Hydor, recently acquired by Ferplast (see here), unveiled many new products at Interzoo 2024. This event showcased the most important aspect: Hydor is back and returning to its former glory. Now, let’s take a look at the many new products.

Manuel Cappozzo, Product Development Manager, spent quite a bit of time with us and introduced all the new products that will soon be available in stores. We’ll give you a quick overview of the new stylish small aquariums, LED bars for both freshwater and marine setups, the new Professional 2.0 filters, and the new external ETH heater. All of these are very interesting products, which we will discuss in more detail in this article.

Watch the Hydor Stand Video at Interzoo 2024 with an Interview with Manuel Cappozzo

Before continuing, we’ll leave you with our video so you can see all the products in action, not just in our images. The video is in Italian, but you can add subtitles and then choose English.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skSk17cEuOIu0026t=500s

Hydor’s New Beautifully Designed Aquariums

The most visually striking new product from Hydor is their new line of small aquariums. They are stunning, no doubt about it. These aquariums can be considered All-In-One if you like, perfect for aquascaping, and very modern in design.

These new aquariums come in four sizes, though only three were on display at the booth.

A key feature of all the aquariums is their wooden base, which we really liked, along with their transparent silicone seals. The larger aquariums come with a newly launched three-stage filter that is compact yet meets all the needs of an aquarium of this kind. Naturally, all accessories can be purchased separately.

The New Hydor AQ-Lux LED Lights

At Interzoo 2024, Hydor also introduced a new line of lights. These are high-efficiency LED bars, which were previously missing from Hydor’s lineup. The lights fit into the product range between the more affordable fluorescent tube light fixtures and the high-end Aqamai light fixtures. In total, there are four new LED bars, available in lengths of 50, 70, 90, and 110 cm, covering a wide range of aquarium sizes. Each model is available in two versions, one for freshwater and one for marine tanks.

We were particularly impressed because the lights feature glass protection, making them easy to clean and preventing them from becoming cloudy over time. The aluminum frame also helps dissipate heat efficiently. These lights are IP67 certified, meaning they are waterproof for up to 30 minutes if submerged, making them perfect for aquarium use. This level of safety is especially important in the humid environment above an aquarium, and they are safe even if accidentally dropped in the water during maintenance. Moreover, they boast a CRI (Color Rendering Index) greater than 90, going up to 95 in the freshwater version, which is very close to the sunlight spectrum, though fine-tuned for aquarium needs. The beam angle is 120°.

The Hydor AQ-Lux lights also feature a small integrated controller that allows basic settings like 6, 9, or 12-hour lighting cycles, nighttime mode, and dimming for both day and night, including gradual sunrise and sunset transitions. The controller is detachable, allowing for future upgrades with a more advanced controller.

These lights are rated for 50,000 hours of use at 25°C. This means that if used for 6 hours a day, they would last for 23 years, decreasing to 15 years at 9 hours per day, and 11.5 years at 12 hours per day. At the end of this period, the LEDs won’t stop working, but will still retain at least 80% of their brightness. Impressive results indeed.

The 50 cm model has a power output of 24 watts, the 70 cm model has 36 watts, the 90 cm model has 42 watts, and the 110 cm model has 55 watts.

New Hydor Professional 2.0 Filters

Hydor also introduced the new range of Professional 2.0 filters, the natural evolution of the previous version. Hydor has gathered experience and improved them in every aspect. There are three models: 250, 350, and 450. The filters have been completely redesigned, starting with the included pumps and extending to the rest of the system. The filters come with all the necessary pipes for tank setup.

The first feature is the automatic start, activated by pressing a button for 3 seconds when the reservoir is empty. For safety, there’s also a manual pump.

There’s also a direct CO2 input connection, visible as a small red connector in the following image.

Another interesting feature is the ability to install heating elements inside the filter, optimizing space in the tank and eliminating concerns about fish coming into contact with the heater. Well-thought-out indeed.

Inside, the number of filter baskets varies depending on the size of the filter. The smallest model, 250, has 3 baskets. Additionally, the flow rate can be adjusted, and the tube connectors are fully adjustable. The tube support is easy to disconnect, allowing for simple cleaning without spills—convenient and well-designed.

New External ETH Heater

Last but not least, there is the highly intriguing new ETH external heater.

This heater comes in 100 or 200-watt models, with 300 and 400-watt versions currently in development. This range will soon cover aquariums of all sizes. The heat exchange interface between the heater and the water is no longer glass but aluminum, which increases the thermal transfer rate from 5.8 W/m² to about 160 W/m²—a huge difference.

Inside, there’s a vortex system that helps heat the water more efficiently, maximizing the heater’s performance. This also allows the heater to be positioned in any direction, not just vertically.

The heater also features a handy digital display that allows you to set and monitor the temperature. Additionally, there’s a flow detection system that alerts you to upstream problems, allowing you to intervene.

Finally, note the compact size of the heater—it’s shorter but thicker.

References

For more information on Hydor and Aqamai products, visit their official website. We also invite you to read our Editorial on the trade show or check out our video documentary on this edition of Interzoo 2024.

Lastly, we’d like to thank Manuel Cappozzo for patiently explaining every single new Hydor product to us.