Undertank Heater

[your1stopshop]

I have a 5.5 gallon aquarium thats at about 23'C right now (no heater just room temp) I wanna heat it up a little, and was wondering if anyone had ever used an under tank heater (usually for reptile terrariums) to heat an aquarium. I don't want to buy a submersable because they are kinda expensive for what you get, and an under tank heater wouldn't be seen in the tank. The tank only needs to go up about 2 -3 'C. so i was wondering if that would work.
Thanks a bunch

 

[rabbut]

You need a thermostat fitted, or you will end up cooking your fish sooner or later Other than that, there is no reason as to why it wouldn't work. The hard bit will be finding a thermostat that will work with the mat, and even then you will probibly spend more on it than you do on a conventional heater...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[your1stopshop]

oh yeah, i totally forgot about that. haha. i actually have a under tank heater for my snake, and it needs a regulator thing, but that totally slipped my mind. damn, maybe i'll just up the thermostat in the house and then i won't have to worry about it, but that'll probably cost more then i new heater thanks though.

 

[smegforbrains]

You can pick up a 50w heater off eBay for around a tenner delivered.