What size tank heater should I use!?

[LizMarie]

Hi my mom has a 29gallon tank that she hasn't had up and running for YEARS! So since her birthdays in April I thought, "let me get the supplies, clean it out, get some fish and have it together for her birthday" that way she doesn't have to worry about doing all the nasty work but I need to know what size heater she needs wattage wise. I tried to go to the petshop and ask and he handed me a 250 wattage heater worth $40 bucks, lol.

 

[Friedbread]

Generally the rule of thumb is 5 watts per gallon. So 29 gallon tank would be 145 watts. You should be able to find a 150 watt heater. This is just a simple rule though, make sure you take into consideration how warm the room is already. If it's very cold, you may need a slightly stronger one.

I recommend the Marineland brand. I've been very happy with all of their products, but they do tend to be pricey. You want to be sure to get a quality heater because a cheap one that dies unexpectedly may cost you your fish.

 

[butterfly]

Also, remember that you will have to cycle the tank. Do you know anyone who has a fish tank? If so, ask if you can steal some filter media. If not, you will need to do it the hard way. Look up fish tank cycling. There is a forum I used to go on, but for the life of me I can't think of the name. I'll have to search for it. It will answer every question you could possibly ever have concerning fish.

What type of fish are you planning on putting in there? I could help better knowing that much. If you do a tropical tank, a 100-125 watt heater will suffice, assuming you don't live in a really cold place like the Arctic Circle. If you plan on putting goldfish, you can have a maximum of two "fancy" goldfish and won't need a heater if your house stays at least 72 degrees F. Don't get koi or common/comet goldfish as they get to be over a foot long!

 

[RampantReptiles]

The rule is 3 to 5 watts per gallon. You dont want to get a 150 unless you have a really cold house. Get a 100 watt. I use a 100 watt in my 29, its a stealth and I love it! I have stealths in all my aquariums. They have an auto shutoff so you dont have to mess with turning them off when you do a water change and they have a lifetime guarantee(I think). They will never crack and can take abuse from large fish. Only thing I dont like is that when you first get them they can produce bubbles... manufacturers say that is how you know they are working. It takes several months until the heater builds up a "slime coat"(yeah like a fish lol) and stops making the bubbles.

 

[LizMarie]

I personally wanted some nice calm small community fish since the tank isn't that large. My mom on the other hand wants a jack dempsley, oscar or pink convicts.. Anything big and aggressive, lmao but I'm not sure what we have room for I haven't checked out their perfered requirements yet.

 

[RampantReptiles]

Nah a 29 isnt big enough for any of that stuff... but I was just saying they are crack proof

Would need something like a 55 for any of those big guys or bigger.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Oscars, ahhh yes

I personally wanted some nice calm small community fish since the tank isn't that large. My mom on the other hand wants a jack dempsley, oscar or pink convicts.. Anything big and aggressive, lmao but I'm not sure what we have room for I haven't checked out their perfered requirements yet.

Is it for you or her?
Get her a young/small Tiger Oscar...:main_yes::main_thumbsup::main_laugh:"fun fish"...
They can be trained like a puppy.
She can get more enjoyment with a little
hands on contact feeding it.....
other than dropping food in the tank.
Add a couple plecos and you're set for a
no hassle maintenance program.
Take care. HJ