Title of your Article (2024)

In this article, we’ll be looking at some fish tank heater options that are just perfect for your 55 gallon aquarium.

When shopping for a 55-gallon fish tank heater, many styles are considered, including those made with glass, titanium, digital thermostats, and even submersible.

Each comes with a set of unique pros and cons to consider before buying.

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What Size (Wattage) Heater Do I Need For A 55 Gallon Fish Tank?

When you’re looking for an aquarium heater, the most important thing is to understand the wattage.

Wattage is just the electricity your aquarium heater needs to work correctly.

The typical wattage per gallon of an aquarium heater is about 2.5-5 watts. So your 55 gallon aquarium heater will need somewhere between 200-400 watts to keep the best temperature range.

Here’s a heater size chart to make your life easier.

Aquarium Heater Size Chart

So pick up one of the heaters below with the correct wattage, and your fish will love you!

The Top 8 Aquarium Heaters for a 55 Gallon Tank

Now that you know the best wattage range for a 55 gallon tank, let’s help you find the perfect aquarium heater.

We’ve tested the best-reviewed aquarium heaters and put together this list to help you. Each heater has its unique features, so have a look and pick the one that’s best for your needs.

1. Best Overall: Eheim Jager Aquarium Heater

This heater comes with True Temp technology.

What does this mean?

To put it simply, this adjustable heater will maintain the temperature range. So your fish will be happy, and you don’t have to stress about watching the temperature every hour.

But wait, that’s not it!

The Eheim Jager aquarium heater is shatter-proof and fully submersible.

Why We Love It?

• It has a lot of great perks, especially its incredible price.
• It is made from shatter-proof glass.
• Precise regulation of temperature. The temperature control accuracy of this baby is within +/-0.5℃.

2. Best Value: Fluval M200 Submersible Heater, 200-Watt

The Fluval M200 Submersible heater is made of shock-resistant borosilicate glass. This sturdy heater has accurate temperature control.

It is sleek and can work effectively for aquariums up to 65 gallons in size.

The Fluval heater is one of the easiest to use on the market. Just turn the dial and set the temperature, and you’re good to go. You won’t have to fumble around with this one.

This heater has a precise thermostat, and you can easily set the temperature between 19℃-32℃. The heater will sink to the bottom of the tank, making sure your fish get the best environment to flourish.

Why We Love It?

• Best value and features for its price. Plus, it comes with an incredible 3-year warranty.
• It has reflective technology. It will blend into the environment of your aquarium.
• It is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater.

3. Most Reliable: Hydor ETH 200 In-Line External Aquarium Heater, 200w

If you have marine fish in your aquarium, the Hydro ETH 200 is the best aquarium heater for your 55 gallon tank.

Say goodbye to your aquarium heater overheating, catching fire, or explosions. This heater features precise electronic temperature control (PTC).

You can use this heater externally, and it is super easy to use. It will work best for your canister filters and sump tanks.

What’s more, is that this heater has a silent operation. Noise is not going to be a problem.

Just be careful you set it up vertically, and everything is as easy as a breeze.

Why We Love It?

• PTC protects the product, and you don’t have to worry about changing your heater repeatedly.
• Indicator lights, electronic circuits, and many other perks for a great price.
• Available in two different size options, ½” and ⅝.”

4. Best Glass: Aqueon Glass Adjustable Heater, 200 Watt

The Aqueon glass Adjustable Heater is one of the top-notch 200-watt aquarium heaters on our list.

This 200-watt aquarium heater will turn off automatically. So overheating is never going to be a problem!

This fully submersible heater guarantees optimum performance for 50-55 gallon tanks. You get precise temperature control with the turn of a knob.

It is effortless to use. The manufacturers used high-quality quartz glass to make sure you get a shatter-resistant exterior.

Plus, the LED light on it will let you know whether your heater is working correctly or not.

Why We Love It?

• It has a high-quality quartz glass shatter-resistant exterior.
• This heater has indicator lights and auto power off, all for a low price.
• It is UL-approved and overheating protection.

5. Best Titanium: Finnex HMS 500 Watt Digital Titanium Aquarium Heater

Your fish will love this submersible heater. The cool thing about this one is that the water temperature setting knob is outside the tank.

So feel free to change the temperature settings without having to get your hands in the water.

There is an LED display on the temperature setting knob, so you’ll always be able to see if your heater is working.

The heater can maintain the temperature range very efficiently. Your fish will be healthy inside your 55 gallon tank.

But that’s not the best bit. This heater has a titanium tube.

This corrosion-resistant titanium tube is fully submersible and makes the product top-tier and one of a kind.

Why We Love It?

• It has an audio alert feature.
• It has a top-quality corrosion-resistant titanium tube.
• A precise temperature control, 3-digit display, and heater guard make this product worth the value.

6. Best Submersible: Marineland Precision Heater, 200-Watt

This is the most precise 200-watt aquarium heater on our list. It is built for 55 gallon tanks, and you can change the temperature by one degree with every click.

Whenever the temperature of your fish tanks rises above the desired temperature range, the auto power-off will kick in.

The heater will turn back on once the water temperature has cooled back down. You can monitor the exact temperature settings on the sliding scale.

This fully submersible heater has a mica core and mesh heating tube. This heater comes with all the best qualities.

Why We Love It?

• Temperature display from 3 position windows.
• Precise and advanced heating system.
• The thermal switch ensures the security of your fish.

7. Best Adjustable: Cobalt Aquatics Flat Neo-Therm Heater With Adjustable Thermostat

Cobalt Aquatics launched their Flat Neo-Therm Heater and revolutionized the aquarium heater game. It is compatible with all fish tanks.

This heater has a flat energy-efficient design. It increases the temperature of fish tanks much more significantly than any other heater you’ll find.

This heater has an adjustable thermostat with a one-touch system like no other. This thermostat can detect temperature fluctuation with fantastic accuracy.

But that’s not it.

It has shock resistant glass casing and a whopping three-year warranty.

Trust us; this baby is virtually indestructible.

Why We Love It?

• A high-end product at a fantastic price.
• One-touch system and accurate LED display.
• Modern design.
• Ultimate safety by the auto power-off system.

8. Best Digital: AquaTop 200-Watt Digital Heater With External Control

The AquaTop 200-Watt Digital Heater is one of the most advanced heaters for aquariums.

This heater is made according to the most cutting-edge technology. The heater comes with digital touch control and a heating indicator.

You can fit this in a 55 gallon aquarium and adjust the temperature between 20℃-34℃.

You don’t have to worry about where to place this heater as it is the heater is fully submersible, and as long as it remains in the water, you’ll have no issues.

Why We Love It?

• Controls desired temperature with digital touch.
• Suitable for up to 50-gallon aquarium.
• Best for both saltwater and freshwater.

Features To Consider Before Buying

Before you go on and buy yourself a heater, you will need to make sure you understand the needs of your aquarium.

Not all heaters and aquariums are alike.

This is why one heater will be compatible with your aquarium, and another probably won’t.

You need to understand the heat, light safety requirements of your fish.

You will find countless options once you begin shopping. There will be heaters with fixed and adjustable temperatures; others will have their heating tube made of different materials.

You can even pick between digital and thermostat controls or submersible and external options.

However, you don’t need to be overwhelmed.

Below you’ll find a complete guide so you can learn which feature suits your needs and which doesn’t.

Let’s go.

Adjustable Vs. Fixed Temperature

If you’re wondering whether you should get an adjustable or a fixed temperature heater, then there’s just one thing you should know.

The heater with a fixed temperature setting will not give you much flexibility.

But if you go for an adjustable one, you get to set the temperature to whatever you want. You get to choose the temperature range according to different tanks.

Long story short, you can adjust the temperature reading according to more than one tank. Most people do prefer the adjustable type for the same reason.

Glass Vs. Titanium

The most common heater housings are made of glass. However, most people agree that the best quality heaters are made of titanium tubes.

But recently, there have been many shockproof glass options available as well.

You can find borosilicate glass or quartz glass. There are others as well, but these two varieties are the most popular ones.

Another downside to the borosilicate glass or quartz glass heaters is their calibration.

Most users agree that the glass versions do not have a well-calibrated thermostat compared to the titanium heaters.

Submersible Vs. External

The first thing aquarium owners ask is whether their submersible heater is safe for their fish?

The answer to that is yes. All fish tank heaters have the green light when it comes to safety as long as you take all the precautions.

People who want to declutter their aquarium prefer external heaters. But, a submersible heater will offer you better temperature control in larger aquariums.

So take a rough estimate of the size of your tank and pick your heater accordingly.

Digital Vs. Thermostat Control

The digital or thermostat heater choice is more for aesthetic than convenience.

The digital control heater models an LED light. This Led light will change color whenever the temperature crosses the desired temperature range.

Warranty

Until recently, a warranty wasn’t a feature commonly included in aquarium heater deals. Nowadays, the manufacturers of fish tank heaters have come up with outstanding warranties.

Typically you want to keep your eyes out for these to get yourself the best deal.

FAQ

How Long Does It Take Heat A 55 Gallon Fish Tank?

This entirely depends on how high you want the temperature of your fish tank. Another factor is the volume of your aquarium in gallons.

Typically a 55 gallon aquarium needs only 40 mins, considering you have the temperature set to 60 degrees. The time will keep on increasing if your set temperature is higher.

This is a common question and we decided to take a deeper look into exactly how long aquariums heaters take to heat up different sizes of aquariums.

Where Should The Heater Go In A 55 Gallon Fish Tank?

The rule of thumb when you’re installing fish tank heaters is making sure you have even heating.

Even heat is best achieved if you keep your heaters near the filter or circulation pumps.

This way, the water circulation will help you maintain the temperature range.

If you have a submersible heater, it should be placed horizontally at the bottom of the tank to keep the water temperature maintained.

References:

• https://www.plantedtank.net

This entirely depends on how high you want the temperature of your fish tank. Another factor is the volume of your aquarium in gallons.

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Typically a 55 gallon aquarium needs only 40 mins, considering you have the temperature set to 60 degrees. The time will keep on increasing if your set temperature is higher.

\n

This is a common question and we decided to take a deeper look into exactlyhow long aquariums heaters take to heat up different sizes of aquariums.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where Should The Heater Go In A 55 Gallon Fish Tank?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

The rule of thumb when you’re installing fish tank heaters is making sure you have even heating.

\n

Even heat is best achieved if you keep your heaters near the filter or circulation pumps.

\n

This way, the water circulation will help you maintain the temperature range.

\n

If you have a submersible heater, it should beplaced horizontally at the bottom of the tankto keep the water temperature maintained.

"}}]}