Best Aquarium Heaters in 2022 – Tested & Reviewed!

Fish pets are pretty and colourful, and they are also very sensitive. You need to maintain the right temperature frequently to ensure that fish and other species are comfortable. If you do not maintain the ideal temperature for your fish, this can end up causing health problems, stress and even death.

You need to have the best aquarium heater to keep your fish healthy in the fish tank. If you are wondering how you will get the best one available, here are 10 best aquarium heaters that provide the right temperature for your lovely pet fishes.

Fish and other invertebrates are cold-blooded. Such animals are sensitive to the environment even though they may easily adapt. They need just the right external temperature to survive in the fish tanks.

Fish tanks are available in a variety of types and sizes, and because of that, the heaters come in different sizes. Based on the size of your fish tank, you can choose one appropriate for you.

There is a whole world of best aquarium heaters on the market choosing the right one can be a daunting task. That's where these reviews come in. They will look at the ten of the best aquarium heaters in the market.

Best Aquarium Heaters in 2020 - Comparison

They provide accurate and real-time water temperatures. With the LCD temperature display, you can easily monitor the temperature of the aquarium and get the readings in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.

While other aquarium heaters it's hard to monitor heat, the Fluval heater stands out. It has a fast heat technology built with a safety shut-off. Once the aquarium is fully heated, it shuts off automatically.

Unlike other heaters, this one has a guard around the heater. The guard is crucial in preventing the fish from touching the heated element. The only disadvantage with the guard is that it is made with big gaps, so if you have small fish, they can pass and get stuck.

The Fluval is equipped with a slim profile mounting bracket with a colored display alert system. In addition, the heater is 300 watts suitable for aquariums up to 100 gallons.

Pros

This means you won't spend time racking your brain trying to figure out the basics. The advanced electronic thermostat of the Cobalt Aquatics heater is accurate to +/-0.5o F.

It also includes an LED that displays both the set temperature and tank temperature simultaneously which range from 66 degrees F to 96 degrees F.

For ultimate safety and reliability, it comes with an integrated thermal protection circuitry. It shuts the heater down before it can overheat. The heater has a shatterproof outer casing that makes it indestructible. It's perfect for freshwater, saltwater aquariums, and terrariums.

Pros

The tubes heat fast and they are easy to hide because they are compact. It comes with an LED heating indicator to let you know whether the heater is working effectively.

It also stands out as it maintains water temperature within +/-2 degree Fahrenheit of the set vale offering a safe, healthy and stable temperature for your tank.

Another awesome thing about the heater is that it utilizes modern development to provide precision digital control to keep the water temperature at a continual level.

Pros

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It comes with a power monitor light that helps you evaluate the heat in your aquarium. For safety purposes, it has an automatic safety shut-off and overheat protection.

It comes complete with an electronic thermostat that ensures your aquarium gets the most accurate temperature settings. It provides accurate temperature readings with a range of +/-1 degrees F.

The Aqueon is fully submersible meaning you can submerge it in the tank, and it won' get damaged. This heater is ideal for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. You can also find it in five sizes and wattages to suit any type of aquarium.

Pros

The EHEIM adjustable heater is a modern electronic thermal device made from the best available technology. The high-tech aquarium heater allows you to calibrate for effective temperature control. You can calibrate it manually to get precise aquarium temperature regulation.

The EHEIM heater has a jacket made from special laboratory glass that increases the heating surface. Additionally, it serves as a heat shield and ensures optimum even heat transmission.

The most exciting feature of the EHEIM heater is that it comes in 9 sizes. Whether you have a 5 or a 265 gallon aquarium, you'll find one that's appropriate for you.

Pros

The Marineland is a 300 watts heater acceptable for aquariums up to 80 gallons. Its adjustable temperature dial allows you to set the temperature 1degree with every click.

This submersible heater is designed with a safety switch that prevents failure when operating. It automatically turns off when the temperature exceeds the preset internal parameters.

I have used quite a number of aquarium heaters, and I must admit that this one has a very user-friendly interface. It has a top-view scale and high visibility sliding scale for dual visual temperature confirmation and adjustment.

The advanced heating element features a mica core that is surrounded by a mesh heating element for superior heat transfer with enhanced durability.

It has an advanced bracket that attaches to glass and provides 3 window positions to see the temperature display.

Pros

The ViaAqua is made from high quality, break resistant quartz glass that is fully submersible. There is an indicated water line to which you should dip it in the tank. It is important to ensure that it stays in that line for the best performance.

It also has a visible temperature readout so you will not have trouble reading the temperature. The unit has a ceramic heater core that provides efficient and even het distribution in all parts of the fish tank. The heat reaches even the corners of the aquarium hence keeping your fish very comfortable.

This heater is simple to install and you can get it in different sizes to suit your aquarium. In addition, it's appropriate for use in freshwater and saltwater fish.

The most interesting feature of the ViaAqua is that it comes fully equipped with a variety of sizes of suction cups. They secure the heater to the aquarium.

Pros

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The EHEIM Jager Submersible Aquarium Heater is not only small for convenience, but it's also 100% functional.

The heater is made of shock resistant and shatterproof glass and you can use it for fresh or marine water. It is fully submersible so, no worries of the gadget getting damaged.

The EHEIM Jager comes with a thermal safety control. This is responsible for protecting it against running dry. The heater is also made in such a way that it automatically turns off when water level dips too low.

It features a TruTemp dial with readjustment ring that gives you the chance to calibrate it to get precise temperature reading. Additionally, the heater comes with on/off indicator light for at-a-glance monitoring.

Pros

In addition to that, it features both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature with easy to read gage

The most convenient feature of the Penn Plax heater is that it's fully submersible. That's not all, depending on you and your preference, it can be placed horizontally or vertically in your tank.

Other brands in the market don't come with a preset temperature. This can be misleading especially if you're a newbie. The Penn Plax heater stands out from the rest.

It comes with a preset temperature to 76 degrees Fahrenheit that is not only convenient but is also easily programmed. The heater is safe to use on larger fish tanks and aquariums up to 55 gallons.

Pros

Its innovative technology together with the high quality components assure you of a long lasting use. You can place the heater in different positions inside the tank, either vertical, horizontal or completely submerge it in water.

How to Choose Aquarium Heaters

Choosing an aquarium heater can be hard especially if you don't know what to put in mind. You may end up getting one that will either fry your fish or will kill them from being too cold. So you need to consider the following factors below.

Cost

The cost of the aquarium heater is the most important factor. It determines the type, size and the features of the heater you'll get. In real sense, aquarium heaters are quite pricey if you need to get a decent device. The more the expensive, the more the heaters will be efficient as they will come with features that will be convenient and safe for your fish

With the range of prices, you can choose heaters that you budgeted for. If you're a newbie, you need to start with the cheapest. You don't have to have fish only in the tanks. If you, however, feel confident you can go big. They are more efficient in the long run.

With the huge variety of aquarium types and sizes and if you have a limited budget, you can get immersible aquarium heaters. If you want to go big you can choose the other types of aquarium heaters they have more features and more efficient.

Aquarium Heater Types

There are four major types of aquarium heaters in the market. Each of them have their benefits and setbacks. Depending on your tank and your needs, choose one that will easily fit into your lifestyle

Immiscible- are the heaters used to heat by direct contact using a temperature pad. It's the cheapest aquarium heater in the market

Substrate- they heat water evenly than all other types of heaters from. They also promote plant growth ideal for tanks with live plants. They're however not widely used.

Filter Aquarium- they're the latest in the market the heaters are placed in the filters and water is heated. It's the right choice for larger aquariums with larger volumes of water

Submersible- they are the most popular kinds of heaters in the market. They're relatively cheap and easy to setup. They are submerged in water to be able to heat.

Size of Heater

The aquarium heaters come in a variety of sizes for you to choose from. A larger aquarium has a huge amount of water and hence requires a largely sized heater. The smaller aquariums require smaller water heaters.

However, there are aquarium heaters that are versatile. They can be used by a huge size range of aquarium heaters. There are those that can only be used by smaller aquariums and if used in the bigger ones, the water won't heat or will take a long time heating. The vice versa is true for bigger aquariums. The bigger heaters may end up frying your fish and posing a danger to you and your family.

Placement of Heater

Different aquarium heaters come with different placements. You need to take into consideration the placement of your heater. You can decide to put the heater in the middle, at the sides or the end.

Based on the choice you've made, you can then take a decision on the type of placement you want depending on your needs. The placement is based on the size of the heaters. Experts advise that the best placement is near the water inflow or outflow ducts. This makes it easily for the water to heat uniformly.

Maintenance

Just like aquariums, heaters need constant cleaning and maintaining. As the filters of the aquariums clean, the heaters may also get dirt. You need one that won't be difficult cleaning. Before you clean the heaters, however, be careful, they may easily break. Read the manual that guides the cleaning process. Ultimately choose heaters that are easy to clean and maintain

Final Word

Because the heaters maintain the temperature of your aquarium, you need to invest in the best heater to reap the benefits. They are important for keeping your fish and its environment healthy and clean.

However, before buying an aquarium heater keep in mind the factors to consider. Also do your research widely from owners of fish tanks, experts on aquarium heaters and reviews on the internet.

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