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What exact size band does Finnex list for the STE-800?
Finnex’s official STE data row gives the STE-800 a 800 W rating and a 190–265 US-gallon band. The 265-gallon maximum is a capacity screen, not a temperature-performance promise; the 190-gallon floor is not enforceable by this site's current maximum-only matcher, so the STE-800 remains a reference rather than a finder result.
Explore this need in the finder →Can the STE-800 be set to a chosen temperature?
Finnex lists the STE series at 68–92°F, says adjustments move by one degree and advertises ±1°F accuracy. Those are manufacturer settings/tolerance statements, not independent measurements. Check actual water with a separate aquarium thermometer; the STE-800 is not a substitute for animal-specific temperature guidance.
Explore this need in the finder →What must be verified before using the STE-800?
Finnex describes STE heaters for freshwater and marine aquariums and describes remote sensing, titanium and a non-resumable fuse. The sources reviewed do not state this exact STE-800's complete voltage/frequency or immersion depth, orientation and dry-operation rules; a retailer photograph is not an installation manual. Confirm the nameplate and supplied directions before installation. Finnex's 'virtually unbreakable' material language is not treated here as a verified shatterproof-body rating.
Explore this need in the finder →Model identity and the 190–265-gallon band
This source-based review covers the Finnex STE-800 as its own configuration; it does not report ownership, aquarium measurements or laboratory testing. Finnex's Shop page offers a distinct 800 W selector value, identified in its product data by SKU STE-800 and its own variant ID and UPC. The manufacturer's STE specification graphic lists 6.67 A, an adjustable 68–92°F setting range and a 190–265 US-gallon aquarium band. The upper value is the product's stated maximum, while the 190-gallon floor matters just as much when assessing fit.
The site's current matcher can compare a chosen volume against a maximum, but it cannot represent the required minimum of 190 gallons. Therefore the STE-800 remains reference-only at every aquarium size, not just for tanks below the floor. That cautious result avoids presenting an 800 W device as a broadly suitable answer based on an “up to 265 gallons” label. The rating does not ensure a target temperature in any room; ambient conditions, tank cover, flow and heat loss remain real factors.
What Finnex says about the control system
The product page describes a digital controller that receives temperature data from a remote sensor in the aquarium. Finnex says the setting is adjusted in one-degree increments and lists a 68–92°F range, with an advertised ±1°F accuracy. That accuracy is a maker claim rather than a measurement reproduced here, and the heater's displayed number is not the same as an independent reading of water. Once the exact system is installed according to its directions, verify water temperature with a separate aquarium thermometer and check it over time.
The series-level descriptions also mention a redundancy-protection circuit, corrosion-resistant titanium and freshwater/marine suitability. The official comparison chart identifies nickel coil material and lists an out-of-water protection entry as a non-resumable fuse. Finnex says the STE is ETL listed to UL standards. These features give the model a different material and controller profile than a simple thermostat rod, but they do not authorize dry operation, remove the need to follow setup instructions or establish how the heater behaves under every failure mode.
How the 800 W size compares with the other STE choices
The model's 190–265-gallon band is well beyond the 600 W STE-600's 120–150 gallons. Below that, the STE-400 is 80–100 gallons and the STE-200 is 40–60 gallons. Finnex assigns these separate capacity bands and lists 1.67, 3.33, 5 and 6.67 A across the respective four models. The controller range and series architecture are shared, but the wattage and electrical values are not. Choosing the largest option simply because it spans more gallons would skip the manufacturer's lower limit and the actual heating conditions of the aquarium.
The official size-table image says each model has a six-foot power cord. The exact listing image used for this review shows a carton labelled STE-800 / 800 watts with the guarded tube and controller. It confirms the model identity but cannot establish tube length, installation clearance or actual outlet compatibility. Finnex's specification graphic does not give a voltage basis for its 6.67 A entry, and the Shop page does not fill that gap.
Installation and electrical uncertainties at this scale
An 800 W heater makes checking the actual electrical label especially important. The sources reviewed here do not state the STE-800's full voltage range or frequency. Do not infer those ratings from the U.S. storefront, from an amperage number without its voltage basis, or from a sibling product. Read the heater, controller and plug labels and use the exact operating documentation for the offered STE-800 configuration.
The remote sensor is described as being in aquarium water and Finnex's promotional image shows an assembly at a tank, but that is not a full installation procedure. The current official instructions index reviewed for this work has no listed STE manual. In the materials located, there is no confirmed immersion mark, mounting orientation, minimum clearance, dry-operation rule, or permission to place the heater inline with a filter. Those unknowns stay explicit. The titanium tube, guard, sensor and fuse should not be read as permission to bypass a water-level instruction.
Who should use this assessment?
The STE-800 is best treated as a documented model reference for a large-system comparison, particularly when an adjustable 68–92°F controller, remote sensor, titanium element, saltwater/freshwater statement and 190–265-gallon band are part of the question. Its meaningful drawback is not simply its size: the current article library cannot guarantee that the setup and minimum capacity match a keeper's tank, and the available model-specific electrical and installation record is incomplete.
The 190-gallon floor is not encoded as a finder rule, so the site keeps the STE-800 out of finder results and ordinary purchase recommendations even when a stated tank size falls within Finnex's band. A separate model-reference lookup covers this configuration and its documented limits; it is not a compatibility or seller-package confirmation. The sizing guide explains the difference between a ceiling and a two-sided range; the finder shows alternatives whose reviewed operating plans can be matched without assuming missing facts. Confirm the exact model label, voltage, instructions, physical placement and actual water temperature before any decision.
Key specifications
Key details at a glance
| Rated heater power | 800 W |
|---|---|
| Lowest thermostat setting | 68°F |
| Highest thermostat setting | 92°F |
| Temperature control | Adjustable thermostat |
| Supported water types | freshwater / saltwater |
Use the exact model’s instructions for operating limits, supplied equipment and version differences.
Sources for this review
Sources for this assessment
- Finnex Shop — STE Series selector, 200/400/600/800 W
- Finnex Shop — STE Series variant data
- Finnex Shop — STE series model specification graphic
- Finnex — Titanium heater series comparison chart
- Finnex — Instructions index checked for STE documentation
- SaltwaterAquarium.com exact-model STE listing photograph — STE-800
Check the complete aquarium setup
Use the finder to compare documented tank size, water type, installation and temperature-control fit. A match does not guarantee the keeper's species-specific target or measured performance.