily. 66º is cold for them.

 

[Xile]

The heater dial has no number. Only hi and lo

I heard about shock that is why I am concern. Can I use 200 W heater on a 20 gallon tank? or just my heater has a defect in auto shutting off feature?

 

[tbone-ike]

Sounds to me like you were heading in the right direction, just a bit too quickly. I think you're on the right track by unplugging the heater occationally as is raises the temp to cause a more gradual increase.

You can certinly use a 200 watt on your 20 gal, but it is more wattage than is probably necessary. I've heard of people shying away from oversized heaters in the unlikely event that they were to malfunction and overheat. However, if mine, for example in my cold basement, malfuntions and shuts off, I come home to very cold fish....so any malfunction can be ugly.

Fortunately, heaters tend work well pretty consitantly. I replace mine every couple of years just to be safe since mine get used alot through the winters and are fairly inexpensive on the internet.

btw, here's a good point of referenced for heater sizes at the bottom of this page:

http://www.aquariumsystems.com/heater.htm#STEALTH

 

[ddayton21]

I use 2 heaters in my tank so that if one dies i still have some heating, and also if one malfunctions and stays on all the time the other will cut off and my fish won't boil.