Review on Efficient Submersible Heater for Marina Betta Fish Tank Aquarium, 1.5 Gallons by Brooke Rogers

I would have given this heater 5 stars if the company hadn't put so much effort into a deliberately misleading, albeit technically correct, description. that the heating is permanently switched on. It doesn't have a thermostat, it just heats up and stays warm all the time. Therefore, to say that it "reaches the set temperature" is misleading as most will interpret this as the temperature of the water when in fact it is the temperature of the HEATER that remains constant. Whether or not the bowl/tank will maintain the desired temperature will depend on the size of the tank/water volume, the room temperature, the circulation/movement of the water, other heat sources such as lights on or off, a lid or not on the home. , acrylic or glass container, heater placement and so on. This is how all small Betta or Bowl type heaters work. This is an 8w heater. These heaters typically run between 7.5 and 15 watts. If you need more power, use 7.5 watts twice rather than 15 watts once. This way only one of them can be deactivated if the water temperature is too high, giving you a bit more flexibility. They can be safely buried underground, which is a good option for some installations. This particular heater has a small red LED which, as stated in the description, lights up "when the heater is on" - a technically correct but also misleading statement. It should be said truthfully that the light comes on whenever the heater is plugged in, rather than giving the impression that the light, and therefore the heater, is turning on and off. Rest assured this will not be the case. Regardless of the water temperature, the heater emits 8 watts of heat each time it is connected to the mains. Using this type of heater requires careful and constant monitoring. You need an accurate thermometer. You can't rely on charts/statements of how many degrees a heater of a certain size will raise the temperature in a tank of a certain size, too many variables. However, these small units can be very effective and I really like it. The LED light, while intended more as a marketing ploy, is actually a nice feature as there are times when you unplug the heater and easily forget to plug the heater back in without such an indicator. The weight is comfortable, it tends to stay where it's put, thinner/lighter models move easily. On the same tanks they seem very stable. It is entirely possible to seriously overheat a bowl or small tank with this type of heater. This is not a malfunction, it is simply an inherent risk of any heater that is left on all the time. If the room gets warmer, the water gets warmer too. These heaters don't adjust for any variables, they just always put out the same amount of heat no matter what. This is something that most people who have trouble with this do not realize, and that cleverly worded descriptions do not make clear. The temperature in the aquarium also changes with the room temperature. These heaters simply keep a small amount of water a few degrees warmer than without. They cannot and cannot maintain capacity at any given temperature, ignore the "maintain the ideal temperature" claims as they are clearly false. The aquarist needs to be a thermostat, matching the size of the aquarium to the size of the heater (wattage) and constantly monitoring fluctuations in room temperature and other variables. These heaters are not intended for overly sensitive species, but Bettas are probably much better off being in water that varies between 75° and 85° than in unheated water that varies between 65° and 75°. Bettas are heat loving fish and can even tolerate very high temperatures, making using this type of heater less risky but still not reliable. For about $20 or more, you can hook up a heater controller. I have a rack of 9 identical small tanks with 9 of these heaters connected to an extension connected to a controller set at 82°. The probe for the controller is in one of the 9 tanks and works great, maintaining a stable temperature of 82ºC in all of them. connector, about $10). You can then make some pretty fine adjustments, usually with the slider up or down depending on temperature variations. I have this heater on a gallon Marina Cubus with dwarf shrimp and a dimmer and it works well. As I said at the beginning, the actual heater is of good quality and has proven to be quite stable from unit to unit. It works exactly as it should and the limitations are not bugs, just what it is. Not sure why the description only lists this 8 watt heater for tanks up to 1.5 gallons, but it's relatively pointless anyway. Some of the 7.5 watt models are recommended for tanks "up to 5 gallons" which is no longer the case - it just depends on the sum of all the variables in the situation at hand. My only real concern is what I consider to be intentional marketing tactics. mislead the buyer into believing that the product is, or can function, something it is not. A clear explanation of how the device actually works is needed, especially if the company doesn't want to be held responsible for problems caused by misuse. * If you are interested, I will also look at the dimmer I use.