How to Heat a Saltwater Aquarium

Having the ability to accurately control the temperature of your saltwater aquarium is vital to the health of your fish. Fish are sensitive, particularly saltwater fish. Tropical fish typically require both a strict salt to water ratio, as well as very specific temperatures, otherwise the fish will not survive. This makes heating an aquarium one of the top priorities for anyone who maintains a saltwater aquarium.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. The key element of keeping your saltwater aquarium at the right temperature is to select a good heating unit. But not just any heating unit will do. A saltwater aquarium will require a heater that is designed specifically for use in a saltwater environment. So your first step should be to read the label and packaging to see if the heater you are looking at is designed for use in saltwater or brackish water.

2. The next thing to consider is what style of heater you want. Aquarium heaters come in three standard styles. The first is the hanging heater. As the name suggests, it hangs over the side of the aquarium. The hanging heater is cheap, but is less efficient at heating the water since only part of the heating unit is under water. Heating Cable Systems is a type of heater where a cable is buried in the bottom of the aquarium, but this method is mainly used for freshwater aquariums with plants. The last style is the Submersible heater. This is the most efficient method, since the entire heating unit is under water.

3. Decide how many aquarium heaters you will need. While you can get by with one, you will find that you get better heat distribution if you use more than one heater, particularly if you have a large saltwater aquarium. At the very least, you should buy an extra heater to use as a backup.

4. Purchase the heater(s) of your choice and install them on your aquarium as described in the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• It is important to always keep a spare heater in the event that you have a problem with the one in your aquarium. Saltwater fish are delicate and may not be able to survive until you can find time to run out and buy a replacement aquarium.
• Always unplug the heater when you are cleaning or working on the aquarium. When you drain the water, the heater could actually crack or bust the glass since none of the heat is being dispersed by water.