How important is a heater?

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Hello, long time lurker but just started my first reef tank a week ago. I’ve been in the freshwater hobby for over 5 years and just recently made the jump I’ve been dreaming of.

I am asking this question for a few reasons:
1. I’ve seen different threads on here with very different opinions. There is a post from 2019 where many people bring up the temperature swings that occur in the wild throughout the day and even how that can condition corals and they will be fine. Then there are other posts in here where numerous people preach a very high level of stability as the major key to success.
2. The tank is a pico around 4 gallons, I’ve been monitoring it all week and so far the temperature seems to swing about 4 degrees maximum throughout the day, with the lid on it’s been 78-74 and 72-76 with the lid off. I’ve been topping up with little bits of fresh water every other day to keep the salinity more stable.
3. The most common fish killer I’ve experienced in freshwater for me was overheating. I’m pretty traumatized by the idea of coming home and seeing the tank at 92 degrees by this point. I’ve seen 3 heaters go out this way, would hate to experience it again.
4. I plan on using pretty hardy corals. RFA’s, Xenia, GSP, mushrooms and maybe some leathers. Going with big water changes weekly.

Looking for opinions, thanks!

 

[Greyhound]

Hello, long time lurker but just started my first reef tank a week ago. I’ve been in the freshwater hobby for over 5 years and just recently made the jump I’ve been dreaming of.

I am asking this question for a few reasons:
1. I’ve seen different threads on here with very different opinions. There is a post from 2019 where many people bring up the temperature swings that occur in the wild throughout the day and even how that can condition corals and they will be fine. Then there are other posts in here where numerous people preach a very high level of stability as the major key to success.
2. The tank is a pico around 4 gallons, I’ve been monitoring it all week and so far the temperature seems to swing about 4 degrees maximum throughout the day, with the lid on it’s been 78-74 and 72-76 with the lid off. I’ve been topping up with little bits of fresh water every other day to keep the salinity more stable.
3. The most common fish killer I’ve experienced in freshwater for me was overheating. I’m pretty traumatized by the idea of coming home and seeing the tank at 92 degrees by this point. I’ve seen 3 heaters go out this way, would hate to experience it again.
4. I plan on using pretty hardy corals. RFA’s, Xenia, GSP, mushrooms and maybe some leathers. Going with big water changes weekly.

Looking for opinions, thanks!

Get a heater controller, i.e. Inkbird. They're cheap and will ensure broken heater doesn't cook your tank as it cuts the power to the heater

 

[Tahoe61]

In a Pico with the corals you listed will it probably be OK. I have never kept a RFA so I can't speak to that. Your fish choices are so limited, but anything under 80 is fine.
I highly recommend an ATO, even an Amazon gravity fed.
As an individual that kept a Pico I recommend small frequent water change rather larger changes. A cup a day works well.


Welcome to R2R.

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Get a heater controller, i.e. Inkbird. They're cheap and will ensure broken heater doesn't cook your tank as it cuts the power to the heater

I’ve been looking into that. I wonder how compatible it is with heaters that are supposed to shut off automatically at the temperature they are individually set to. Makes me think it might not be good if the power source is being cut off frequently while the heater tries to do this on its own.

In a Pico with the corals you listed will it probably be OK. I have never kept a RFA so I can't speak to that. Your fish choices are so limited, but anything under 80 is fine.
I highly recommend an ATO, even an Amazon gravity fed.
As an individual that kept a Pico I recommend small frequent water change rather larger changes. A cup a day works well.


Welcome to R2R.

Thank you! I did see that comment about doing the smaller water changes, so here’s my question for you: how long can you keep saltwater in a jug? Ideally don’t want to be making small quantities every day so wondering how long it would be fine stored.

 

[Idech]

I’ve been looking into that. I wonder how compatible it is with heaters that are supposed to shut off automatically at the temperature they are individually set to. Makes me think it might not be good if the power source is being cut off frequently while the heater tries to do this on its own.

It does no damage at all to the heater, and as it does not have to turn itself on and off, it probably will last longer. The trick for that to happen is to set the heater past the set temperature on the Inkbird, and let it take full control.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Inkbird is one of the best $40 you can spend. Heaters are going to fail no matter what, it’s just a matter time IMO, but inkbird protects you.

 

[Greyhound]

Get a heater controller, i.e. Inkbird. They're cheap and will ensure broken heater doesn't cook your tank as it cuts the power to the heater

I’ve been looking into that. I wonder how compatible it is with heaters that are supposed to shut off automatically at the temperature they are individually set to. Makes me think it might not be good if the power source is being cut off frequently while the heater tries to do this on its own.

In a Pico with the corals you listed will it probably be OK. I have never kept a RFA so I can't speak to that. Your fish choices are so limited, but anything under 80 is fine.
I highly recommend an ATO, even an Amazon gravity fed.
As an individual that kept a Pico I recommend small frequent water change rather larger changes. A cup a day works well.


Welcome to R2R.

Thank you! I did see that comment about doing the smaller water changes, so here’s my question for you: how long can you keep saltwater in a jug? Ideally don’t want to be making small quantities every day so wondering how long it would be fine stored.

Works just fine with those heaters also

 

[Tahoe61]

I’ve been looking into that. I wonder how compatible it is with heaters that are supposed to shut off automatically at the temperature they are individually set to. Makes me think it might not be good if the power source is being cut off frequently while the heater tries to do this on its own.

Thank you! I did see that comment about doing the smaller water changes, so here’s my question for you: how long can you keep saltwater in a jug? Ideally don’t want to be making small quantities every day so wondering how long it would be fine stored.

Just make up a gallon as use it as needed. It lasted me all week in a 6 gallon.

 

[exnisstech]

Inkbird user here and have been using several for a few years now.

how long can you keep saltwater in a jug? Ideally don’t want to be making small quantities every day so wondering how long it would be fine stored.

Some salt brands store better than others so it may be worth checking. I think BRS did a video on a bunch of brands once. I use IO purple and store fresh water for weeks with no ill effects that I'm aware of.

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

It does no damage at all to the heater, and as it does not have to turn itself on and off, it probably will last longer. The trick for that to happen is to set the heater past the set temperature on the Inkbird, and let it take full control.

Inkbird is one of the best $40 you can spend. Heaters are going to fail no matter what, it’s just a matter time IMO, but inkbird protects you.

Okay that helps me make up my mind. Any advice on how to hide the inkbird equipment, specifically the part of it that must be submerged?

Just make up a gallon as use it as needed. It lasted me all week in a 6 gallon.

Inkbird user here and have been using several for a few years now.



Some salt brands store better than others so it may be worth checking. I think BRS did a video on a bunch of brands once. I use IO purple and store fresh water for weeks with no ill effects that I'm aware of.

Sounds good, I’m using IO reef crystals, pretty basic.

 

[Idech]

Okay that helps me make up my mind. Any advice on how to hide the inkbird equipment, specifically the part of it that must be submerged?

Do you have a sump or an AIO ? You can put the controller inside your stand and the probe will go up into the overflow box.

You could also glue your controller outside your stand with either double sided tape or velcro.

If you want a reliable heater that lasts a long time, get a Eheim. Very hard to adjust but with an Inkbird you don’t care about that. Make sure to get the Inkbird version for saltwater so the probe doesn’t rust.

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Do you have a sump or an AIO ? You can put the controller inside your stand and the probe will go up into the overflow box.

You could also glue your controller outside your stand with either double sided tape or velcro.

If you want a reliable heater that lasts a long time, get a Eheim. Very hard to adjust but with an Inkbird you don’t care about that. Make sure to get the Inkbird version for saltwater so the probe doesn’t rust.

I'm using a canister filter which is why it's a little more challenging. Might just hide it behind the intake inside the tank, the heater I'll be hiding inside the canister filter. I had to carefully make some modifications to fit everything, but one of the goals of this tank has been to keep as much of the equipment hidden as possible.

I noticed there are a lot of different types of Inkbird so that is good advice, thank you.

 

[RabidDragon]

I would add to this conversation that dependant on the temperature the house the tank is in would also play into the need for a heater. Its not that uncommon for people in say... Canada, to set their house temp in the winter in the 60's and even lower at night.

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

I would add to this conversation that dependant on the temperature the house the tank is in would also play into the need for a heater. Its not that uncommon for people in say... Canada, to set their house temp in the winter in the 60's and even lower at night.

Yes, I’ve spent a long time in the aquarium hobby overall so this is a given, I should’ve added a 5th point to specifically mention that I live in an apartment with centralized heating, meaning the ambient temperature is roughly 71-73 in the coldest part of winter and about 75-76 so far with the warm weather. These changes do not occur drastically though, typically only changing a couple degrees in a 24 hour period max.

I’m mostly asking as there is some suggestion that minor fluctuations can be good for coral conditioning and reflects the natural changes in wild reefs. But I am new to coral and don’t know the extent of this truth. You are correct though that the low end in winter is probably just below what is acceptable in reefs.