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(More customer reviews)My betta lives in a 1.5-gallon tank, which is a difficult size for which to find a reliable heater. I've been trying for the past eight months or so to find one that (a) would keep the water warm enough for the fish but (b) wouldn't boil the fish alive.
In my quest, I've tried two Marineland heaters. Neither one worked the way it was supposed to, and yes -- I DID follow the instructions, to the letter. These are the ones I tried:
1. The Marineland Shatterproof 10-Watt Mini Heater (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00176DUEY/ref=oss_product) for tanks up to 3 gallons. This one barely kept the water at 74 degrees (even though it's supposedly factory preset for 78) and it only worked for a couple weeks. It quit, and I was back to wrapping a human's heating pad around the tank while I searched for a replacement.
2. The Shatterproof Mini Heater 10watt (http://www.amazon.com/MarineLand-SHATTERPROOF-MINI-HEATER-10WATT/dp/B0037PJMMC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1286290350&sr=8-4), also for tanks up to 3 gallons. This one heated the water into the high 80s, even though it, too, was supposedly factory preset for 78. I don't know how much higher it would have gone, and I didn't dare leave it on overnight for fear I'd be facing a boiled fish in the morning. I yanked it out of the tank and went back to the heating pad.
Finally, I found the Elite Submersible Preset Mini Heater 25W - Elite A748. It's compact, it's unobtrusive, and it actually works as advertised. After a little fiddling with the adjustable control, my betta is now comfy and cozy at about 76 degrees. I don't have to worry about it boiling him overnight, and the tank stays warm even now that the nights are starting to get chilly and our house hovers at 69 degrees. I've only had it for a couple of weeks, but so far I'm very happy with it.
I'll try to remember to update this review after a few months, but for right now, my recommendation is to avoid Marineland products -- or at least, the ones with "factory presets." Maybe their adjustable ones are better, but my Marineland experience has left a bad taste in my mouth.
UPDATE: It is now Feb. 9, 2011, and the heater is still going strong, despite several power blinks and outages during a recent Midwest blizzard. My fish is happy. I am happy. Life is good.
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Hagen Elite Mini Submersible Pre-set Heater. Maintain the temperature in your tank with this submersible heater. The convenient compact size fits in most aquariums and can be used in fresh or saltwater. These heaters are easy to set and easy to adjust. Contains an on/off light indicator and made of high impact saftey glass. Suction Cup Bracket for easy installation, ceramic heater core, bumper gaurd for protection, water proof seal, Temperature set Dial, and Max Water Level line indicator. This heater is not fully submersible!25 Watt - Up to 5.5 Gallon Aquariums50 Watt - Up to 10 Gallon Aquariums
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