Isıtıcıyı Akvaryumun İçinde İstemeyenler

1. Materials bought:

   1/2" threaded X hose barb fittings (2) .39 each 1" slip X 1/2"thread 90 degree elbow .89 1" slip X slip X 1/2" thread "T" .99 1" slip plug .49 GRAND TOTAL OUT OF POCKET $3.15 (no sales tax in Montana!)

   

2. Additional materials I already had 1" PVC (about a foot) GE window & door silicone (NON MILDEW)
3. PVC cement

• Small automotive type hose clamps (2)
• Submersible titanium aquarium heater with controller at wall plug

 

1. First I checked the diameter of my heater, I wanted to ensure good water flow around it inside the pvc pipe. The body of it measured 1/32 under a half inch (15/32") I decided that 1 inch pvc pipe with reducers back to 1/2" hose would be fine for my purpose.
2. 

    

3. I dry fit all the parts to make sure they would fit between the canister filter & the back of the tank

   

4. Next, I attached the threaded barbs to the elbow & the T, I used pvc cement on the threads.
5. Then I cut the 1" pipe to length about 1 1/2" shorter than the heater.
6. I drilled a hole 1/2" in the plug, & fed the heater body through.

   

7. Heater has a small rubber boot on the top, I gave the top of that a good dose of silicone and slid it up into the plug till the boot was just even with the bottom of the plug.

   

8. Then I filled the top of the plug with silicone around the wire, propped it up and let it dry 24 hrs.

   

9. Silicone has set up, and is holding the heater body where it will stay centered in the pipe.
10. 
11. PVC glue the plug into the top of the T, waited for it to set up & tested it in a spare 15G.

    

12. I used an aquaclear 3000 powerhead to circulate the water through my gadget. Flow is rated about 250 gph, that is not as much as my canister is rated at, but the test was at almost zero head, and the canister runs about 3-3 1/2 head. Overall flow rates should be similar. The little tank came to temp promptly, and stayed rock steady, no leaks (YEAH!)
13. 
14. I did a little destructive testing along the way. I turned off the powerhead & left the heater plugged in. The temp controller at the plug has an indicator light & temp setting. I was positive tube was still full of water, I wanted to see what would happen with no flow. Nothing other that what heater is supposed to do, heat up to desired temp, & shut -off. I wouldn't try this dry, but who would? Next destructive test was pressure with air, I took it up to 25psi, and let it hold for 10 min. Open-ended (spraybar) flow from canister will never reach that much pressure, so I'm not worried about a leak.
15. Now it's time to cut the return hose from my canister and hook it up.
16. In and done, temp in the 75G rock steady @ 78.

Looking back over the project, there are 2 things I would do differently

1. Try harder to find a grommet type fitting for the water to wire seal, I trust the silicone but it's not the "cleanest" of looks. Heck I trust silicone to keep 95G of water off of my living room floor (75 & 20)
2. Put a union fitting in the center of the barrel so I could clean it out if it's ever necessary, I guess if that time comes, I can cut the PVC, clean it and re-assemble it with a union