Hagen Fluval E300 Aquarium Heater

My old Marineland Stealth heater has bit the dust... "Dun, dun, dun... Another one bites the dust..." Coincidentally, those heaters have been recalled recently. I guess they set houses or aquariums on fire. I don't think my heater's failure was related to that case, but it does help put my mind to ease to get the thing out of my house.

A heater is something you should not take for granted. People may want to save a couple of bucks here, but this is something I would caution against. Heaters are important for two reasons: they heat aquarium water to tropical temperatures and they also keep the temperature STABLE. Stability (of temperature or any parameter) is very essential to reef aquariums.

The box

In its entire glory

Well move over whats-her-face... A new heater is in town. The Fluval E300 has a new home. I had the opportunity to view the heater a few months back, and I was impressed. The Fluval E Series heaters are glass heaters encased in a plastic protective guard. The Fluval E Series employes VueTECH technology, an advanced microprocessor with dual temperature sensors which continually monitor and display the aquarium water temperature. The heater comes calibrated from the factory, so no adjustment is needed. The thermal sensing technology is as precise as an external temperature probe! The heater is also very reliable as there are no moving parts to wear out.

Digital display

The digital LCD display changes color to indicate current temperature conditions. The display will read green when temperature is within -2/+2 °F of the set temperature, it will display red if temperature exceeds +2 °F, and it will display blue when water temperature is lower than 2 °F.There is no guessing when changing the temperature set point. The Easy Set Temperature Lever allows you to easily set the temperature with a flip of the lever. The temperature is set using the LCD screen, so there is no guessing with + or - signs, no more hoping that the heater's 78°F setting is truly 78°F. Fluval took the convenience of a temperature controller, and put it directly into the heater.

Three suction cups, count them... THREE!

Mounting the heater is simple. There are three (count them, THREE) suction cups included with the heater. They attach securely to the plastic housing of the heater, so they are nice and secure. The only thing that would have made the mounting options better would be magnetic holders. (Section cups are a thorn in the side of the hobbyist. I'm just saying.) Besides that minor improvement, the mounting options are good. Fluval even includes a side-mounting bracket that attaches to the heater and allows for install on side panels in aquariums where mounting to the back wall is not possible.

Side mounting bracket

Fluval offers a 5 year warranty against defects of workmanship under normal usage. The price for the Hagen Fluval E300 is affordable at just over $50, and offers many bells and whistles for a heater in that price range. You can purchase a Hagen Fluval E Series Heater at MarineDepot.com!

I've included a short video I made below. Until next time...

DIY Filter Sock Mount

Until today, my filter sock had been resting on a glass baffle. It worked, but was not ideal. I have a Berlin Sump filter sock mount around here somewhere, but unfortunately it didn't work with my sump. After a discussion with the Mr. R. Reef (Credit where credit is due), I was inspired to make a DIY egg crate filter sock holder.

Yes, I used hot pink zip ties. It makes it more scene.

Sock holder, sans sock.

This is how the sock will sit.

I used two small strips of egg crate to create a lip that will keep the sock above water level

Sock holder to the left

Snap shot of the DIY sock holder in my DIY sump.

Someone wouldn't stay out of the shot...

Tada! My filter sock is now supported above the water level. Water is now forced to flow through the sock, not over the sock. I installed (placed) the holder inside my sump. The sock is positioned close enough above the water and low enough from the edge of the sump to prevent any overflows if the filter sock becomes clogged. Yes!

Cost of the project: $0 dollars for supplies as I had everything here from previous projects. If I had to purchase the items new, cost would be under $10 (AquaMaxx filter sock not included in price).

Labor Hours: 15-20 minutes total. (including pictures).

Until next time, friends...

VorTech MP10w ES

The quest to build my 60-gallon reef tank continues! As time progresses, I have made a mental wish list of upgrades awnd add-ons. An area that needed an urgent upgrade was water flow. Detritus was accumulating on top of and behind the rock work, and using only one power head was not providing sufficient flo.

There are many great options for water flow for every need and budget, but I wanted something controllable and powerful. I narrowed down my choices, and after weighing my options, I decided on the Ecotech Marine VorTech MP10w ES Propeller Pump. Well, not just one, I chose two.

The VorTech MP10w ES is simple and sleek. It is designed for aquariums from 2.5 – 50 gallons and has a flow rate of 200 to 1575 gallons per hour. A MP10 can accommodate aquarium glass up to 3/8 inch. (Is your tank larger, or glass thicker? No problem! Ecotech offers the MP40 (for aquariums 50-500 gallons) and the MP60 (120-1000+gallons). There’s a VorTech pump for everyone.)

Vortech pumps now are available in a "wireless" configuration. The wireless designation can cause confusion; there are still wires. The wireless aspect refers to the driver's ability to find other wireless units and sync the pumps. This allows for more than one pump to run the same operational mode.



MP-10w Specifications:

Flow: 200 to 1575 gph (750 -5962 lph)
Power Consumption: 8 to 18 watts
Maximum Tank Thickness: 3/8″ (9.5mm)
Appropriate Tank Size Range: 2.5 to 50 gal (9.5 -190L)
Dimensions: Wet Side- 2.5″ diameter by 1.5″ long (63.5mm x 38.1mm),
Dry Side – 2.5″ diameter by 2″ long (63.5mm x 50.8mm)
Clearance Needed Behind Aquarium: 2.25″ (57mm)

The pump build reflects quality, and Ecotech Marine backs their product with a 1 year warranty. The pump includes everything you need to completely install your Vortech. The kit includes cable mounts (and zip ties) and even Velcro to attach the driver to your stand.

The Vortech pump was easy to install. The directions included are easy to follow for setup, however I recommend downloading a copy of the full user guide when it comes to programming. The full user guide is also simple to follow, but goes into step-by-step instructions. I found these instructions were helpful for first time programming.

Step one: Open The box. Inspect the contents. Drool… Okay, don’t drool… You don’t want to damage the driver or the dry side.

Step two: Clean any algae from the mounting service. You may also want to clean the outside of the glass (tip: use RO/DI water and some paper towels).

Step three: Apply the rubber gasket (not needed for 1/4” or 3/8” glass) and cord mounting tabs.

Step four: Place the VorTech motor upon the black gasket (if used) and secure the cord using the mounting tab. Per the Quick Start Guide, “The cord must be positioned upwards so that if the VorTech were to fall off the aquarium, it does not swing and damage your aquarium or pump.”

Step five: Attach the wet side. I used the included foam pre filers. 

Step six: Mount the driver unit wherever desired.

Step seven: Plug everything in. Turn on to constant mode and turn speed control know to maximum. You can check alignment at this time. Move the wet side slightly (up, down, left, right) to minimize vibration.

Step eight: Choose desired operational modes. Set desired programming. For this step, I would recommend using the user manual: it goes into more detail. If you are using more than one pump, you will need to sync your wireless drivers, and designate master and slave pumps before selecting modes.

Step nine: Grab a tasty beverage and enjoy the work of art that is your aquarium. You may now safely drool.