Salt Water Aquarium Heaters

One indispensable piece of equipment for a thriving reef tank is a high quality, reliable heater.  Since coral reefs are found in the world’s tropical oceans it is necessary to use a heater in your aquarium to keep the water temperature at the ideal 75-78 degrees fahrenheit.  Thankfully, corals, tropical fish and marine invertebrates are able to survive and thrive anywhere within this range.  While heaters can sometimes be unsightly, the minimalist design of the Reef Casa line of all in one aquariums allow for the placement of a heater inside the rear chambers, which means that it will be hidden from view!  One thing that should be considered regarding heaters is that hobbyists tend to report more issues with heaters malfunctioning and overheating the water, rather than heater failures leading to the water becoming too cold.  For this reason, many hobbyists also choose to add a temperate monitoring probe in order to ensure that their tank stays at the ideal temperature.  Reef Casa offers a reliable, simple to use digital thermometer that can be used to monitor the water temperature.   With those things in mind, the only questions that a hobbyist really needs to answer are “how big of a heater do I need?” and “what type of heater should I get?”

Shop reef casa salt water aquarium heaters

While the ambient temperature of the room where the tank will be kept plays a role, a good rule of thumb is 3-5 watts of heating power per gallon of tank water.  This means that for the Reef Casa Studio 12 tank, a 50 watt heater will provide ample heating.

There are a number of different options available for reef tank heaters but the main difference is whether the thermostat is built into the heater or is a separate unit.  While there are benefits in larger systems to separating the thermostat from the heater, for a Reef Casa all in one system our high quality unit with a built in thermostat makes an excellent choice.  The Reef Casa heaters are adjustable, have a slim profile, are fully submersible and are made from high quality glass so they are far less likely to break.  There are also heaters that are not adjustable and are preset to a specific temperature.  While these heaters offer simplicity, we recommend using a heater that offers adjustability just in case you ever need to raise the temperature of your tank when using certain fish medications.

While all heaters serve the same function, investing in a high quality heater that is matched appropriately to the size will help to ensure that the tank stays at a temperature that allows your corals and fish to thrive.  If you have any questions about heaters or anything else to do with your new Reef Casa aquarium please let us know!  We are here to help.  Happy Reefing!