An aquarium heater is necessary for keeping almost any tropical fish. It is becoming a popular practice to use two aquarium heaters rather than just one. There are many species of marine and freshwater fish that live in warmer climates of the world.
The Amazon and the Great Barrier Reef are two locations in which the water temperature rarely falls below 25 degrees. Aquarium heaters replicate these environments. However, using a single heater is never recommended. Using two heaters in the aquarium have a number of advantages.
Advantages of two heaters
- Damaged or broken heaters in the aquarium can result in temperature swings. Temperature swings will have a detrimental impact to your fish health. Purchasing two heaters will ensure there will always be a backup heater. It is a small investment to ensure the safety of your fish.
- Purchasing two lower wattage heaters will keep the temperature stable. It will also minimise the possibility of smaller temperature swings. This can improve the efficiency and energy consumption of the water heating process.
- Two heaters means that emergency use in another aquarium is possible. Temporary replacement of a heater is also possible.
- Two heaters is useful for maintenance or introducing new fish and invertebrates. They often need to spend some time acclimatizing in a bucket. This can be especially useful for marine aquariums when introducing coral.
Choosing the correct Heater Wattage
Deciding on the correct wattage required can seem difficult. Below is t:
- Calculate the required wattage of your heater by visiting this page and entering your aquarium volume.
- The wattage for each heater is then estimated by dividing the heater wattage by two.
- Two heaters of the next highest wattage are a great start.
- For example, if your recommended wattage is 160w, you would need two heaters that are 80w.
- 2 x 100w heaters are then chosen to heat the aquarium as 80w is not a standard wattage.
It is always best to ensure the heaters have too much wattage rather than too little. Too little wattage will strain the heaters to their limit. This article discusses the best aquarium heaters on the market today. It’s clear that using two heaters has many advantages over using a single heater. The cost difference is also not significant. Protect your fish and use two heaters in your next freshwater or marine aquarium.
