Upettools Box & Water Aquarium Water Pump Review

As has been the case for some years now, we all want more control of our aquarium equipment and understandably so given the time and financial investment. Especially when we have such good research behind us now about what makes fish, plants and corals thrive in the home fish tank. One change we have seen in equipment is the move to DC on more and more pumps. In short this gives the user much more control over the output of their pump and the Upettools Box and Water Pump we are reviewing today fits very nicely in to this bracket of controllability.

Unboxing

The packaging looks and feels very high quality, everything fits nicely in to the box and it is reassuringly wrapped within the box:

Everything needed is within the box, full box contents can be seen here:

Here is a short video from the manufacturer on how to assemble the pump:

The Range

We were sent the entry version of the range to test – TS2000. As you can see below there are various models in the range which should cover most domestic scenarios:

To further help you choose which model would be the most suitable for you, the head height of the range of pumps is as follows:

Testing

We tested this pump on a temporary tank and rig so we could clearly see the output of the device on the various settings.

The pump has 3 different modes which are all controlled from the very classy looking control panel.

The modes are:

Feed Mode – Temporarily stops the pump. The controller shows F10 when first entering this mode which indicates 10 minutes, it then counts down through F09, F08 and so on over the 10 minute period until it reaches F00 and the pump starts up again.

Steady Mode – This is for a constant flow of water. When first put in this mode you will see 101 on the display which indicates flow level 1. There are 20 levels of flow available. You could argue this is overkill and 20 modes is too many but equally, having the flexibility to pin point the exact flow rate you want is nice to have.

Wave Making Mode – This starts on mode 201, again having 20 different settings for different wave frequencies. Having this number of settings on wave mode makes much more sense as you’ll need to get the frequency just right so the water stays in your tank and you get the desired effect. It is also possible to adjust the maximum output power in this mode too, you simply set the power using mode 1 (steady mode) and then switch to wave making mode and it will limit the maximum output to the power you set when in mode 1.

Price Vs Performance

Given what we have seen both in terms of quality of product and specification I would suggest this pump is very well placed regarding price versus performance. Of course we cannot speak for longevity as we have only tested for a short period of time. One of the most important things for me personally (and the wife!) is that due to having the tank in the lounge the noise level of every bit of hardware must be as low as possible. The Box and Water Pump certainly delivers in this area, rated at only 30dB, with the cabinet doors closed it was inaudible.

For all of us, having so many electrical products in such close proximity to water it is always reassuring that the manufacturer takes good care of auto shut off features should something go wrong.

I’m sure I am not alone in noticing the electricity bill creeping up as fish tanks and all their relevant hardware are added, fortunately the Box and Water pump runs on a relatively low 24V so the power consumption is low.

Conclusion

It is safe to say that we were impressed with this pump from Box and Water. The only negative we could think of is that it must be fully submersed however this is merely down to user scenario and most pumps in the market at the time of reviewing follow this trend. When we look at the positives they far outweigh this minor gripe. Quality and feel is good from unboxing to fully working, all required items included in the box. The adjustability is straight forward with the controller. The pump is quiet and is of a solid build quality. Being suitable for both freshwater and marine tanks I can see these becoming a very popular option amongst all aquarists.

If you want to purchase a Upettools Aquarium Water Pump for your fish tank or just find out more from the manufacturer, you can do so directly from their website.