PFK reader Janet Cremetti tested this new fan on an overheating 40 l/ 8.8 gal aquarium during the summer. Here's what she had to say…
Unpacking the fan I found it well made, and fitting was self-explanatory.
It has a projection at the bottom that slots into a holder with a screw-up piece to fit over the tank side. The direction and angle of the fan head can be adjusted to suit the situation. Fitting is very simple.
The only problem I encountered is due to the design of the aquarium it was to be used on. The inner rim was too wide to allow straightforward fitting, but on a plain glass, open-topped tank this would not be an issue.
Removing one of the pads that grip the glass enables a wide enough 'jaw' to slip over my tank’s side. I switched on with a tank temperature of 29.1°C/84.4°F.
In use it makes very little noise and the sound it does make is not unpleasant; the noise from the fans in my PC is a lot louder. The tank cooler is barely audible by comparison and is not much louder than the sound of a bubbling airstone.
Positioning the fan to point down towards the water’s surface along the tank’s length, it produces a gentle rippling across the entire surface. The fish are undisturbed, and having been lethargic started to return to more normal behaviour within the first 15 minutes of testing, during which the temperature had already dropped by 0.6 of a degree to 28.5°C/83.3°F.
The temperature continued to fall and it had reached 25°C/77°F just over two hours later. I’d been concerned whether the fixing clamp was strong enough to keep the fan in position as the unit is quite heavy, but I can happily report that by the end of the test it had stayed exactly where I’d set it. I recommend ensuring it’s tightened well just to be safe.
Verdict
The noise level remained minimal and my conclusion is that this is a great product that does just what it claims to do.
Power usage is quoted at 12w so it will typically cost less than 1p an hour to run and 14p for over 80 hours use at the average UK unit price. This is of course not a lot to pay when the fan does such a great job and is potentially a lifesaver.
What would improve it? A temperature sensor and thermostat to switch the fan on and off as needed to maintain a set temperature. Overall though I would highly recommend it.
Price: £46.95. Available from J and K stockists.
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