# Heating a Nano Shwimp Tank



## Sugar Cone (Jan 2, 2010)

Im finally getting to the point of thinking about getting the dwellers of the new tank. But how do I heat it? My tank is very small, and I dont want the heater to be so obtrusive so I would prefer to lay it down behind the hardscape. But then Ill have plants back there, and shrimpses walking around, and I wouldnt want to damage any of them... 

Can I bury it under the substrate? Will that heat the water, or just make the gravel too hot for the plants as theres not much circulation under there? Any help would be appreciated.


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## mindnova (Jan 22, 2008)

How about this
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+12087&pcatid=12087
or this
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+11371&pcatid=11371

I have no experience with them but I like the Hydor for a more even distribution of heat. I have had some problems with circulation and animals clumping :grouphug: where the heater is.


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## Sugar Cone (Jan 2, 2010)

The first one is intended to "raise your temp a few degrees" and there is no adjustment. The second still leaves me with all my heat under the substrate which is one of the things that Im trying to find out about. If I can keep it buried, I wont need to buy anything, I can just bury my heater.

Thanks though.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

Sugar Cone said:


> Im finally getting to the point of thinking about getting the dwellers of the new tank. But how do I heat it? My tank is very small, and I dont want the heater to be so obtrusive so I would prefer to lay it down behind the hardscape. But then Ill have plants back there, and shrimpses walking around, and I wouldnt want to damage any of them...
> 
> Can I bury it under the substrate? Will that heat the water, or just make the gravel too hot for the plants as theres not much circulation under there? Any help would be appreciated.


Does it really need a heater? Check the temperature in the room it would be in, and what the creatures need. I think I've read that different kinds of shrimp do better in different temperatures, so maybe you could pick one that would be OK without a heater. Of course, if the room temperature varies between 60 and 80 degrees that could be a bit hard


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## Sugar Cone (Jan 2, 2010)

Well, not all the way to 80 but from 65 - 75 or so. Maybe as high as 80 in the summer.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

I saw this thread recently and thought that AquaDean had a pretty cool idea. He hasn't updated it in awhile so I don't know how it performs. That would get the heater completely out of the tank.

Just a thought.

Andy


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## AquaDean (Oct 29, 2009)

I still think that the Catalina 50 watt Titanium heater is one of the best fully adjustable heaters for a nano tank. It is small and can be mounted in any position. I wouldn't bury any heater that is not meant to be buried as it could cause in to not function correctly. 

My little DIY heater module works great but I have not had the time to hook it up to a tank yet. Other priorities keep getting in the way but soon I will and then will give the full report back.


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## Sugar Cone (Jan 2, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up, Andy.. And thanks for the update, AD. Ill stay tuned to your thread.


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

Heating cable underneath gravel should work, but you may need controller.


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## mikaila31 (Feb 24, 2006)

I've never heated my 1gal water area in my paludarium. Room temp swings from 63-68 daily and sometimes down to 60. Cherry shrimp seem to be fine in this.


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## paleopaque (Jun 23, 2009)

How big is your tank? I have the Hydor nano heater (7.5 watts I think) in one of my 1.5g nanos and it works great! Also burried under gravel so there's no unsightly heater in such a small tank. My room is always about 65 degrees, and it's enough to raise the temps by 5 degrees or so. Never had a problem with it being a fixed temp...


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## Sugar Cone (Jan 2, 2010)

Mine is a four gallon tank. 12" x 8" and 10" high.


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