# How to do heat your nano tank (if you do indeed heat it)



## astrosag (Sep 3, 2010)

Hey all, 

Been a while since I've posted but I recently set up a little 1.5G tank (if you can call it that). My ZooMed 501 works well with sponges to baffle the flow. 

I would like to heat it so that I can have more than just snails and shrimp - perhaps a fish or two...

So towards this goal, I was hoping to find out how you heat your nano tanks - especially if it doesn't involve putting in a 6" (smallest I can find) heater in the tank. A small in-line heater perhaps? Specific products would be very helpful 

An under-gravel heater would be nice if it didn't entail overheating shrimp!

A rather ingenious DIY in-line heater project would be the next option if this search does not prevail....

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/103322-nano-tank-heater-module-56k.html

Thanks for the help.


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## synthorange (Feb 1, 2012)

Hydor makes a flat mini heater. Have you had a
Look at those?


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## crazydog64 (Jul 25, 2011)

Maybe this?
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4455060&lmdn=Fish

Well now that I read the reviews, maybe not.


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## Ozydego (Aug 29, 2011)

honestly I think the DIY is your best option, other than the hydor 200w inline that can take the smaller hoses, there are no commercial options outside the tank itself.... I am very interested in that link you posted above.... I may end up with a matching heater as I dont like the small one I have in the tank


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Petsmart carries an aqueon 5 watt and a marineland 10 watt..
I have a marineland 10 watt on my 1 gallon.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I use small Marineland heaters in my 2.5gal tanks with no problem. But I've also found in higher light, non-LED situations (with CFL-type bulbs in a standard shop/clamp light) that I don't have to use heaters at all.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Something worth mentioning, lower wattage heaters are largely designed to be on all the time and have no adjustable thermostat to turn off once the ideal temp is reached. I only found after trying to ensure that my betta has a warm place to live.

I did manage to get a tetra heater that is fixed at 75 degrees and a hydor with an adjustable thermostat for my two 4 gallon nanos. both work great and are 6" in length. Both tanks house Cherry shrimp and ottos.


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## Beer (Feb 1, 2012)

What temperature does your tank stay at now without the heater?
I've got Endlers that have been doing fine (quite active) in the mid 60s.

I've got a DeepBlue heater running in my girlfriend's tank. It's not adjustable, but it keeps temps in the mid 70s and fits in the HOB filter. 4" by 1/2" diameter. Mixed reviews on it, but that may be due to people not unplugging it during water changes or letting t get exposed to air while plugged in. You'll have issues with just about any glass heater doing that.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

These little Marinelands kick off at about 77/78. 



acitydweller said:


> Something worth mentioning, lower wattage heaters are largely designed to be on all the time and have no adjustable thermostat to turn off once the ideal temp is reached. I only found after trying to ensure that my betta has a warm place to live.
> 
> I did manage to get a tetra heater that is fixed at 75 degrees and a hydor with an adjustable thermostat for my two 4 gallon nanos. both work great and are 6" in length. Both tanks house Cherry shrimp and ottos.


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## rroginela (Sep 24, 2011)

Beer said:


> I've got a DeepBlue heater running in my girlfriend's tank. It's not adjustable, but it keeps temps in the mid 70s and fits in the HOB filter. 4" by 1/2" diameter. Mixed reviews on it, but that may be due to people not unplugging it during water changes or letting t get exposed to air while plugged in. You'll have issues with just about any glass heater doing that.


I bought one of these... Have not tried it yet but it was really small and my lfs had 2 different wattages 60 and 40 I think but not 100% sure on the 40 but the 60 is what I got. Only about $10 too nice bonus! 

I also have a hydor 15 watt flat heater that I use in my 2.5 g under the substrate and it seems to do the job quite well keeps the temp around mid 70s. 

Good luck. 

Rafal 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


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## Chlorophile (Aug 2, 2011)

Ambient temp in my home is warm enough to keep tanks at the correct temperature. 
I used to keep neons that I liked at a higher temp and I just used a marineland stealth heater.


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## astrosag (Sep 3, 2010)

Thanks for all of your replies. 

Unfortunately, I'm in Santa Cruz now - ambient temps here as of right now are not high enough to keep the tank warm. Although I haven't gotten around to getting a thermometer, the tank temp is probably low 60s to high 50s - it gets cold.

Under-gravel heaters sound great but I am worried about keeping the temp too high on the substrate for shrimp.

Eldachleich, do you happen to know the dimensions on those heaters (I'll do a quick search after posting). 

I'll post pics eventually but he tank is far too small for a 6" heater - perhaps even too small for a 4". My ZooMed 501 with sponges for baffling add enough clutter as it is. 

I think the DIY inline may just have to be it! I'm in LA for the weekend so I'll poke around before committing to the DIY.

Thanks again.


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## m8e (Oct 16, 2009)

I just started a new tank and I made a _undertank heater_ for it. ~12m of 0.65mm florist wire (giving something like 14.5 ohm) connected to a wallwart that can give 1A at 12v, 9v , 6v, 5v, 4.5v and 3v. I think the wire gets to hot at 12v(10w) so I'm running it at 9v(5.6w).

If i had more place under the tank I would replace the wire with two parallel ones at 20m. Should give something like 12ohm(12w @ 12v) without getting to hot.(less watt per meter)

I'm also making an inline heater for another tank. Just need to find some way to insulate it, get another wall wart and put it all together.

http://s17.postimage.org/owem2qubj/inlineheater.jpg


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

astrosag said:


> Thanks for all of your replies.
> 
> Unfortunately, I'm in Santa Cruz now - ambient temps here as of right now are not high enough to keep the tank warm. Although I haven't gotten around to getting a thermometer, the tank temp is probably low 60s to high 50s - it gets cold.
> 
> ...


Gosh... its tiny... the packaging makes it look huge.. Way bigger than it is... It keeps it a pretty steady 76 - 79.... Shuts off automatically..
I would say its around 3.5 inches long and around .5 inches thick.. And around an inch wide.
Really tiny..
The aqueon heater is pretty much the same size.. Maybe slightly smaller... Barely takes up room in my 1 gallon..


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## astrosag (Sep 3, 2010)

m8e: I considered that - similar to my GF's gecko tank (undertank heater). I'm not sure how well it would work considering 2-3" of substrate. If a good balance can be achieved, then that would be great.

Eldahleich: Thanks - that is indeed small. I could possibly lay it horizontal like a spraybar and have my filter intake/outake pretty much cover it up. If it allows for such consolidation then I'll get it for sure. 

I'll start by looking for the small heaters recommended here. If none work out then I'll attempt the DIY and let you all know how it goes. 

Thanks again.


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## DanCottle (Apr 12, 2011)

I made a diy inline heater for my 2 gallon. A short section of pvc, 2 endcaps, 2 barbs, and silicone is what I used. I used the silicone to hold the heater in place because I didnt have a heyco fitting.


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