Introduction
Aquarium Heater Stopped Working? Just Shuts Off and doesn’t turn back on.
This is happening to your heating unit for a handful of reasons. The most common reason is usually due to a temperature switch that is not working correctly within the heater itself. This means that when the heater is supposed to turn on that heating switch does not turn the heater on in making it so the entire unit itself is pretty much useless.
The second reason why your heater might be failing or not working in your Fishtank is because it’s too small. You need to figure for 5 W of energy for the heater per every 1 gallon of water in your aquarium. So a 10 gallon aquarium would for instance need a 51 heater at minimum. I personally even oversize my heater so that the heater isn’t working as hard as it could be and therefore last longer.
More info and talk:
Hey guys I’m thinking of starting breeding Wots the best fish to start with that ar t to hard to breed but will sell for good price to cover costs.
Throw some rice fish in a trough outside with a bunch of plants. They breed easy and currently popular. I've been seeing Orachi Medaka going for around $95 for 5 plus $20 for shipping if you can even find them.
I don't mean this is a rude way, but if you're asking people on FB in an "Aquariums for beginners" group, you're probably not ready.bAnd if you're asking about what fish are easy, but will make money... you're probably not ready.
Good breeders spend thousands and thousands on their set ups and have spent countless hours learning about each of their fish, water quality needed, set ups, etc You need to figure out for yourself what you want to breed, if you can breed it, and of you're able to do so... THEN see if it would sell. Not generally a good idea to go balls deep into something like this with dollar signs as your only motivation.
I've been thinking about starting a breeding project. I hear cichlids are good, but most people want pure strain and no mixed breeding. I also hear bristlenose plecos are easy and sought after. However I would first talk to your local LFS and see if they would buy from you as their local source and if so what would they be most interested in.
I breed my fish to get different stuff into our local market. I breed because I love my fish and they way they look. I'm around $10,000 in on my set up and have made less than $200 I do it as a passion hobby not to make a living. Making a true living at fish breeding is very difficult and has huge upfront costs. Many people actually import and then beef up and do more of a quality control to make money on fish. Breeding alone is not a cost effective hobby for the majority of people. You also need to be aware of what your local fish stores have access to and what sells good for them. Then you need to get the more rare things they cant get but would potentially have a market for.
Breeding fish costs a lot to start up. I breed bettas with plans to breed angels and cichlids. You need to buy quality stock to start off. It's also cheaper to buy babies and raise them. Which can take a year to get them to breed in some species. Ask around in local fish groups to see what is sought after in your area. Familiarize yourself with shipping too. It gives you a broader buyer radius. I started with mystery snails and live bearers to see if this was something i would keep up with. You will also need multiple tanks. I have over 25 running and need to set up more.
Video
All right guys, just remember we're hanging out just some easy q, a so we'll move on to the next question.
Hey, chris, my aquarium heater stopped working and it's, almost like it just shuts off and doesn't turn back on.
Ah, man, I just got done doing a complete rant in the podcast.
I don't know, if you guys checked it out, uh, go to my main channel.
Palmer aquatics.
I just did this 20 minute long, podcast, I'm, really passionate about, um, but guys aquarium, heaters, um, when they stop working, it seems there's not much.
You can do, and it seems really frustrating.
You know, I've watched videos on youtube on how to take apart the heaters themselves, but it seems pretty in depth.
And by the time you start buying parts to fix your old aquarium.
Heater it's, just not even worth it.
You know, some things I've realized when buying aquarium heaters, one, big particular variable, I found that makes a huge difference is looking at the size of the wire that goes into the actual heater unit itself.
See at the top of them, the wire size does matter.
And also I hate aquarium heaters that use these old school dials at the top of them where you kind of manually change the temperature, I know a lot of aquariums still do this, but I actually hate it because there's a lot of new technology with digital thermostats.
And just like I just I have so many of these cheap chinese heaters that don't work, and they just stopped working overtime or else.
They just can't keep up in an adequate amount of space that they're supposed to versus the wattage per gallon.
It's extremely frustrating.
Guys after being in this hobby for quite some time and having tons of aquarium heaters stop working on me.
I've realized brands are everything when it comes to aquarium.
Heaters that's, an eheim jagger, right there.
This is a chinese brand, uh, we'll, be lucky to get a year out of it.
No I'm kidding.
But some of them are made better than others guys.
This is a over in this tank in my flowerhorn tank there's.
What is called a vivosun there's, someone of a new brand on amazon I'm kind of really digging I'm trying to get them to sponsor the channel, because I really love their heaters.
They have a digital thermostat on the front they're, super cheap.
They work great like I couldn't ask for anything more any an aquarium heater.
And this thing has never stopped working.
I have, I think 10 of them in the house right now.
And they just, hey, look.
It's me.
Hello.
Hello.
You can see my reflection, but yeah, guys aquarium.
Heaters.
Oh, my god, look at that flower horn by the way.
This is a thai silk flower horn in this tank, he's still a little juvenile, but he'll still bite your finger.
If you put him in there, he's he's like a little badass.
So, but yeah, uh, chances are guys to sum this up you're, not gonna fix your aquarium heater, uh, it sucks you're gonna be out on the bill on this one because chances are if you take the thing apart, it's, never gonna go back together, uh, the way you bought it.
So it kind of sucks, but it is what it is not trying to be a total buzz kill on trying to help.
You guys answer this question here in the chat and further future, viewers on these videos, but um aquarium, heaters man, it's, pretty technical.
You have like resistors and all kinds of like soldering on the inside.
You can watch some videos on youtube on taking them apart, but is it worth twenty to thirty dollars on a small one? I don't think so, but maybe if you have a giant thousand watt heater, you wanna take apart that's a different story.
Um guys, let me know in the comments section.
What your opinion is on this topic of like, uh, let me know are you just gonna buy a new aquarium? Heater are you pissed at what brand? Uh, maybe you're.
You had bad luck with a certain brand.
You got a big chain store.
Please hit up the comments section.
Let us know, uh, let's, try to help each other out in in sharing some of these good brands of aquarium.
Heaters that aren't going to stop working and shut off on us like some of the other brands, all right guys on to the next question you.
FAQs
A dirty pilot light may go out, a dirty thermocouple may stop working, and other dirty parts may interfere with your water heater's function. Clogs are bigger a problem. A clogged thermocouple is the most common problem that causes shutdowns.
Why isn't my heater working in my fish tank? ›
If your heater stops working in a fish tank, the first thing you should do is check the thermostat. It should be set to the appropriate temperature, and if you can't get the heat to come on, reset it. If this doesn't work, you should check the internal wiring.
Why does my hot water heater turn on then shut off? ›
If your gas water heater keeps turning off, the problem most likely lies with the thermocouple. This vital component detects when the pilot light is lit and then allows gas to flow to the burner. A faulty thermocouple will shut off gas to the burner as well as the pilot.
Why does my hot water shut off suddenly? ›
If your water suddenly stops running, the first thing you should do is not panic. Common reasons for the water to shut off include a closed valve, a water heater malfunction, leaky pipe, or an issue with your water supply.
Can fish survive without a heater? ›
Coldwater fish won't be affected by not having a heater in their tank for extended periods! These fish species can live in diverse water temperatures and survive big temperature changes.
How long do aquarium heaters last? ›
Gauge the Life Span
If not, you should know that most aquarium heaters don't last past three to five years. If your aquarium heater is past its prime, that will be an indication that your heater needs replacing. It's better to replace your heater early rather than waiting for it to stop working.
How long can an aquarium go without a heater? ›
If it stays within the tolerance range of the fish, they'll be ok. If it gets too cold, that's stressful and slows their metabolism so they may stop eating and they won't last too long that way though a few days or a week could be survivable for a number of species.
Where is the best place to put a heater in an aquarium? ›
In your home aquarium, the best location for placing a heater is near the maximum water flow, such as the outlet (or inlet) from the filter, or in the stream of a powerhead. Having water flowing directly past the heater is what quickly and evenly disperses heated water throughout the tank.
How often should I replace tank heater? ›
If your tank water heater is more than 10 years old, it may be time to consider replacing it. With proper maintenance, a tank water heater tank should last six to 12 years. A tankless water heater can last for more than 20 years. Check your water heater's warranty for the most accurate timelines.
Why does my hot water turn off after a few minutes? ›
Water Heater Runs Out Of Hot Water Quickly: Possible Reasons Why. As mentioned above, several things can cause a home's hot water supply to run out faster than it should. The three most common culprits are sediment build up, a faulty heating element and a broken dip tube.
Yes, you can clean a thermocouple, but the task must be done with a light touch. Remove the thermocouple from the process assembly, using a steel wool or emery cloth, lightly clean the tip removing any build up. Cleaning a thermocouple is not a fix for an issue, such as inaccurate readings.
What to do if hot water stops coming? ›
What to Do When You Have No Hot Water
- See What Temperature the Thermostat Is Set To. ...
- Check Whether the Circuit Breaker Has Tripped. ...
- Look at the Pilot Light. ...
- Check Whether Anyone Else Is Using Hot Water. ...
- Inspect the Water Heater for Leaks. ...
- Perform a Water Heater Tank Flush. ...
- Replace Your Water Heater.
Tropical fish, for example, do best between 75° and 80°F, goldfish and other "cold-water" species prefer temperatures below 70°F, and temperate fish can be found in habitats that overlap tropical and cold-water realms.
Can I put 2 heaters in my aquarium? ›
There are some distinct advantages to having more than one heater in an aquarium. If the room that the aquarium is in is quite cold and the aquarium water temperature drops and a single heater can not raise the temperature, a second heater would help boost the heat produced to raise the water temperature.
Do aquarium heaters use a lot of electricity? ›
Your aquarium heater needs will depend on the size and location of your tank. A 30-gallon tank will use between 150 and 200 kWh of energy per year for heat but will use more heat the colder the environment is.
How do you oxygenate a fish tank without electricity? ›
Pouring water from a height, manually stirring the water, or performing large water changes, are some ways to quickly increase oxygen in fish tanks. These methods allow more oxygen to dissolve in the water, and release carbon dioxide.
Is it better to have 1 or 2 heaters in aquarium? ›
If you own a larger tank that requires 200 watts of heat, we recommend purchasing two 100W heaters rather than one 200W heater. Using multiple, smaller heaters reduces the damage caused by equipment malfunction.
Can you put heater next to filter in aquarium? ›
Ideal Place for heater
The heater should be in a place where good water flow is available. Place your heater close to the filter inlet/outlet. Strong water current of The strong water current of the filter carries the heated water molecules throughout the aquarium.
What is the most efficient way to heat an aquarium? ›
Heat pumps can be more practical in larger aquariums to efficiently draw heat into water. If you are housing many small aquariums, it may be best to simply heat the air around them to the desired temperature.
How do I know if my heater needs to be replaced? ›
8 Signs Your Heater May Need To Be Replaced
- Abnormally high electric bills. ...
- Short cycling issues. ...
- Members of your family not feeling well / having headaches. ...
- Constantly adjusting the thermostat. ...
- Dryness and dustiness of your house. ...
- Unfamiliar furnace noises. ...
- Pilot light is yellow. ...
- Recurrent needs for repairs.
Most heaters are rated for somewhere around 5 watts per gallon. Most tanks only need about 2 watts per gallon unless your home is unusually cool. This extra strength means that if/when the heater fails on, it is more than powerful enough to overheat the tank to lethal levels.
How much does it cost to run an aquarium heater per year? ›
Based on a freshwater fish only aquarium at about 72 F, the total consumption for a small tank (10 Gallons) is about 150 kWh a year. A medium tank (30 Gallons) will run between 150 – 200 kWh per year, while a large aquarium (55 Gallons) needs 200 – 400 kWh per year.
Why does my water heater keep running non stop? ›
Sediment buildup may be the reason you have a water heater constantly running. Over time, minerals in your water can settle at the bottom of the tank and form a sludge. This sludge can then block the heating element, preventing the water from heating up to the appropriate temperature.
Do aquarium heaters turn off automatically? ›
The aquarium heaters are designed in such a way that they automatically turn off as soon as the desired temperature is attained. Likewise, when the water gets cold, the device turns on to maintain the temperature all over again. Fully submersible aquarium heaters are always safe and better than half-submersible.
How often do aquarium heaters turn on? ›
As it is thermostatically controlled, it will turn itself on and off as required. The only exception to this rule is when you are performing a water change and the water level is going to drop below the safety level marked on the glass exterior of your heater.
Do aquarium heaters stay on all the time? ›
Do You Leave the Aquarium Heater on All the Time? Yes, you can leave the heater on 24/7. Aquarium heaters have an internal thermostat that turns off the heat when it reaches a specific temperature, thus keeping the water temperature within a few degrees of the desired setting.
What to do when water heater stops? ›
What to Do When You Have No Hot Water
- See What Temperature the Thermostat Is Set To. ...
- Check Whether the Circuit Breaker Has Tripped. ...
- Look at the Pilot Light. ...
- Check Whether Anyone Else Is Using Hot Water. ...
- Inspect the Water Heater for Leaks. ...
- Perform a Water Heater Tank Flush. ...
- Replace Your Water Heater.
Gauge the Life Span
If not, you should know that most aquarium heaters don't last past three to five years. If your aquarium heater is past its prime, that will be an indication that your heater needs replacing. It's better to replace your heater early rather than waiting for it to stop working.
How long can a fish tank go without a heater? ›
If it stays within the tolerance range of the fish, they'll be ok. If it gets too cold, that's stressful and slows their metabolism so they may stop eating and they won't last too long that way though a few days or a week could be survivable for a number of species.
How long does a tank heater last? ›
Traditional water heaters with standing water tanks can last around 10 to 15 years before you notice signs of age. If you have an old model or one that's malfunctioning, you may want to consider preemptive water heater replacement to save yourself time, money, and hassle.
You can increase the water temperature in your tank by slowly adding a sealed bottle of hot water to your aquarium and letting it float. For example, if you're trying to heat the fish tank temperature to 80°F, the water inside the floating container should be 120°F.
Do heaters automatically turn off? ›
Newer heaters typically have built-in safety features like tip-over protection and automatic shut-off to guard against overheating, which can help prevent the risk of residential fires.
