Small heaters

[BirdOfPray]

I need to get a heater for my 5-gallon tank sometime in the next few months, so I'm doing some looking but would really appreciate any recommendations on a good one. Before anyone kills me -- I live in Texas and we keep the house at 78 all summer (which would be about March through October), so room temperature works very well right now and is stable. Once it starts cooling down, though, we only heat the house to 68 (ugh), so I do need to have a heater then. Any recommendations for me? Ideally, I'd like something I don't have to worry will overheat the tank on warmer days, because we have a lot of those in Texas.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[jaysee]

This is what I use, no complaints.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+12087&pcatid=12087

[BirdOfPray]

Thanks for the recomendation. So you just unplug it when the weather gets warmer? Or is that not so much of an issue in NJ? The pet stores around here seem to carry little Hydor heaters that look a lot like that one, but I wasn't sure if something with no temperature control is ideal. I guess the big thing is just keeping the temperature from dropping too much or shifting too quickly?

[invadertoast]

I use these: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10291808

in all three of my 2.5 gallon tanks. They are awesome and have an indicator light to tell you when they're on or off. The temperature in my bedroom flucuates all the time but my tank water is always at 78.

[Wild Turkey]

If you can get a stealth heater that will fit in that tank, do it IMO.

Thats the only way to ensure it doesnt malfunction and overheat the tank.

Most people are slowing but surely switching over to the stealths.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalog/ctl3684/cp18534/si1380062/cl1/aquarium_systems_visitherm_stealth_heater25_watt?&query=stealth&queryType=0&hits=12&offset=

I dont see that one not fitting in a 5 gal, since it will only work for up to around that much.

[invadertoast]

I looked at Stealths when I was heater shopping and I did find one that will fit in my tiny tanks so I'm sure you could fit one in a 5. I use Stealths in my two bigger tanks and they are great, if I could afford it I would have gone with them. At the time I couldn't find 'em cheaper than 30 bucks a piece! I couldn't justify it so I went with the 12.99 Tetra heaters. They had good reviews, unlike the little stick-on flat kind that seem to have overheating issues sometimes.