Would a 50W heater be too much for a 2.5 gallon tank?

Question

If I put a 50 watt heater in a 2.5 gallon tank will it get too hot?

Answer 1

A 50 Watt heater is more for a 20 gallon tank, you will have to find a 25 watt heater and even then that is to big, but I am not sure that they make them smaller, 25 watts are for a 5 gallon tank.

Answer 2

i would say that since most 50w heaters are meant for up to 10-15 gallons you might be pushing it, i would look from something smaller if you think you really need a heater.

edit: i just found this heater for small tanks (2-5 gallons). its 7.5 watt.

http://www.petco.com/product/102429/Hydo...

Answer 3

You can put a 200w heater in a 2.5G tank, and it won't make a difference.  It's only going to get the water up to the temp that you set on the dial, unless the heater is broken.

So a 50w is fine, but does not need to be that big.

Answer 4

Im not sure, I suggest getting a little thermometer and sticking it to the side of the tank to make sure you're getting the right temperature for the kind of fish you have.

Answer 5

The rule of thumb is 3 watts of heater to each gallon of tank water.  A 7.5 watt heater is about right.  Anything bigger and you run the risk of heating the water too fast when the heater kicks on.  

The best thing to do would be to buy a larger tank, a 10g at the minimum (they are only about $10 each).  You can heat a 10g tank with a 25 watt heater very nicely.  All heaters are controlled by internal thermostats that turn them on and off when the temp changes in the tank.