Heat Mats, Do They Work ?

[Goldfiinger]

Hi I don't know to much about them but I read somewhere that it is possible to get heat mats for fishtanks. The only ones I can find are for reptiles. So anyway basicaly my question is can you use heat mats in fish aquariums and do they work ?

 

[windsor-aquatic]

They were originally designed for vivariums, not aquarium use. I would be very wary of using them on anything but the smallest og aquariums, as the electrical connection sits slightly proud underneath the tank. although this may be "sunk" into the polystyrene beneath the tank, I have come across one or two instances where the base of the tank has cracked directly above this connection, and I strongly suspect that the cause was this connection.

 

[voo]

You might be thinking of heat cables? They are sometimes used in a planted tank.

 

[rfisher]

Hi,

I work for an electrical heating company and we are currently working on heating mats and cables for Aquariums, Well I say 'We', I really mean me as a side project. The heating mat is made of silicone, with a Nickel Chrome element fused between layers of Silicone sheet in the case of the cable the element wire is covered with a silicone rubber sheath which is vulcanised to the element. I have contacted our supplier to see if the silicone that we are using is Aquarium safe. I would have thought so because some of these mats and cables are used in a food environment, obvioulsy I cant say too much but one of the High Street burger chains is a customer of ours for both Mats and Cables. If anyone is really interested I will post any updates to the project as I find them.

Rich

 

[SPLiSH]

I think the ones on the market at the moment are mainly for hermit crabs, lizard tanks etc.

But Rich's idea sounds really good! They'd be useful for betta tanks especially...