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Question on heater setup

2006 Views 11 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  remarkosmoc
I have a newly setup 125 gallon tank. My question is how should I go about buying my heaters? Is there a heater that will heat a 125 or should I buy two smaller heaters? If I buy two, do I do a combo of a 75 gal. heater and a 50 gal. heater or two 75 gal. heaters?

Also can anyone recommend a good heater. I was leaning toward the marineland brand.

Thanks
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I hear alot about having 2 weaker ones is better. If one breaks it wont be powerfull enough to cook your aquarium.
125 is alot of gallonage to heat. But if i were you i would go with 2 200-250w heaters will easily heat 125 gallons plus you'll then have a backup if one fails. 2 150-175s would probably even do it 200-250 may be overkill
On a tank that long I'd go with at least three or even four heaters spread around the tank to help keep the temperature evenly distributed.
As fast as heat transfers though water and if you have any water movement at all I believe that many shouldn't be nesecary. 1 will work, 2 for a redundant back-up is good.
I usually recommend based upon what you keep your house temp. My tanks have one heater because the tanks stay at 78 or so on there own because of the house temp. But, at night when the lights are off in the tank, it usually goes down a few degrees and I keep a heater in there for that night to keep it up. You should have 2 though (if i don't follow what i do lol) encase one does go out.
i have a 125...
I have two 200W marineland stealth heaters...
I can get it 85 pretty easily...

I keep it at 82 year around.

You will not need more than two heaters.
bentcountershaft said:
On a tank that long I'd go with at least three or even four heaters spread around the tank to help keep the temperature evenly distributed.
If the filtration is good the water should get distributed evenly right? I think two heaters would work for you. I have read that power heads can also generate heat too.

Check out this video, it might not help you when choosing a heater, but it will show what NOT to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbDFbcd8 ... re=related
Assuming good water flow, which a lot of tanks don't have, yeah you don't have to so many heaters. Even in tanks with decent flow there are dead spots. Another reason I like multiple smaller wattage heaters is that if one sticks on it won't overheat your tank as quickly and if one fails to work at all there won't be a big drop in temp.
I have a fluval 404 from my old 75 gallon I had set up 2 years ago on one side and a new fluval 405 on the other side. I have the hoses that shoot out the water at 45 degree angles from the two back corners. If I add a power head, where would be the best place to put it for optimal flow?

This is a new tank set up. I added crushed coral from my old tank as well as some new bags of crushed coral. I have a thin layer of murky dirt on top of the water that seems to gather in one area. I was thinking maybe I don't have an even water flow from the fluvals because of the way the dirt gathers on top? Is this dirt from the new crushed coral? I don't remember having that problem when I set up my 75 gallon four years ago. I did do a water change 2 weeks ago and it came back but not as much. Any idea how long it will take to clear up and do I have to wait till it clears up to add fish?

thanks for the help
I've been using one 250 W Visi Therm Stealth heater on my 125 gal tank for years and it stays at a a constant 80* throughout the tank...

In my experience - Using multiple heaters simply increases the chances for one to get stuck on and harming your fish. And just so ya know, a 100W heater left "on" for 24 hours could raise the temp on a 125 gal tank significantly...
I have a 150 with a 300w i keep in the sump and it works fine.
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