Help with heating a 10g

[DebSills]

I am in the fairly early stages of setting up a 10g tank for my niece (19) who lives with me now. She wants to learn how to take care of the tank and I am excited to have another fish nerd in my house 🙂

anyway, I set up the tank last night and put some plants in there as storage until I have time to scape the whole thing. I have an aquaclear 20 with an ACO pre-filter sponge and an Aqueon preset 100W heater. The tank is set up as more of a peninsula on the end of her desk so she can enjoy while working on school as well as when she is lounging on her bed. So...currently the tank is only ~76.7ish in the back and 75.5ish in the front...the filter and heater are on the back (short end) of the tank with the heater horizontally towards the bottom right near the intake of the filter in hopes of circulating the warmer water.

I am pretty sure that the preset is not going to cut it, but if I get a better heater, is there a big issue if the tank is ~1+ degree different from front to back? (long edge of 10g) - or am I just overthinking this?

I've never set up a peninsula style tank, so I just hadn't really ever thought of the tank heat not circulating in the whole tank like that...

Thanks!

[Ophitoxaemia]

I would not worry about that small a difference. I just measured a half degree difference in mine and my fish have been happy for years

[Minanora]

I think it's fine to have a cooler side and a warmer side.  One side of my 75G is about two degrees cooler than the other side where the heater is closer. Top of the tank is a bit warmer even still because of my lights.

[DebSills]

yeah, I'm just over thinking it...I just want to make it as easy as I can for her first set up so I'm getting too much in my head over dumb stuff...

I ordered a different heater that I know will work and we'll go from there 🙂

Thanks for indulging my head case questions 😄