Where should I put my heater?

[DreaminginBlue]

Hello, I am new to fish-keeping and just set up my 26 gallon bow-front Fluval today. I put the filter in, and it is working beautifully, and I have gravel and rocks set up, as well as my lighting. However, I don't know how to set up my heater or where to put it.

It's a Fluval M100, and it came with the tank in a kit. It suctions onto the side of the tank. (Photos attached, please forgive me if they aren't the best quality.)

Where do I put it, and how do I position it? There are these weird things on the lid that look like they could be cutouts or something, but I'm not sure (See photo). Do I just put it next to my filter? That section was already open and didn't have one of the weird cutout things, so I put my filter there. My heater fits next to the filter, but they touch at the top and I'm not sure about that...

Thanks,
DreaminginBlue

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Oops!

I accidentally managed to only post one photo... here is the heater itself.
I apologize, I'm rather new and not great with files. Next photo will be in next reply. I don't know how to post more than one at the same time.

~DreaminginBlue

 

[DreaminginBlue]

The Lid

Here's a picture of the lid, with the filter and the cutouts.

~DreaminginBlue

 

[Hoobfoob]

I bought a similar setup at Petsmart. I had no idea there were tops you had to cut out! We used a box cutter to cut them open. I put my heater through the smallest cutout farthest to the right.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Thank you so much! Did that work out well? I was worried about putting it too far from the filter, as the heater packaging said "to preferably place it near a source of water movement to evenly distribute heat."

 

[Barliman]

I'd put it near the heater. Doesn't have to be right next to it, but near enough that the flow will circulate water around it.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Okay, thank you!