Heater problems

[Vivid-Dawn]

First. My question, in very basic theme.
Can I put a heater meant for a 20 gallon, in a 10 gallon tank?

Explanation of why I wanna do this...
Alright, so... I thought I had learned my lesson about putting cool water in a tank. I once did that, in my little 2 gallon one - I figured it was only half a gallon, no big deal - and my heater cracked. So I got in the habit of making my water relatively warm to the touch, and I thought that would work better. Wrong! My nitrates were rather high in my 10 gallon yesterday, so I figured I'd change out 3 gallons and do s'more today. Well... even though the water was warm to my touch, I guess it wasn't warm enough. This heater cracked, now too!
Wait, it gets worse. Rather than simply cracking and sputtering out bubbles like my last one did... it's malfunctioned, too. This morning, I saw that 3 fish had died... attributing it to the high nitrates, I didn’t think anything of it - other than I needed to change more water when I got home from work. So I come home to check the tank, and I hear this gurgling. Looking at the filter first, it seemed fine. Then I noticed moisture in the cap that covers the adjustment knob on the heater. Never had water in that part before! So I look closer.. and the long, glass part in the water is cracked. Then I went around the tank to unplug it, and somehow noticed the red line on my thermometer was all the way up to the green (I have fry, so I wanted it warm, which usually was just below the top of the green section). Well, closer look... my water is 95 degrees!!!
Sooo... my other fish may not make it, since now I don’t have a heater at all, and the temp is most likely gonna drop to 70 before I can remedy this whole mess.
Lesson learned? ALWAYS monitor new water, with an actual thermometer (rather than a hand-touched guestimate)!!!

And speaking of the remedy. I have absolutely no money until the 15th... I have a spare heater in my equipment stash, but it’s for a 20 gallon tank (for when I set up my breeding ‘farm’, as a friend calls it)... will that work? The label says for “proper” selection, to use this one only in 20 gallons. Though I hope it won’t mess up anything to have the ‘wrong’ wattage for my tank.

[DavidDoyle]

Yes you can use a larger than needed heater, you just don't want to use a smaller than needed one.

I suggest you get and Ebo-Jaeger heater.

Also- consider unplugging your heater before you do a wc and when the new water is in the tank for a bit, plug it back in.

[Ron the handyman]

Ok . First you need to turn the heater off before you take any water out.
You then need to get the water you are adding about the same temp as tank give or take and declorinate it

Now to let you know why the heaters are cracking?? the temp sensor is in the first inch and half of the heater top, when you remove water you expose the sensor to the air and it is going to cool as air passes past making the heater to turn on and heating the glass, when you add the new water you shock the hot glass and Ouch the glass!!!!! hope this helps R.

[Thunderkiss]

grab a marineland heater, they bought out vis-o-therm, which was an outstanding heater to begin with. Thjey are some sort of metallic resin. Even so tho, still unplug before doing your changes.

[fish_doc]

You want to be real cautious when using a heater that is to large for a tank. Some heaters die in the on position. If this were to happen the tank would become a pot on the stove and cook your fish.

[guppycat]

I agree with fish Doc. if the heater gets in a stuck position. it could heat the water at a dangerous temp. I wonder if there are any heaters that have an emergency shut off. if the temp gets too. hot?

[mrmoby]

That sounds reasonable, however, that could be the case no matter what size heater you are using, stuck on is stuck on, so I think you would have problems, regardless of the heaters wattage.

[fish_doc]

That is why you buy a heater rated for that tank size. It is like turining your oven on to bake bread. You can do it fine in the oven but if you make alot of dough and try to bake it in a room by leaving the oven door open. You will never be able to heat the room enough to bake the bread. So using the same concept by not oversizing the heater you will only make the tank a little warm but not boiling hot.

[fishfreaks]

Originally Posted by guppycat @ Sat Apr 09, 2005 12:22 pm

I agree with fish Doc. if the heater gets in a stuck position. it could heat the water at a dangerous temp. I wonder if there are any heaters that have an emergency shut off. if the temp gets too. hot?

Yes there is! Our heater shuts off automatically once it gets to 90 degrees.