Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 90 gallon pond, one of those hard plastic black things, anyways i would like to heat it. Would I be able to use an aquarium heater? Would that damage the plastic at all? Thanks alot.
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CHONG188

No damage. Aquarium heaters are used on acrylic aquariums as well, so if they don't damage acrylic, then they won't damage those ABS plastic ponds.

I've used both the preformed ponds and structural foam stock tanks for housing turtles. In both instances I used regular aquarium heaters. Heaters won't damage the pond because they're constantly surrounded with water which prevents them from becoming too hot to deform the plastic, but just hot enough to warm the water. However, speaking from experience, if you have turtles or other animals that can dislodge the heater they can push it out of the water causing it to over heat and break [glass models]. Before they break though they usually skyrocket in temperature because they're no longer insulated by the water. At that point they'll metal plastic, superheat metal they're in contact with, etc. Always use an unbreakable resin encased, titanium, or stainless steel heater with herps and make sure to get one that has a temperature overload cutoff. Another way to insure against mishaps is to anchor the heat to something like a brick or heavy rock so it can't be shifted out of the water. Plastic cable ties work just fine for securing a heater.
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Matt Campbell

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." John Muir

n/m
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Matt Campbell

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." John Muir

If you are using an external power canister filter, try an in-line aquarium heater. I used one of these for my yellow anaconda set up...she was a master at breaking even the unbreakable heaters. Foster and smith sells a 300w inline hydor heater for about $60. I suppose one of these could also be set up outside your pond, with a small powerhead and tubing. I stopped using the submersible heaters also because even though they are surrounded by water, they are very hot if you touch them directly with your hand--I was very worried about my snake wrapping around and being burned. I don't know if turtles would lay on or against the heater, just something to think about.
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Heather J. Martin
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1 Solomon island ground boa, female
1 Green anaconda, juvenile
1 Burmese python, 10', female
2 juvenile het for albino boa constrictors