# Review: 25W nano heater that will fit in a Fluval Edge HOB filter (4" long!)



## tuonor

This is what I ended up with:









I'm pretty sure you could get by on a lesser voltage converter but I wanted to get one that wouldn't burn out (ie has significant overage capacity and a thermal protector) and was, at least in theory, safe (ie UL or CE listed). I got this one on Amazon.

The heater is truly nano (precisely 4" long):









Shown versus the Catalina 50W titanium heater and the Visitherm 25W (you can tell I've wasted alot of money trying to find the perfect heater for this application):


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## tuonor

I'll do more testing soon and figure out how to shoehorn this into the AquaClear mini HOB filter on my Fluval Edge (which is 4.75" wide). But the initial run was promising (I didn't burn anything down and the heater warmed 2.5 gallons of water to a reasonably consistent 80-81 degrees).

Also, according to my trusty KillAWatt meter, the converter consumes minimal power (0-1W) when the thermostat is off and ~26W when it turns on. I was concerned the voltage converter might somehow cause excessive power consumption but this doesn't seem to be an issue.


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## hybridtheoryd16

This is very awesome as I have went thru several heater headaches as well for my nano apps.

Now if we could get one of the electronic guru's floating around to figure out a way to DIY this thing to run on 110v it would be even better.


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## hathj29

Great find!roud: Most other 25w nano heaters, are twice the size of this and yet they all do the same job!! This would be perfect for my 30litre nano aquarium and it's HOB filter!! Would it be at all possible if you could PM me the link if you still have it to hand?


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## prototyp3

tuonor said:


> The best compromise I'd found until recently is the Catalina 50W titanium heater which has a 5.25" heating element. However its overpowered, leaving little tolerance for any thermostat issues. In addition, its just a nudge too big to fit in an ACMini HOB, which is my




 Just curious as to what you meant by this point. Are you saying if a 50w heater got stuck "ON" it'd boil up the 6.6 gallons more than a 25w heater? Has the Catalina been known to have thermostat issues?

I figured I ought to ask, as I'm considering a couple Catalina for an upcoming build. I need something small, but enough oompf to heat 12 gallons.

Thanks for being the guinea pig for us all! roud:


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## tuonor

prototyp3 said:


> [/list]Just curious as to what you meant by this point. Are you saying if a 50w heater got stuck "ON" it'd boil up the 6.6 gallons more than a 25w heater? Has the Catalina been known to have thermostat issues?
> 
> I figured I ought to ask, as I'm considering a couple Catalina for an upcoming build. I need something small, but enough oompf to heat 12 gallons.
> 
> Thanks for being the guinea pig for us all! roud:


In theory i) the excess heating capacity means it can heat the water to a higher temp relative to room temps (been way too long since I took physics but IIRC temperature differentials are proportional to energy applied, so if a 25W heater can increase a given mass of water's temp by 10 degrees, a 50W heater can increase it by 20) and ii) this will happen faster so you have less time to notice signs of distress in your fish.

Importantly, this is NOT intended to be a knock on the Catalina (mine has proven to be reliable, quite durable and generally the next best solution I've found), but its just a point on sizing heaters properly relative to tank volumes.

For a 12 gallon tank, 50W is probably just right if your target temp is within 10 degrees of room temps.


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## prototyp3

Thanks for the clarification. I just wanted to be sure there wasn't some secret info about Catalina duds circulating that I was oblivious to. 



tuonor said:


> In theory i) the excess heating capacity means it can heat the water to a higher temp relative to room temps (been way too long since I took physics but IIRC temperature differentials are proportional to energy applied, so if a 25W heater can increase a given mass of water's temp by 10 degrees, a 50W heater can increase it by 20) and ii) this will happen faster so you have less time to notice signs of distress in your fish.
> 
> Importantly, this is NOT intended to be a knock on the Catalina (mine has proven to be reliable, quite durable and generally the next best solution I've found), but its just a point on sizing heaters properly relative to tank volumes.
> 
> For a 12 gallon tank, 50W is probably just right if you're target temp is within 10 degrees of room temps.


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## AquaDean

I'm a big fan of the Catalina 50 watt heaters. I've got several of them running and never had a problem. But I like this little UP heater, nice and small and adjustable. Only down side is the voltage converter but once you have it, its done. Let us know how it works after you get it all hooked up. Also how much did you have to spend for the heater and converter?

With the popularity of Nano tanks I'd still like to see a company come out with a 2-3 inch, small diameter, externally adjustable, nano heater. It really can be that hard to produce just shrink the existing technology.


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## King Friday

This is an extremely interesting topic for me. How/where do you plan on fitting the heater into the AC Mini?


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## tuonor

King Friday said:


> This is an extremely interesting topic for me. How/where do you plan on fitting the heater into the AC Mini?


Haven't done it yet. Options are to place it vertically (would need to cut out a corner of the sponge filter at the bottom) or horizontally such that it lays on the impeller cover then extends into / across the filter basket (would need to cut a notch in the basket).

Leaning toward the latter as I want to avoid any bypass of the sponge and this would also place the heater close to my bio media (nitrogen processing bacteria like heat supposedly).

Will post more pics when I get around to this.


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## tuonor

Update: this thing works as well as a conventional 25W Visitherm heater...

I had time to run some tests over the long weekend in my 4g test rig (seen previously in this test of the 15W hydor heater). A few preview comments:

Over a 24-36 hour period, establishes the same (actually slightly better) temp differential to room temp as a 25W Visitherm
Did not burn down my house (disclaimer: in no way is this intended to be a representation of the safety of this setup, it merely reflects my personal experience)
Did not blow up the voltage converter (ran slightly warm to the touch and this is with continuous operation of the heater -- ie thermostat continuously on -- for 24-36 hours which is unlikely in normal use)


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## Fat Guy

Looks like a great find. I currently have unplugged my hydor heater after a water change a while back and haven't put plugged it back in. My tank is around 70-72 degrees (apartment temp) and everything is working out ok. I like this heater that you are using now.


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## hathj29

Hi again,
Could you possibly tell me how wide the heater is?
Thanks,
hathj29


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## tuonor

hybridtheoryd16 said:


> Now if we could get one of the electronic guru's floating around to figure out a way to DIY this thing to run on 110v it would be even better.


Best I can tell its not possible without a step-up converter. I went down this road in the DIY forum, considering whether the 50W version of this heater could just run on 110v. My thinking was if the heater was made for 220v and you plugged it into an outlet with half the voltage, it would output half the wattage...but apparently the math actually works out to 1/4 the wattage. 



AquaDean said:


> Let us know how it works after you get it all hooked up. Also how much did you have to spend for the heater and converter?


Heater was around $20 shipped and converter was $12.50 (free shipping at amazon if you order $25 of stuff).



hathj29 said:


> Hi again,
> Could you possibly tell me how wide the heater is?
> Thanks,
> hathj29


The diameter of the glass heating element is ~1/2", the diameter of the plastic ends is 15/16" and the length is 4"


A few pics from testing:

_Power consumption of power converter without heater (or thermostat off):_
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_Power consumption of power converter + heater when thermostat is on:_
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_

_Temperature differential to room temp after 24 hours (generally achieved after ~12 hours):_


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## tuonor

I also ran the same test shown above using a VisiTherm 25W heater I use in my Betta tank for comparison...here are the results:

Max delta to room temperature (ie, water temp - room temp). In parenthesis are the time it took to hit this differential before stabilizing...

Up Aqua 25W: 7 degrees (12 hours)
VisiTherm 25W: 6.5 degrees (~14 hours)
Hydor 15W flat heater: 3 degrees (time not measured as this is an old test)


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## TLE041

I have a 7.5W Hydor Mini heater (the flat ones) in my 4 gallon Finnex and it keeps the water at a toasty 77-79F. I had the 15W version before that but I replaced it because the water temp was constantly in the low 80's. The ambient room temp. is 76F. All these were measured with a digital thermometer so they are pretty accurate.

With the summer coming up, I'm on the search for a heater that is small but will not overheat the tank. I think I'll try the Marineland 10W Mini heater next and see how that goes. I'm in the same situation as you with finding a tiny heater that will keep the temperature at a constant tropical temp.


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## tuonor

King Friday said:


> This is an extremely interesting topic for me. How/where do you plan on fitting the heater into the AC Mini?


Got around to putting it in this afternoon. Here's a quick how to...

_Heater is small enough to fit either vertically_
_







_

_Or horizontally. I chose to go this route. The plan was to locate the heater such that the side sticking out on the right of this pic rests on the impeller cover_
_







_

_I cut a notch in the filter basket like this. It is soft plastic and cuts easily with a hobby knife_
_







_

_If you are injecting CO2 through the impeller cover (see the DIY in my sig) it may help to clip off this barb. This provides more clearance so the heater cord doesn't interfere with the glass stem on the ADA diffuser _
_







_

_This is what the basket looks like with the media in it. The heater rests on the bag of bio-media. I put a bag with Purigen on top (not shown here)_
_







_

_Top view installed in the filter..._
_







_


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## D'cecilia

Looks really kool.

But, do you think the heather being right on top of where the bacteria will
be settling have any effect on the bacteria itself? Maybe even in cycling the tank???
(I have no data to support thing,  just wondering)


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## TLE041

I don't think the heater will do any harm to the bacteria bed. Most heaters are only slightly warm to the touch. Plus the water around the heater will only be like 5°F higher than in the tank.


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## lauraleellbp

Does this heater have an automatic safety feature where it will shut off if it runs dry?

If not, I'd be really leery of running it inside an HOB; I've had HOBs malfunction and run dry on me many times for various different reasons... even my ACs.


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## AquaDean

That is a very nice application, really good pics too.
I'd put another half of a sponge or other media in the filter to use all the possible bio space you can. Doubt the heater would affect it at all cause the water is constantly flowing and will not be all that warm around the heater.
Great job!


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## tuonor

*D'cecelia, *good question I'll have to see how it works over time. As TLE041 points out, these smaller heaters don't get that hot to the touch when submerged. Also it seems like people think the nitrogen cycle bacteria actually like heat (some recommend fishless cycling with the tank temp in the 80s or 90s to speed the process up).

*Lauraleelbp, *this heater does have an auto cut-off but admittedly these can be flaky. I'll have to check, but I think the heater is actually still submerged if the power cuts out. Certainly a risk worth noting.

*AquaDean*, thanks! I'm running a bag of Purigen on top, but left that out of the picture.


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## Globe182jp

Tuonor any more info where we can get one of these ????


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## AquaDean

Bag of purigen = Perfect!!


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## tuonor

Globe182jp said:


> Tuonor any more info where we can get one of these ????


Search ebay for "Up Aquarium 25W heater". Unfort can't post ebay links here. 

The quick update on this setup, btw, is that it works, does not melt anything in the HOB filter or (in my estimation) kill the bacterial colonies. The thermostat does its job (right now I'm trying to keep the tank at 74 degrees and so far I've read a max temp of 74.9 and min of 73.2).


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## sammyman

I picked up one of these and will be doing the same thing tonight. I will post pictures later.


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## Kwen

Sorry for bumping such an old thread.

Any update on this heater/setup? Just had mine ordered off Aquarium HK on eBay along with 6 other items and paid $13 to upgrade shipping to EMS (PS: if you do order on eBay, if it's coming from HK or China, always make sure to upgrade shipping to at least registered airmail, provides basic tracking information)

My only concern is that the specs says it takes 230V 50hz, with a step up transformer here in North America (120V -> 240V), we're still gonna get 60hz out of it


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## raven_wilde

I'm just about to go ahead and order one of these babies for my Edge too but I'm a little daunted by the converter part...

What kind of specs and/or brand name should I be looking for when it comes to purchasing a converter?


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## Kwen

I'd get at least a 50W one and if possible, an old school/heavy one (with a transformer) as opposed to the lightweight switching power supply kind, which I know are not to be used with straightening iron...I suppose one doesn't want to cascade 2 switching power supply unit together and an aquarium heater should be not much different from a flat iron

Otherwise, search on eBay for the "50W stainless submersible heater"
Listed as a 20-35L/5-9gal heater, seems to be of the same size and works with 100-120V 60hz but at almost double the price - I'm tempted to buy and compare both units but I'm afraid of the GF :icon_eek:


































Right now the only seller that carries it is goaqua88 (taiwan based)


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## Kwen

I've received and installed the 25w glass model, looks like they made it slimmer!
It looks like this now:









I cutted a hole (2x3) on the opposite side to get some more room, running with a sponge, 50ml bag of purigen (100ml split in 2), sponge standing up and bag of biomax placed in a 90deg shape (over the heater and on top of the 2nd sponge)


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## gotfrogs

How are these heaters working out for you?


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## TexasCichlid

Kwen said:


> I've received and installed the 25w glass model, looks like they made it slimmer!
> It looks like this now:
> 
> I cutted a hole (2x3) on the opposite side to get some more room, running with a sponge, 50ml bag of purigen (100ml split in 2), sponge standing up and bag of biomax placed in a 90deg shape (over the heater and on top of the 2nd sponge)


How do you reseal the purigen bag tightly enough to prevent little purigen pieces from floating off.


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## AquaDean

I use the Boyds Chemi Bag, works great for Purigen is far more flexible than the Seachem bags and can be sealed with a small zip-tie and used over and over again. Also can be cut to size to fit the smaller HOB filters.


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## Kwen

TexasCichlid said:


> How do you reseal the purigen bag tightly enough to prevent little purigen pieces from floating off.


Flat iron for straightening hair wrapped in foil, melts quite (too) quickly


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## jeffvmd

Maybe a sewing machine will work?
I did that to seal a media bag I used for purigen. 
It was too large so I had to cut it into 2 and resealed it back up.


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## timfok

After spending literally hours looking for the perfect heater for my Fluval Edge. I've bumped into this thread. Genius!

I know it's an old thread, but this has given time for the OP and other people to now have a definitive opinion on the mentioned Hong Kong compact heater, and the technique of mounting it within the HOB filter.

How are people getting on with this? Is it working out OK?

My tank has finally completed the nitrogen cycle and I'm dying to get stocking. But my heater isn't working now, so I need a replacement!


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## laqu

i WISH i saw this earlier... I'm subscribing...

as far as purgen goes I bought the 'bag' and used my surger to make smaller bags... 

made 3 small bags for my azoo palm and one for my finnex p-360
plus leftover

Untitled by laq997, on Flickr

(used 1 bag, and one container of purgen .. lots of purgen left)


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## Icarus5

Does anyone know where to source the up aqua mini heater? I can' t seem to find it on Ebay, or anywhere else for that matter.


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## VJM

The Archaea heater is very, very close to this size, and does not need a transformer. 

Only negative is that the suction cups suck.


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## Psycofc1

http://www.aqueonproducts.com/products/mini-heater.htm
http://usa.hagen.com/Aquatic/Heating/Heaters/A756

These 2 heaters are a bit flatter than normal and fit nicely into tight spaces. I have seen the second one but havent used it. The first on ( aqueon ) I use in my 2g spec. It keeps temp pretty warm ( sometimes too warm )


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## Icarus5

Thanks VJM. It looks like the Archaea heater is the only one that will fit in the HOB if I intend to do the same mod that Tuonor did. The Archaea is 1/2" longer than the one that Tuonor used...will it still work? Does anyone else have experience using the Archaea in this way?


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## AndyS

Psycofc1 said:


> http://www.aqueonproducts.com/products/mini-heater.htm
> http://usa.hagen.com/Aquatic/Heating/Heaters/A756
> 
> These 2 heaters are a bit flatter than normal and fit nicely into tight spaces. I have seen the second one but havent used it. The first on ( aqueon ) I use in my 2g spec. It keeps temp pretty warm ( sometimes too warm )


Neither of those is adjustable, for those that that matters to. I was looking for a 25W adjustable like the OP.

Not everybody will care, though.


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## devilduck

Anyone have experience with this Citii heater? It's a circular shape and only 3 inches round. Sold on ebay as well.


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## stella.k

I am going through the same process at the moment and was wondering if anyone has tried the Archaea heater.
Does it fit in the filter?
Thanks.


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## devilduck

I decided to go with the Catalina 50w. I'm very happy with it so far.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


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## treeside

stella.k said:


> I am going through the same process at the moment and was wondering if anyone has tried the Archaea heater.
> Does it fit in the filter?
> Thanks.


I bought the 50w Archaea heater which is suppose to be the same length as the 25watt and learned that the heater doesn't fit the way that OP did it (horizontally in the AC20). The problem is that the cord prevents it from going all the way into the filter. I eventually just put it straight into the tank


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## stella.k

hmm...can you put it in the section where the filter media are? I mean if you put it in upright? Yeah, looks like the cord is very thick. Would you be able to bend the cord enough so it goes down on one side outside of the filter?


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## treeside

stella.k said:


> hmm...can you put it in the section where the filter media are? I mean if you put it in upright? Yeah, looks like the cord is very thick. Would you be able to bend the cord enough so it goes down on one side outside of the filter?


Yes it will fit vertically, but as far as a horizontal fit, I've yet to find a way. 

I tried bending the cord to fit it horizontally yet it was too difficult since the cord was too rigid. 

To me it just seemed like too much of a hassle so I just dealt with it being inside my tank. I do recommend the fluval edge heater if you decide on one, which looks stealthy on the backdrop of a black fluval edge. And just for reference, this is what the archaea heater looks like in my tank (although its in a saltwater tank)


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## stella.k

Thanks for letting me know. 
My problem is that i have the white tank, so any heater with black would not look to good against the white background.
First world problems


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## devilduck

Love to see a picture of the white tank! You can probably cover the black cable with some white heat shrink tubing to make it less visible.


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## dru

I have the up aqua 25w in my 3gallon.

















It has performed decent and I am about to buy another one for my 2.6 gallon.


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## lamiskool

dru said:


> I have the up aqua 25w in my 3gallon.
> 
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> It has performed decent and I am about to buy another one for my 2.6 gallon.


Curious what the dimensions of this one is? Is it also 4inches like the other ones like it?


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## dru

Yes ~4" - ~10cm


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## lamiskool

dru said:


> Yes ~4" - ~10cm


 
Thanks!! Been wanting to get a mini heater but the one at AFA I felt was way to expensive, this one looks a lot more reasonable.


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## stella.k

Well, I ended up buying the Rena 50W smart heater on marine depot. Got it 1.5 days after ordering *sweet*. If you take off the bottom part - which you don't need anyways - it fits in the filter perfectly.
Has really good reviews and my fish and frog are happy - and so am I.


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## stella.k

devilduck said:


> Love to see a picture of the white tank! You can probably cover the black cable with some white heat shrink tubing to make it less visible.



Will try and post one. It is still quite empty though. 
Haha...I just moved here and got the fishtank before even getting a mattress or any furniture...I guess I am weird :red_mouth


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## devilduck

stella.k said:


> Will try and post one. It is still quite empty though.
> Haha...I just moved here and got the fishtank before even getting a mattress or any furniture...I guess I am weird :red_mouth


Priorities! :thumbsup:


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## kman

I'm picking up an Edge tank shortly (6 gal). So if you want the heater hidden in the HOB, what are the best options right now? Let's stick with adjustable heaters like the OP. The Reno 50w or an Archaea heater?


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## dafil

over 3 months of work in a nano canister(subgalon salt water tank)-so far so good


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## kman

dafil said:


> over 3 months of work in a nano canister(subgalon salt water tank)-so far so good


Which heater is that?


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## dafil

kman said:


> Which heater is that?


up aqua 25w


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## krsbrn

tuonor said:


> Got around to putting it in this afternoon. Here's a quick how to...
> 
> _Heater is small enough to fit either vertically
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or horizontally. I chose to go this route. The plan was to locate the heater such that the side sticking out on the right of this pic rests on the impeller cover
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I cut a notch in the filter basket like this. It is soft plastic and cuts easily with a hobby knife
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you are injecting CO2 through the impeller cover (see the DIY in my sig) it may help to clip off this barb. This provides more clearance so the heater cord doesn't interfere with the glass stem on the ADA diffuser
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what the basket looks like with the media in it. The heater rests on the bag of bio-media. I put a bag with Purigen on top (not shown here)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Top view installed in the filter...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _


#Anyone has access to these images? Planning to do the identical thing. thanks to all


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