Best Aquarium Heater For Aquaponics Fish Tanks 2021

Below are our recommendations for the best aquarium fish tank heaters for your aquaponics setup.

Aquatop Titanium Aquarium Digital Controller

The AquaTop Titanium Aquarium Digital Controller is a state of the art digital tank heater that features the sleekest, anti-rust design that is suitable for larger fish tanks in excess of 10 gallons.

The device packs a massive 400 watts of heating power and has a digital control panel (wired) that allows you to easily move the heating power up and down, depending on your tank’s needs. This heating device can heat water from 68 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit.

This heater can handle up to a maximum of 125 gallons of water and weighs a hefty one pound.

It has also been fabricated from tough titanium, which resists rust and is perfect for complete submersion.

S.T. International Microchip Controlled Aquarium Heater

The S.T. International Digital Aquarium Tank Heater is a top of the line digital tank heater that packs a viable 100 watts of heating power and is especially designed for mid-range tanks that need consistent heating.

According to the manufacturer, this is a true microchip controlled heater that provides accurate heating up to one degree Fahrenheit of the desired user settings.

It has also been designed to save on power (up to 50% savings) and can shit itself off automatically when optimal water temperature has been attained in the tank.

The heater will also turn itself off when removed from the water so that it doesn’t crack (assuming that the user has not pulled the plug yet after removing from the tank), plus, you won’t have to worry about not know what’s happening in the tank because the thermometer will signal to you via LED lights if the water in the tank becomes abnormal.

Finnex HMA Series Heater

The Finnex HMA Series Digital Aquarium Tank Heater is a top of the line aquarium heater that guarantees accurate heating to up +2/-2 degrees Fahrenheit of the desired temperature on the digital dial.

Any fluctuations in the water temperature may be due to the ambient temperature and these tiny fluctuations are immediately corrected by the digital heater as it is very sensitive and can rapidly increase its heating power when needed.

This tank heater is ideal for both saltwater and freshwater tanks, plus it has premium heating tubes that generate heat rapidly, and on demand.

Pick this heater if you want an LED indicator that will tell you when the device is actively heating up and warming the water.

The main titanium body of the heater is wrapped by a heating guard to prevent any accidents in the tank, should any fish come too near the heater itself.

The heater can easily be attached to the inner surface of the tank thru small suction cups.

HyggeR Submersible Aquarium Heater

The HyggeR Adjustable Submersible Aquarium Heater is a mid-range tank heater that packs 300 watts of heating power and measures 14.4 inches in length.

To prevent accidents, this heater was designed to switch itself off the moment it is taken from the water.

The main body of the heater has been manufactured with shatter-resistant, high-grade quartz glass.

The glass is protected by a durable sleeve that protects tank inhabitants from the heating tubes.

The heater’s temperature can be adjusted from the inside and from outside the tank, which makes it more convenient for the aquaponics grower as you won’t have to touch the heater itself to change the temperature.

This device has a built-in thermometer that displays the water’s temperature, so you can easily tell if you need to recalibrate the heater to warm the water at either a higher or lower temperature.

Can be used for both saltwater and freshwater tanks. Also an ideal heater for terrariums.

Eheim Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater

The Eheim Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater is a digital heater that brings to the table a solid 200 watts of heating power.

It features a solid, shatterproof glass construction that makes it safe for long-term submersion in the tank.

It also has a built-in thermal control feature that protects the device from overheating, should the user remove it from the water and not pull the heater’s plug from the main outlet.

This heater is ready for immediate use and can be mounted inside the tank with suction cups. For use in both saltwater and freshwater tanks.

Can be calibrated safely within -2/+2 degrees Fahrenheit of the desires temperature in the tank.

And unlike other tank heaters, this one comes with a massive 5.6 foot cord that makes it perfect for indoor use as main outlets should be a little distance from the tanks themselves.

Spills can be deadly in the context of fish tanks, so it would be best to use the full measure of the heater.

When purchasing an aquarium heater for the first time, identify the proper sizing first before doing anything else.

Proper sizing will tell you which heater can successfully heat your tank and which one will not be able to because it is under-powered.

In case one heater is not enough, you can always buy a second heater with lower wattage to supplement the first one.

Aquarium heaters are of course necessary for keeping the water temperature stable in your aquaponics system.

The water temperature should be adjusted depending on the actual needs of your fish.

Fish have specific temperature ranges where they thrive and grow quickly, which is something that you would want if you want to be able to harvest your fish in a shorter period of time.

Another reason for using an aquarium heater is you want to make sure your fish survives.

Fish species like the tilapia orginate from the tropics and generally cannot tolerate waters that are colder than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you live in a temperate zone with really cold winter months, you should check the temperature tolerance of the fish that you are planning to add/have already added to your aquaponics fish tank.

Daily monitoring of the fish tank is also necessary to ensure that your fingerlings will not suddenly die due to poor water conditions. Water temperature is a big factor and ignoring it may mean death for your fish.

How To Prepare An Aquarium Fish Tank For Winter

When winter is nearly upon us, the first thing we should do is to double check if our tank heaters are in prime condition and are ready for the arduous task of maintaining proper temperature conditions inside your tank.

Unless you’re raising purely cold water fish that can easily tolerate temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it is likely that you need to warm your fish tank to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Goldfish thrive best in tanks that are at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature, while fish like tilapia grow best in tanks that are warmed to at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but not more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

So what’s the difference between raising fish in a fish tank and in a lake, for example? A fish tank is a closed and limited system.

What do we mean by this? In the wild, fish can freely move about to waters with better temperatures when they need to.

They are not constrained by the boundaries of a fish tank. All they need to do is swim until they find warmer waters and they’re alright again.

Another key difference between captive and wild fish is that captive fish are often transplanted from their original locales.

Tilapia for example, normally lives in the tropics where the average ambient temperature is between 23 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius. The warm weather ensures that waters are warm, too.

But when tilapia are transplanted to places with colder climes, they begin to struggle with the ambient temperature and water temperature.

And as the aquaponics grower, you are the only one with the capability to adjust the conditions inside the tank.

Aquarium Temperature Tips

1. Whether you have an old system or new system, it would be best to check the ambient temperature around your fish tank so you will have a good idea of how the immediate environment will affect your water tank’s condition.

Any direct sources of heat like sunlight will have an impact on water temperature. Factors like air-conditioning (should your home have it) would also change the water temperature.

2. The easiest way to monitor the tank temperature is by attaching a stick-on LCD thermometer to your tank.

Use several stick-on LCD thermometers as there is a gradient inside your tank and temperature on one side may not be the temperature on the other side.

There will also be a big change in the temperature at the center of the tank as well as the bottom.

Using multiple thermometers will also allow you to monitor if your tank heaters are working properly.

3. Proper heating sizing is a must. It is considered a best practice to size the tank heater based on the number of gallons of water in your tank.

If your tank has 55 gallons max or less, allot 5 watts per gallon. If your tank is over 55 gallons, size the tank heater by allotting 3 watts for every gallon.

Then check if the water is warming up properly afterward by checking the different thermometers in your tank.