Written by: Emily Joswiak • August 9, 2022• pets

What To Do When Your Aquarium Heater Stops Working

Your aquarium heater is a critical part of maintaining your fish tank’s ecosystem. Learn what to do when disaster strikes and your heater stops working.

Aquarium heaters have the ever-important job of regulating your tank’s temperature. A heater that stops working can seriously disrupt the delicate balance of your tank’s ecosystem, and some fish cannot survive without a heater in their tank. However, there’s no need to panic, as your tank’s temperature won’t plummet to unreasonable temperatures overnight. If you can’t get a new one right away, here’s what to do when your aquarium heater stops working.

Have an Aquarium Thermometer on Hand

In a situation where you can’t get a new heater or the power is out, an aquarium thermometer is going to be your best friend. You’re going to need it to monitor the tank’s temperature for any spikes or dips throughout the day. This is especially true in a blackout when you need to use unconventional methods, and even more so if a power outage occurs in the winter. Ideally, you’ll buy power outage supplies and gear before disaster strikes, but preplanning isn’t always on the brain.

Place Your Aquarium Near a Heat Source

While you don’t want to put your aquarium directly next to an oven or space heater, you can place it at a distance. Ambient heat can do wonders for your tank and evenly warm the tank water if done correctly. However, it is important to monitor the temperature at all times to ensure your tank doesn’t overheat. If you’ve given it a few hours and the temperature is stable, you’re likely safe to take your eyes off of it for the night.

Use a Thermal Blanket or Handwarmer

If you don’t have any power, thermal blankets and hand warmers will work in a pinch. You can wrap the thermal blanket around your tank to insulate it so it doesn’t get any colder. If you’re fast enough, you can even retain some of the heat already in the tank before the heater stopped working. Hand warmers can also help, but never put them in the tank.

If you have to use hand warmers, tape them to the sides of the tank where the heater would be. However, larger tanks are will need more than one hand warmer, so keep that in mind when buying. If you’re not sure, buy as many as you can to be safe.

Knowing what to do when your aquarium heater stops working can save the lives of your fish in a pinch. Whichever method you choose, you must monitor your tank’s temperature often to keep it from overheating.

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Last modified: August 9, 2022