Heater Requirements for 265G

[misterted]

So I'm running 2 heaters in the sump on this tank. One is a 400W and the other is a 250W.

Is that enough or do I need more?

[mack74]

I think alot depends on the temp outside the tank. I anly use a 300watt in my 180 and it works just fine as the room temp is always 70-75 degrees.

[fischfan13]

Well, I might as well add my 2 cents...
I spoke with Ted last night and said that I believe he needs another heater.
My rule of thumb has always been...
Gallons x 3.5 = Watts needed.
Which would mean that a 265g would require 926 watts or, as I told Ted, about 1000 watts.

[YoungAquaticPhotos]

I have a 300, 250, & 250 on mine and it is fine. Anywhere between 800 and 900 should be fine. I have it set to 78 and it hardly fluctuates. My room temp is 75-76 degrees.

[misterted]

My room temp is always between 71-73.
The question is wether or not the heaters are working too hard to maintain the temperature. If the light is always on then that is a potential problem.

[mack74]

If your temp is always in the 70's with that size tank I would use 2 300 watt heaters. That should be plenty. My worry is always if one gets stuck on u cook your fish, with 2- 300 watt heaters that should never happen.

[phillyofish]

I thought it had to do with the range of temp difference between room and Tank. and not ncecessarily the wattage. if there isn't going to be alot of fluctuations then isn't the extra overkill. I guess you can never be too safe. I have a 150 in my foyer next to the front door and I have 2 - 300w stealths in there. water is at 80 degrees.

[misterted]

So basically am I ok with the 250W and the 400w?

[joe_jaskot]

When determining how many heaters and what wattage to use on a big tank, a few things have to be considered. The most important thing is the difference in temperatures between the room temperature and the desired tank temperature. If the difference is 10 degrees or less, 3-5 watts per gallon will be sufficient. If the difference is greater than 10 degrees more wattage/gallon will be necessary. Once the tank water is heated, there will be little fluctuation in temperature with such a large volume of water. Other factors to consider are lighting and pumps or filters which will add heat to the water. In cooler temperatures the tank should be covered to prevent heat loss. Sumps should also be covered to prevent cooler air contacting the water. The more air movement over the water the cooler the water will become.

[Pete]

And remember the glass on a 265 is thicker than the glass on smaller tanks, also helping reduce the wattage you need to maintain the temperature.

[misterted]

Just a quick update.
The 400W I got was defective.
I am now using 2 Ebo-Jagr heaters, a 250W and a 200W.
Togeher they are keeping the tank within 5 degrees of room temperature.

[Flareside]

I came home from work on two separate occasions to find that a single heater had gone bezerk and cooked my salt water set up, and also a wc tank of tanganyikans. Since then I have had no trust in any brand of heater. I opt to always go with two underpowered heaters (as you have done with the dual set up). Less chances that both will stick at the same time, resulting in an expensive batch of fish soup