300W heater with 30gal?

[Asthrou]

I purchased a 300W Fluval heater for my 30gal tank. I was reading on other forums that it is good to have a higher wattage than needed in your tank.

Reading through this forum I am getting almost different information. Still high wattage is good but not from a single unit (examples have been 150w x2 rather than 300w x1).

I purchased this heater mostly because it was actually cheaper than the 200W and $2 more than the 150W. Superpet clearance sale .


Now my main concern is this safe? Will this keep the water temp at a stable temp not causing fluctuations? What effect will the heater have too?

I keep checking my temps daily (multiple times if possible) and it seems to be dead on the temp but I never see the pilot light turn on (one reason could be I have it faced the back of the tank, silly me).

SO that is the print, whats the verdict?


-Mike

 

[MySpace Mike]

It should be fine as long as you set the temp just right on it. The heater will have to heat the tank less due to the small tank size.

 

[Asthrou]

so in the long run this will actually give the heater longer life?

 

[ROLLIN]

so in the long run this will actually give the heater longer life?

Not sure. But as said earlier, if it is working properly, it just won't have to come on as often to keep your tank heated. However, if it malfunctions and sticks on, it will overheat the tank faster than a smaller heater would.

 

[elks]

Mike
The problem with a 300 watt in a 30 gallon is the it's double the recommended wattage.If that heater should stick on you will have a short window to not have cooked fish.
No heater is a problem till they are problem and have cooked many fish

 

[Charlie Greiner]

Actually, this is called short cycling and will give the heater a shorter life.

 

[Lukee]

i got a 250watt in my 35gal..
and im thinking of getting a second heater,,
not because temp is not spot on (it is)
because the risk of it failing...

 

[TKOS]

As with any heater, you should be diligent in checking the temp of your tank and not relying on it to behave. I have seen my 10 gallon soar to 90+F with a 30 watt heater stuck on.

 

[Asthrou]

well another reason why I had justified the heater was because well... winters are really cold...

so i do believe i went overboard on this one.... i just saw that it was 2 dollars more than the 150w and thought it was a great deal... (was also thinking about a bigger tank in the future, a man can dream cant he?)

 

[Mij]

With only using one heater you have no redundancy if a failure should occur.