Generally speaking, the service life of a heater is no more than two winters. The wires will age as time goes by, the contacts will oxidize, and they may fail to work.
It is claimed that good heaters have a lifespan of 1-2 years. To be on the safe side, a heater and a thermostat can be used in combination.
Set the temperature of the heater to be 2°C higher than that of the thermostat, so that double insurance can avoid the tragedy of fish soup.
Things Need to Pay Attention When Using a Heater
First, the water level of the fish tank must be lower than the heater, otherwise, the heating rod will not automatically power off. Second, when moving, installing, removing the heating rod, or changing the water, be sure to cut off the power first. Finally, clean the heater frequently, in order to better play the role of heating.
The fish tank heater is the most commonly used aquarium product. It is used to heat the water in the fish tank. Because it works in the water for a long time and needs to be powered on, you must pay attention to safety issues when using it. Do not energize the fish tank heating rod in the air.
Because it heats up extremely fast in the air, it will burn the heating rod at a light level, or shatter glass or burn hands. Even if the power is turned off, it cannot be taken out of the water immediately. The temperature at this time is very high, and it is also easy to scald and burn the heating rod.
How to use the fish tank heating rod is a question for many new fish feeders. In fact, the fish tank heating rods on the market are well designed, and most of them are set at a constant temperature, that is, they only work when the set temperature is not reached.
Can Aquarium Heaters be Horizontal?
It is automatically turned off temporarily, so the method of use is also very simple. Just set the temperature of the heating rod and put it into the fish tank, and it can be powered on after it is completely submerged in the water.
When some people put the heater in the fish tank, they put it vertically. In fact, this is wrong. The correct way is to put it at an angle of 45°.
Because the fish tank water will float after heating when the thermal element on the upper part of the heater senses the temperature. When the temperature of the whole tank water body reaches the set temperature, the power will be cut off at that time.
The fish tank heating rod can be placed obliquely or flatly near the bottom of the tank so that the heat dissipation effect is better because the water will rise after heating, the heating rod placed vertically, and the hot water generated by the lower part of the rod and the rod. The temperature difference in the upper part is relatively small, and the heat conduction will be slower, which undoubtedly reduces the heating efficiency, prolongs the heating time, and wastes energy.
And the temperature control device is on the upper end of the heating rod, which will cause the heating rod to stop heating in advance. But it's really not very good-looking, so many people still prefer to use the heating rod vertically. At this time, you need to use a thermometer to adjust the water temperature. The thermometer should be placed away from the heater, so as to ensure that the water temperature obtained is not from hot water that has just been heated.
What Size of Heater Do You Need?
The common specifications of fish tank heating rods are 100W, 200W, 300W, and 500W, so the approximate power consumption of the fish tank heating rod can be calculated by multiplying the power by the time. Of course, there are many factors that affect the temperature of the fish tank.
The size of the fish tank, whether the fish tank is kept warm, etc. So this method can only calculate approximate power consumption. Generally calculated according to the volume of the tank, each liter of water should have a heating power of 2w. If the water in a tank has 300 liters, then the total power of the heating rod is at least 600w.
Heating in winter can be one of the most power-wasting expenses. It is recommended that fish keepers take good measures to keep their tanks warm. Use a few 2cm thick foam boards to stick to the back and sides of the tank, and at the same time make a well-tight lid for the fish tank, which can greatly reduce energy loss. This can save a lot of electricity bills.
You can also add a sleeve to the heating rod to prevent the fish from scalding. If there are two heating rods in the cylinder, try to divide them into both sides of the cylinder to heat evenly. The thermometer should be placed farthest from the heating rod to ensure that the water temperature obtained is not from the hot water that has just been heated. If possible, spare a heating rod. If the heating rod breaks down at night, don't worry.
The red light of the heating rod does not mean that it is in good working condition. It should be based on the water temperature, because if the resistance wire is broken, the water temperature drops, and the bimetal is connected to the circuit, but it cannot be heated, so the red light stays on for a long time. Of course, sometimes the temperature is reached, and the metal piece fails to break, it is also possible that the temperature continues to rise, which will also appear as a red light.
If the shell of the heating rod is broken during use, don't panic. Generally, the fish will not be electrocuted. Just take out the power and replace it with a new one. It is generally not damaged in normal use. It is caused by everyone taking out the water surface when changing the water or cleaning, and there is no power failure. Be careful to take it out after the power is turned off for a while, otherwise, the residual temperature will be enough for you.