heating
- Thread starter Jayra
- Start date
artful-dodger
New member
The minimal wattage/gallon estimates have always scared me. It has to depend on what your lowest home temperatures are. If you live somewhere that never gets below 20 C you'll need less heating capacity than if gets down to 20 F and you have a setback thermostat that lets the temp drop when you're asleep or at work.
Most of the manufacturers/vendors will rate their heaters in relation to gallons. Here's the page from Drs Foster and Smith: heaters
I always use 2 or 3 heaters rather than one big one. This dates back to 30 years ago when heaters not as well made and would stick in the on position and overheat the tank. That isn't nearly as big a risk nowadays, but I still feel safer without a single point of failure. (I always keep an extra 250w in the house as well.)
Regarding the Ebo-Jager and other submersible heaters...yes, they can be oriented horizontally (and usually are) to be less visible. You can also put one or two into a shallow sump so there's even fewer cords in your main tank.
Most of the manufacturers/vendors will rate their heaters in relation to gallons. Here's the page from Drs Foster and Smith: heaters
I always use 2 or 3 heaters rather than one big one. This dates back to 30 years ago when heaters not as well made and would stick in the on position and overheat the tank. That isn't nearly as big a risk nowadays, but I still feel safer without a single point of failure. (I always keep an extra 250w in the house as well.)
Regarding the Ebo-Jager and other submersible heaters...yes, they can be oriented horizontally (and usually are) to be less visible. You can also put one or two into a shallow sump so there's even fewer cords in your main tank.
Thank you 
This information is great.
Im glad the heater can be placed horizontally... i had been planning on having it in my sump, but then when i got the heater, it said vertically in the instructions... which would have meant that it wouldnt fit in my sump. Im glad that it will still work because i didnt really want to have it in my tank.
Thanks again,
Jayra
This information is great.Im glad the heater can be placed horizontally... i had been planning on having it in my sump, but then when i got the heater, it said vertically in the instructions... which would have meant that it wouldnt fit in my sump. Im glad that it will still work because i didnt really want to have it in my tank.
Thanks again,
Jayra
One Eyed Bunny
New member
A rule of thumb for heating is roughly 2 - 3 Watts per gallon. Also, like the post above, use two smaller heaters instead of one big heater. In the case one heater dies, you have a second one still working.
artful-dodger
New member
I'm concerned about the instructions, though. I don't remember seeing anything like that on any of the Jager heaters I've used for years. Any chance you could show a link to someplace selling the exact heater you bought?
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