Have you been fumbling and futsing with an old filter that hangs off the back of your tank making noise, forcing you to move the tank away from the wall to make space, laughing at you and mocking you every time you have to change the nasty smelly carbon filters? Then it's time to do yourself a favour and give your tank an upgrade. I've had many tanks over the years and i've always done what a lot of people do, aggravate myself with the old faithful Top Fin and the like filters. Never being satisfied with the water clarity and just about controlling myself from throwing it out the window as i'm changing a filter. Not to mention the bottles and bottles of Advil i've downed over the years dealing with the noise those filters make. I've seen canister filters in the local pet shops and I was always intrigued by the concept, and then blown away by the amount of money the stores were charging. But I upgraded my tank with a larger one and decided to upgrade my filtering system too.
I found this filter on Amazon for half the price that the commercial pet stores are charging for comparable filters, so I did some investigation and decided to take the plunge and purchase this beauty.
Firstly, it's amazingly simple to set this filter up. Open the package, take all of the filters and bio pieces out and place them in the trays (wash them off). Place the trays in the filter and secure the top. Place the filter under the tank, measure and cut the water tubes and attach to the filter and to the intake and output assemblies. Push on the priming button on the top a few times until water fills the chamber then turn it on. That's it!
Secondly, it's quiet. It's super quiet. For the first couple of days I had it running I had to look to make sure there was water coming out of the discharge nozzle because it was so quiet.
Thirdly, it's very powerful and processes a lot of water. I had to turn down the output because it was so powerful. That's a good thing.
Lastly, and most importantly, it is amazing at how well it filters and cleans the water. Canisters are biological filters unlike the old fashioned that are carbon filters. Now you can put carbon in this filter, but that should only be for a short period of time. Once you get the biologics going and go through a good nitro cycle you'll be amazed at how crystal clear the water is. I kick started my tank with some bacteria chemicals and ran it for a good 3-4 weeks with no fish. Then after testing the water and getting the ph and other levels to where I needed them I introduced a school to get the nitro cycle going. I got a good bacteria bloom that lasted for about 2 days and then the water turned crystal clear and has been crystal clear ever since. It's unbelievable how clear the water actually is. I've never seen water so clear in any of my other setups over the years using the hang off carbon filters.
This filter is fantastic. I'd recommend to anyone wanting to upgrade their setup.
(UPDATE - 7/20/2016) - I've had this filter for almost 5 months and i'm happy to say that I am still amazed at how well this filter works. It works so well that i'm on Amazon to purchase another for my daughters tank to replace her hang off carbon filter. Even though the tanks are almost the same size, same PH, nitros, etc. and almost the same stock level and feeding schedule and same water change schedule, her tank is and always has been slightly cloudy and not quite clear. My tank is still crystal clear, and I mean crystal clear. This Hydor filter has worked and worked and worked and is unbelievably quiet. This has to be the best purchase I have ever made for any of my tanks.
(UPDATE - 1/23/2017) - It's been a year since I purchased and I am still extremely satisfied with this filter. It is excellent. It just runs and runs. And I do have a tip for those that have had issues with filter cleaning and the water spillage when you remove the hoses. Here is the process I use and I don't spill a drop of water:
1) With the pump still running close the inlet valve.
2) After a few seconds close the outlet valve.
3) Unplug the pump.
4) Remove the hoses.
That's it! Closing the inlet valve will cause the pump to pump out water remaining in the pump chamber. When you close the outlet valve and unplug the pump, the water level will be lower than the nozzles so you will not spill any water. Works every time for me. Also, remember to only rinse out the ceramics with tank water. Do not rinse with clean water, you will lose the biologics in the filter. I have found that the white filter media needs to be replaced every couple of months. I rinse out the filter every 3 months and replace the white filter pad when I do.
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From the manufacturer
Hydor Professional External Canister Filter
- External filter for the modern aquarium.
- An intelligent design conceived to make the most of the space beneath the aquarium, the filter offers maximum performance and extraordinary versatility.
- Easy to use thanks to the priming pump, the Hydor Professional filter is useful for all aquariology enthusiasts.
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| Professional 150 External Canister Filter | Professional 250 External Canister Filter | Professional 350 External Canister Filter | Professional 450 External Canister Filter | Professional 600 External Canister Filter | |
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| Customer Reviews |
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| Recommend Aquarium Size | 20 to 40 gallons | 40 to 75 gallons | 60 to 100 gallons | 75 to 125 gallons | 90 to 150 gallons |
| Filter Circulation | 160 GPH | 200 GPH | 240 GPH | 260 GPH | 290 GPH |
| Pump Output | 190 GPH | 225 GPH | 280 GPH | 320 GPH | 345 GPH |
| Filter Volume | 3.2 liter | 5 liter | 6.6 liter | 9.7 liter | 12.2 liter |
| Includes Fine White Filter Pad | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Includes Coarse Black Filter Sponge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Include Sintered Quartz BIO-Rings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Number of Media Trays | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Spray Bar Attachment Included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Versatile
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Hydor Professional White Floss Pad Filter MediaReplacement available as a 2 pack |
Hydor Professional Black Coarse Sponge Filter MediaReplacement available as a 2 pack |
Hydor Labs Chemical MediaComplete line of Chemical Media to work in your Professional Canister Filter
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Reviews with images
My water quality has never looked better!
I should have invested in this from the very start of my fish tanks existence! I would of saved so much time, stress, and money!!!It all started with my daughter at Coney Island with her grandmother and winning 2 gold fish. Only one survived. He went from the tiny holding tank, to a 2.5 gallon, to a 10 gallon which was horrible to keep clean as it was too small for him as he grew. 1 year later we upgraded to a 36 gallon tank, added one black moor- so only 2 fish in this tank and it came with its own brand filter, one of the ones that hang over the top. In one year I would estimate my filter replacement costs at $350 as gold fish are poopers; that mixed with the family possibly over feeding them as we share responsibility.It was difficult to keep the water clear, so I purchased a $50 UV light and it did an amazing job, one bulb replacement another $20 and it crapped out within the month of changing the bulb. The smaller filter could not handle the job alone- so I started researching external canister filters as my fish weren't happy and were stressed and so was I. Constant water changes due to bad water quality are a pain in the ...!I almost went with another brand, but after numerous videos and reviews of user difficulty I decided to keep searching and thankfully found this bad boy. Packaging was great, setting up was as easy as following their online video that's 4 minutes long- love the spray bar, and my fish get little bubble massages. My water has never looked better- my fish are really happy and so am I.
Top reviews from the United States
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Top reviews from other countries
Esther Pratt
Good aquarium pump,/ filter
Reviewed in Canada on March 9, 2020Size: 350, 60-100 GalVerified Purchase
Cliente de Amazon
Bueno pero muy frágil
Reviewed in Mexico on July 8, 2018Size: 600, 90-150 GalVerified Purchase
Daniel adlington
Didn’t even work will review again if it’s sorted out.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2020Size: 600, 90-150 GalVerified Purchase
