Aquatop Heater Review

Aquatop Aquarium Heater Review

Maintaining a consistent temperature is one of the most important things you can do to keep your aquarium stable and thriving. I had to try out a couple of different options before settling on a submersible heater that is accurate, reliable, easy to use, and doesn’t break the bank.

In our Aquatop Heater review, we will discuss how the Aquatop Aquarium Heater checks all these boxes and is a great option for hobbyists who need a dependable heater to make their tank a safe and supportive environment.

Things to Consider Before Buying an Aquarium Heater

Not every aquarium needs a heater, but most do. In fact, people often assume that certain fish like Beta fish and various plants don’t need a heater, but this isn’t true. Even if your fish or plants can survive without a heater, they may still need one to thrive and be comfortable.

Simple survival for our tanks should never be our goal as aquarium enthusiasts!

Most saltwater tanks contain tropical fish and corals that will require higher temperatures than a room would typically be kept at. Corals and some fish can also be sensitive to environmental changes, and therefore will need a heater to maintain a constant tank temperature so the heat levels in the water don’t fluctuate throughout the day as they will in a house.

Some freshwater tanks will also need heaters depending on the ambient temperature of the room the tank is in and the requirements of the fish and plants that live in the aquarium. To determine whether or not you need a heater, you will need to research the requirements and preferences of your tank occupants.

Things to look for in an aquarium heater:

• Stable temperature control
• Fast heating time
• Easy-to-read thermostat
• Reliable safety features
• The right wattage for the right tank capacity

Aquatop Heater Review

Aquatop offers a variety of aquarium heaters, including some with digital displays that are either integrated into the heater itself or come with external heating controls. The kind we’re reviewing here is the analog glass submersible heaters that come in a variety of wattages to cover different tank gallon capacities starting at 50 watts for 13 gallons and going up to 300 watts for 75 gallons.

These analog heaters aren’t the fanciest option on the market, so they may not be the right choice if you prefer digital displays or external controls. However, if you are looking for a standard, easy-to-use heater that is cost-effective, then you should check out these glass submersible heaters.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Accurate temperature control
• Durable
• Easy to use

Cons:

• No external or separate controls
• The packaging isn’t great
• No option for tanks larger than 75 gallons

Aquatop Heater Features & Benefits

Next, we will break down the features and benefits of the Aquatop Aquarium Heater in more detail.

Design & Construction

The design of this submersible heater is simple and easy to use. It’s a traditional analog-style that fills the need for a basic, straight-forward glass submersible heater that doesn’t come with any extra features.

The analog-style can be a bit difficult to read while it’s submerged, but the lack of digital components means it’s less likely to malfunction. As a result, these heaters can often be counted on to last for several years.

Size

This heater is made in a traditional cylindrical style and the width and length are both 1.25 inches. The height depends on the wattage capacity and is 8 inches for 50 and 75 watts, 10 inches for 100 and 150 watts, 12 inches for 200 and 250 watts, and 15 inches for 300 watts.

This is a pretty standard size range for this style of heater and means that it will fit nicely into any aquarium setup you may heave without drawing too much attention to itself. This heater is designed to attach vertically to the side of your tank via included suction cups.

Tank Capacity and Available Wattages

As mentioned before, this analog heater comes in several different wattages for various gallon capacities. The different available wattages and corresponding capacities are:

Aquatop GH-50 – 50 watts = up to 13 gallons
Aquatop GH-75 – 75 watts = up to 20 gallons
Aquatop GH-100 – 100 watts = up to 25 gallons
Aquatop GH-150 – 150 watts = up to 40 gallons
Aquatop GH-200 – 200 watts = up to 50 gallons
Aquatop GH-250 – 250 watts = up to 65 gallons
Aquatop GH-300 – 300 watts = up to 75 gallons

It’s important to choose the right wattage and gallon capacity for your tank. You can buy a higher wattage than you actually need, but higher wattages tend to be more expensive, so it makes sense to buy the smallest watt heater you can that is still rated for your tank capacity.

On the other hand, you should never get a heater that has a wattage rated lower than your actual tank capacity. If you do, the heater won’t be able to keep up and will just waste electricity without sufficiently heating your tank.

Temperature Range

Regardless of the wattage or size of this heater, the settable temperature range on the Aquatop is between 65 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You can easily select the desired temperature by turning the knob at the top of the cylinder. The display will then show you the set temperature and the current temperature in the tank.

How Does The Aquatop Heater Compare To The Competition?

One of our favorite parts to putting together a review post is comparing the equipment to the competition. In the next section, we will compare the Aquatop Aquarium Heater to some of the other best selling aquarium heaters on the market.

Aquatop Heater vs Aqueon Adjustable Pro Aquarium Heater

The Aqueon Adjustable Pro Aquarium Heater is another analog cylindrical heater similar to the Aquatop, but with a few extra features. Notably, the Aqueon comes with an auto-shutoff feature in case of overheating or if the heater tips over. It also comes with LED lights to indicate when the heater is working.

The Aqueon is fairly comparable to the Aquatop in price but doesn’t have as many wattage and gallon options. If you aren’t concerned with precise wattage options and want a heater that has a few more advanced features, then the Aqueon could be the right choice for you.

Aquatop Heater vs Eheim Jager Aquarium Heater

The Eheim Jager cylindrical heater has an auto-shutoff that will trigger if the heater isn’t fully submerged. It also comes with a wider range of wattage and gallon capacity options than the Aquatop.

The Eheim Jager is more expensive than the Aquatop, but if you are looking for precise wattage options and don’t mind spending a little more for some extra security features than this could be the heater you are looking for.

See our full review of the Eheim Jager Aquarium Heater here.

Aquatop Heater vs Hygger Submersible Aquarium Heater

The Hygger Submersible Aquarium Heater also has some built-in safety features, including auto-shutoff to prevent overheating, and a protective casing to serve as a buffer between the heater and objects in the aquarium. It also comes with an external heating adjuster which can allow you to set the temperature without having to access the heater that may be submerged in the tank.

The downside is that this heater only has two available wattage levels – 100 and 300 – and is more expensive than the Aquatop heater. The lack of wattage options means you can end up wasting energy, but if you aren’t picky about precise wattage options and want a heater that can be controlled without having to stick your hand in the tank, then you should check out this option.

Final Thoughts

As we’ve seen in this Aquatop heater review, this heater is a reliable, inexpensive answer to the need for a water heater; a need that most aquarium owners will experience at some point.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use heater that comes in a variety of wattage levels, click here to check out the Aquatop today.