One of the most important elements you will need to consider when setting up a fish tank in your home or office will be whether you will need an aquarium heater, and if so, what type of heater you should purchase.

Aquarium heaters are small devices that are placed inside the aquarium to help to regulate the temperature of the water in your aquarium to the temperature that your fish need to survive and thrive. Most tropical fish are cold blooded, which means that they are unable to regulate their own body temperatures.

Because they are unable to keep themselves warmer or cooler depending on their environment, the temperature of the water must be correctly set for the type of fish you will be housing. You should also only house together fish that require the same water temperature because you can only set one aquarium temperature.

There are a number of different aquarium heaters currently available. The first type, an immersible heater, is the least expensive model available. The immersible heater hangs on to the side of the tank and the heater control must remain above the water level. It can often be difficult to get the correct water temperature using this type of heater, but these heaters are relatively cheap and are a great option for anyone on a budget.

Submersible heaters are more expensive than the immersible ones but they can be completed submerged underwater and camouflaged among rocks or other tank accessories. It is much easier to regulate the tank’s temperature using one of these types of heaters. A drawback of this model is that they are difficult to repair as the tube is sealed in order to make the heater fully waterproof.

Substrate heaters consist of heating cables installed below the materials in the bottom of the tank. They heat the water very uniformly and also have a lot of aesthetic appeal, as they are practically invisible. They also promote the growth of plants. The downside to substrate heaters is that they cannot be repaired of replaced without taking apart the entire tank.

The newest type of aquarium or fish tank heater available is the filter heater; this consists of a heating block that fits into the tank filter. The heating block heats the water as it passes through the filter and back out into the tank. Filter heaters can be rather pricey and also somewhat difficult to find.

Aquarium heaters are readily available at your local pet supply store, both at large chains such as PetSmart as well as local specialty shops. If you are looking for one of the less-popular or more expensive types of heaters, you may want to consider purchasing it online, as there may be a wider product selection available.