The 7 Best Heater for 55 Gallon Tank in 2023

A 55 gallon tank is one of the more popular sizes of fish tanks for aquarists. It’s a tank suitable for intermediate to advanced level of aquarists. When you start your fish keeping hobby with a smaller tank like 10, 20 gallons, the next size that you will normally go for is a 55 gallon tank. It looks beautiful and gives you a wider look into the diverse nature of underwater.

However, to ensure the natural habitat of your aquatic pets, you will need a heater. Choosing any unbranded heater will cause stress and sometimes even death to your fishes. So, it is very important that you choose a good quality heater for your 55 gallon tank.

In general, you will need a 200W heater for a 55 gallon tank. To make your selection process of heater easier, down below, I will be reviewing 7 of the best heater for 55 gallon tank that I have tested, and they have performed extremely well. And as a bonus to all my readers. I will also be including a buying guide for the best heater for 55 gallon tank.

 

7 Best heaters for 55 gallon tank

1. Eheim Jager Heater – 200 W

Dimension and Weight

The Eheim Jager aquarium heater has a dimension of  1 x 1 x 1 inches with a weight of 1 Pound.

Description

This EHEIM Jager heater highlights a creative TruTemp innovation with a correction ring that permits you to modify the heater accurately to your ideal temperature. This heater is fully submersible, and this heater is also designed with shock-resistant glass, which is shatterproof.

The indicator lights make it easier to see when the heater is heating. There is also a unique feature, which is known as the thermos-safety control, which will automatically switch off your heater when the heater is taken out of the water. Most heaters get damaged when running dry, so this thermos safety feature protects the Ehiem Jager heater from this problem.

Pros

• They are designed with shatterproof glass.
• TruTemp dial helps in accurate control of temperature.
• Thermo safety feature automatically turns off the heater when out of the water.
• The calibration of the heater is very easy.

Cons

• You may not like the long power cord

Final Words

The Ehiem Jager Aquarium heater is a very well reviewed heater made up of a special type of glass that is shatter resistant and shockproof. You will also get a clamp and two suction cups for easy mounting of the heater inside your 55 gallon tank; this heater has a wide range of temperatures and is fully submersible. The TruTemp dial makes controlling temperature more precise, and the most unique feature is the thermos safety, which automatically turns off the heater when taken out of water.

 

2. Hydor In–Line External Heater

Dimension and Weight

Hydor In-Line External Heater has a dimension of 4 x 4 x 12.5 inches with a weight of 12 Ounces.

Description

Hydor heater is a bit different compared to other traditional heaters. This heater is designed to work externally. You are required to install the Hydor heater in the return hose of your filter, and you can use it with a filter of any type like a wet/dry sump or canister filter. This heater is designed with exclusive PTC technology; this unique self limiting. PTC heating element helps to protect the heater from any type of overheating issue.

You can also use this external heater for both marine tanks and freshwater tanks. This heater is very easy to use, and the temperature can be controlled in a range of 18-34 degrees Celsius with high precision. This in-line heater works in a different way by heating the water that goes through its internal hose.

Pros

• Can be used externally
• PTC technology for protection against overheating.
• Can be connected with all types of filters
• Precise control of temperature.
• Comes in two different dimensions

Cons

• It doesn’t work well if you don’t install it in the return hose of the filter.

Final Words

For those of you who are looking for heaters that can work externally, then the Hydor in-line external heater is the one to go for. This heater is designed to work with both freshwater and saltwater tanks and provide precise control of temperature. The heater is very user friendly with an easy to read user interface and the unique self limiting PTC heating element make sure that the heater doesn’t get damaged due to overheating issue.

 

3. ViaAqua 200–Watt Quartz Glass heater. 

Dimension and Weight

The ViaAqua 200-watt aquarium heater has a dimension of 1.13 x 1.13 x 12.5 inches with a weight of 9.44 Ounces.

Description

The ViaAqua heater is made out of high-quality break-resistant quartz glass, so you can be assured that this heater won’t break easily and will run for very long.  You can use this heater as a primary and as well as a backup heater for your 55 gallon tank. It will work just as fine for both scenarios.

This heater can be used for both saltwater and freshwater tanks. Along with it, you will never have any problem reading the temperature setting since it is designed in such a way that the temperature setting doesn’t get foggy. The heating core is made up of ceramic, which ensures balanced heating and even heat distribution of the water inside your tank. The heater will stay as fully submersible and comes with indicator lights, which shows when the heater is running.

Pros

• This heater is perfect if you want to use it for tropical fishes.
• It is made out of high quality quartz glass.
• The heating core is made up of ceramic.
• Stay fully submersible.
• It can be used for both freshwater and saltwater.

Cons

• The power is very short.

Final Words

If you are searching for a heater for your parrot cichlids or other tropical fishes, then the ViaAqua quartz glass heater is the perfect option for you. The ceramic heating core ensures even distribution of heat all throughout the water inside the tank. Furthermore, this heater can also be used for marine tanks. The installation process is very easy, and the temperature settings do not get foggy; hence it is always easy to read the settings.

 

4. Aqueon Pro aquarium heater 

Dimension and Weight

The Aqueon Pro has a 1.5 x 1.5 x 12.75 inches dimension with a weight of 11.2 Ounces.

Description

Aqueon makes many different heater types for different sizes of the tank, and this 200W model is one the best heaters out there for a 55 gallon tank. The Aqueon Pro Adjustable Aquarium Heater is a top-level aquarium heater. The digital thermostat can vary the temperature in a range from 68-88 degrees Fahrenheit along with a precision of 1 degree.

This heater is designed to be solid and shatterproof and will stay completely submersible in a 55 gallon tank. It also has an auto turn off feature when your required temperature is reached; it will also turn on as the temperature goes below your preset temperature. The indicator light turns red as it turns on and green when the heater is off.

Pros

• Indicator light to show when the heater is on or off.
• This heater comes with auto turn off and on feature.
• The digital Thermostat has an accuracy of 1 degree.
• It is designed to be shatterproof.

Cons

• You may not like the all black color housing.

Final Words

When it comes to aquarium heaters, Aqueon is not a new name; it has been in the market for very long and is renowned for delivering quality products. Their Aqueon Pro-200W is not an exception either. It is designed to be sleek and shatterproof that comes with a thermostat, which has an accuracy of +/- 1 degree, and you can control the temperature in a wide range. You can further use this heater for both saltwater and freshwater. The heater will stay fully submersible inside the tank, and you have the option to keep it both vertically and horizontally.

 

5. Fluval E Electronic heater

Dimension and Weight

The Fluval E Electronic heater 200-watt aquarium heater has a dimension of 1.8 x 3.3 x 17 inches with a weight of 1.06 Pounds.

Description

The Fluval E Heaters constantly screen and show aquarium water temperature, guaranteeing your aquarium occupants’ prosperity. It is one of the most technologically advanced heaters that are available for a 55 gallon tank, and this heater is designed with VueTech technology.

It comes with an easy to adjust temperature control lever that can be used to set the temperature in 0.5-degree increments. Its LCD shows the real time water temperature continuously.  The LCD display is likewise ready to change its color to warn you when the temperature fluctuates more than 2 degrees F from the preset one. This alarm feature assists with eliminating any likely dangers of temperature vacillations for your amphibian pets. The temperature can be varied from 68 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit, and you have the option to read the temperature in either degrees or Celsius.

Pros

• The display changes color if the temperature goes below or above the set temperature.
• The display allows the temperature to be read in either Celsius or Fahrenheit.
• Display continuously shows real time water temperature.
• It comes with a fish guard to prevent fishes from coming in direct contact with the heating core.

Cons

• You cannot run the heater outside of the aquarium.

Final Words

The Fluval E heater is one of the most advanced heaters out there for a 55 gallon tank. It comes with many unique features. The advanced fish guard makes sure that your fishes don’t come in direct contact with the heating core. The display changes color if the temperature fluctuates +/- 2 degrees than the preset temperature. It also comes with a mounting bracket that allows the heater to be placed inside the aquarium at various angles and makes the LCD Viewable from different positions.

 

6. Cobalt Aquatics Flat Neo-Therm Heater – 200 W

Dimension and Weight

The Cobalt Aquatics neo therm heater has a dimension of 2.25 x 1.25 x 11 inches with a weight of 12 Ounces.

Description

The Cobalt Aquatics heater has a unique and beautiful design, which is different from other traditional heaters for 55 gallon tank.  It is completely submersible, and it has a reversible bracket, which permits the radiator to be put in various positions. The outer casing is made out of resin in such a way that it is shatterproof and virtually indestructible.

You can set the temperature somewhere in the range of 66°F – 96°F, and setting the temperature is very easy, which can be simply done with just a touch. This heater is known for exactness, and it keeps the temperature without 0.5 degrees F of the set temp. The heater comes with an LED display to show the set temperature as well as the actual temperature. It also comes with a thermal protection circuitry that allows auto shut off for protection against overheating.

Pros

• The temperature control is very easy and can be done with one touch.
• Thermal protection circuit helps to prevent overheating.
• The resin construction makes this heater indestructible.
• The heater is flat and designed to stay submersible.

Cons

• The suction cups are not that strong.

Final Words

Cobalt Neo-Therm is a very to easy to use the heater for a 55 gallon tank. The temperature can be controlled in a wide range, and it can be precisely controlled using the “one touch system.” The thermal protection circuitry protects the heater from overheating issues. The Resin casing makes this heater virtually indestructible.

 

7.  Finnex Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater

 

Dimension and Weight

The Cobalt Aquatics neo therm heater has a dimension 10.55 x 1 x 1 inch with a weight of 11.2 Ounces.

Description

The Finnex hang-0n electric heater comes with an external temperature controller. This controller allows hassle free control of temperature since you do not need to take out the heater to control the temperature. Unlike other aquarium heaters, the heating tube is made out of the water, which is much more durable than traditional glass tubes. The titanium tube will make sure that the water inside the tank is evenly heated.

The heater also has a LED heating indicator that will show you when the heater is running. This heater has a capacity of keeping up your aquarium water in a steady temperature range inside ±2°F of the set temperature. The temperature can be varied in a range of 70-92 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pros

• It comes with indicator lights for heater and power.
• Huge temperature range.
• It comes with a titanium heating tube, which is stronger than glass.
• The external controller helps to control the temperature without any hassle.

Cons

• You may not like the long design of the heater.

Final Words

For those who are scared that the glass heaters might break down, the Finnex hang-on heater is the one to go for. This heater has a titanium heating tube, which stronger than glass heating tubes. It also has a heater guard to protect your fishes more coming in direct contact with the heating core. The external temperature controller makes this heater very feasible to control the temperature.

 

Buying Guide for the best heater for 55 gallon tank

This buying guide will play a very important role in guiding you to choose the best heater for 55 gallon tank and will further help you to distinguish a good heater from a bad heater. So, it is very important that you read and understand this buying guide well before choosing the correct filter for your 55 gallon tank.

 

• Adjustable Temperature

A 55 gallon tank is a large tank and will house many different fishes species, so you need to select a heater that comes with an adjustable temperature feature. There are a few heaters available that are preset for a specific temperature. You can’t change them. I keep away from these since I won’t be able to change the temperature when needed, and this might cause my fish to stress out. Hence, I would suggest you go for a heater that comes with adjustable temperature and a digital thermostat.

• Safety Feature

The safety feature is another serious issue that you need to keep in the head while selecting the heater for a 55 gallon tank. You will be using this heater inside your tank, and it is directly associated with the lives of your aquatic pets. So, there are few safety features that you need to look out for. The heater must come with an auto shut off feature when the temperature goes your preset temperature. You can also go for heaters that come with thermal protection like the heater will turn off by themselves when it is taken out of water. There is another thing you need to look for like it is made up of shatterproof and shockproof material, so it doesn’t break down inside the tank.

• Ease of maintenance

You will need to clean your heater once in a while, so try to get a heater that’s easy to maintain and clean. There are many heaters that are very hard to open and get access to the internal components for easy cleaning. To make your life easier, avoid getting these types of the complex heater; instead, choose the simpler models which are easy to open and clean and again assemble inside the tank.

• What type of heaters are you using

Heaters come in many different shapes and sizes. For 55 gallon tank, ideal heaters are the submersible heaters; these types of heaters are usually slim in design and takes a very small amount of space. As a result, you will have more spaces to house your fishes and plants. However, you can also go for external or hang-on heaters if you want to.

• Display

It is always helpful if your heater comes with a display for easy monitoring of the temperature. Try to go for heaters that contain easy to see the display, and the display shows real time water temperature as well as your preset temperature. However, do keep in mind these types of heaters are a bit more expensive compared to other models.

• Size and power of the heater

Since you will be using this heater with a 55 gallon tank, generally, heaters in a range of 200-300W are more than enough to provide you with balanced heating of your water inside the tank. And for the size, try to go for heaters which comes with a slim design so it doesn’t take much space and you have more area inside the aquarium for your fishes.

 

Conclusion

Choosing the wrong heater can always be troublesome, and it can cause serious problems to your fishes and even death at times. Choosing a heater for a 55 gallon tank can be a bit tricky due to the huge numbers of the model which are available out there. Hence our article was written to help you choose the best heater for 55 gallon tank. Here we have reviewed 7 of the best heaters, including all their pros and cons. However, don’t just rush into buying one of these. Read this article carefully, including the buying guide and then choose the right heater, which will be suitable for 55 gallon tank. The heaters that I have reviewed here have been tested, and they earned a good rating with excellent customer satisfaction.