Tetratec 300

[horsehunter]

Does any one have any opinions on the Tetratec 300 0r 500 with the optional built in heating capsule?

 

Thanks Frank

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We use both of these models. They have been running for more than a year now without problems, on 29 and 37 gal tanks. The heater capsule seems to work surprisingly well - the tank temps have never varied by more than 1 degree, and we have never needed to use our backup heaters. The filter pumps are strong and have not needed anything other than routine cleaning to work great. They can be a little noisy, and the "tidal action" sometimes makes a horrible slurping sound. The tidal action can be turned off - instructions are in the box. We run the tank in the bedroom without it!

 

Since this is posted to beginner forum: Many people run reef tanks without supplemental filtration, letting the protein skimmer, live rock and sand do all the work. We have heard that the filter media and sponge in the Tetratec could cause nitrate levels to rise, and quite a few reefers remove them and use the unit just for water circulation and a place to drop carbon bags now and then. In our tanks, after more than 12 months, nitrates are running 1-3 ppm, and there are amphipods all over the filter media, so we are leaving it in place. If you use it with the media in a reef tank, you'll just want to be diligent about testing for nitrates, which you probably would be anyway.

[drdrew]

i used one on a freshwater and thought it was great....a little wide spacewise you may need the tank away from the wall a bit...but the surge action would benefit the reef for sure!

[harbingerofthefish]

have to agree. We have a 150 on a 55 FW setup. Noise doesnt really bother us since we have 9 tanks going. The heater works great even o a tank this size. I would love to be able to get a 50 model if they made one to put on my 7 just to see the surge it crates.

[chex]

I haft to say these things work awesome. i have the 500 on my 60 african cichlid tank and it works awesome. Yes everyone agrees they are noisy but they make up for it in performance for sure. The capsule works awesome as well.

[canisson]

These filters are great! An even better thing about them is you can use the less (MUCH less) expensive Bio-Bag filter carts with it as well. The Tetra-Tec carts are 2-3 times the price of biobags at LFS, and I really don't know what the green side is for anyhoo!

[chex]

hey can read the manual the green side is a finer floss that traps anything the white didn't