2007-03-30 15:42:53 · 5 answers · asked by janakee 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
The "W" is wattage - it indicates how much heating power a heater has. You want a heater that is about 5 watts for every gallon of water you need to heat, more if the tank is in a cold room and the temperature needs to be raised more than 10 degrees (that is, for a 20 gallon tank, you'd want a heater that's 20 x 5, or 100 watts). Smaller heaters might work for a while, but will be more likely to wear out prematurely.
The control switch just allows you to choose the exact temperature for your water - it's still best to check with a thermometer to be certain that the temperature is where your fish need it to be.
2007-03-30 15:50:24 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the W is for wattage, which measures the heating capacity of the heater. The larger the tank, the higher Wattage you will want for the heater, so it can more effectively heat the aquarium.
2007-03-30 22:51:08 · answer #2 · answered by 2007_Shelby_GT500 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The W stands for WATTAGE It's an electrical term.
the more wattage, Ex. 300W, the more electrical current thus higher temperature. You just have to adjust the heater to certain settings for certain fish. it should have instructions for it.
2007-03-30 22:52:27 · answer #3 · answered by Fatboy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is to suit different size tanks, the bigger the tank, the bigger the wattage needed, the box the heater came in should explain this.
2007-03-31 01:36:34 · answer #4 · answered by otsy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it stands for watts. how much power it uses to create the temperature it is set for.
2007-03-30 22:47:13 · answer #5 · answered by jyl l 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋