Do I Need a Heater?

[Grymatta]

Just a quick question..I have a small Eclipse 3-gallon tank with a hood/light on it. The temperature fluctuates between 79 F (in the morning, no light on) to about 82 F (when I have the light on for awhile).

I have 2 dwarf gouramis and one plant in tank currently. Do I need to invest in a heater? If so, any recommendations as to which brand/model?

I know in the past, during the hot summer monthes, the temps would stay in the 80-85 F range even without the light on.

Would appreciate any advice..thanks!

 

[twoluvcats]

first, change the bulb in the hood from an incandescent to a compact flourescent (you can get one in the fish section at wally)...that will keep your tank from getting overheated by the light.

Personally, i still think you do need a heater. I live in a warm climate (we hit 105 in the summer)...but we still get down to 55-60 at night...so its not the daytime temperature that I worry about its at night, when i'm not watching it. A heater keeps the temp steady ALL the time...that just won't happen without one.

I use Hagen 25w heaters for all my small tanks, they are thermostated and have an indicator light, so they are very safe, and work really well for keeping a tank ata stable temp.

 

[Grymatta]

thanks for the info on the heater type. the light bulb in my light fixture is currently a 15W Flourescent.

The temps never go down below 75 F in the water..even in the winter. I've had it for about a year now.

I'm more worried about it being TOO hot in there.

 

[FroggyFox]

If it never goes below 75 and you keep an eye on it...then I dont think I'd worry about a heater in that small of a tank. The best thing is that a heater keeps the temp steady like twoluvcats said, and its hard to keep small tanks from fluxuating too quickly.

 

[Grymatta]

hmm

Thanks Froggy,

yeah the temps never go below 75, it went down to 68 once, but that was in winter when I left my windows open

But i read somewhere that temp fluctuations create alot of stress for the fish and the temp in my tank goes from 78 to 81 daily. Is it dangerous for my fish?

 

[Balloon Fish]

dang, never went under 68?? where do you even live?? i would think that i live in the hottest place out of all of you... in summer it can get up to 113 degrees

I would say just have a heater around in case it does do that 68 degree thing again int he winter cause if the temp changes too fast your fish could die.

 

[Grymatta]

I live in Brooklyn. NY...but the tank is in my small bedroom. The heating vents in my room are on crack and it gets VERY warm in there during the winter. Which is why I opened the window in the middle of a snowstorm!

 

[Stevie]

Like was said above^^^^ you need the steadyness of the heater.