I'm thinking of buying a new filter for my 55

[sunsplash76]

Hey fishy friends~
I have a 55 gallon tank and it's been up for 3-4 months now I guess. I have 4 cichlids, and I do weekly 25% water changes. Well, it seems that the deco and the fake plants grow algae at a much faster rate than they used to and the water doesn't sparkle the way I would like; so I'm thinking of purchasing a new filter. I went to the petstore yesterday and was eyeing a HOT MAGNUM filter. Does anyone know about magnum filters? It was a canister, which I know nothing about. I gather you have to buy the activated carbon and clean the filter sponge, but this was just reading the outside of the box. If anyone has an opinion, I'de like it. I currently have an aquatech by regent. This Magnum filter is a bit expensive, but not as bad as I thought it would be, plus this petstore has a 10% off thing going on. I'll have to talk santa into buying it for me, lol.

 

[targaboy78]

Hi sunsplash76,

I have no "first hand" experience with the HOT MAGNUM filter that you are talking about but I did a little research for you.

Here are a couple of product reviews;
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/pr/aaprmagnumhot.htm

Guide Rating - 4 1/2 stars
Pros
• Powerful, compact and durable.
• Ideal mechanical filter for aquarium clean ups.
• Affordable.
Cons
• Micron cartridge may need frequent changing/cleaning.
The Bottom Line - An efficient, well built compact hang-on-tank canister with powerful and versatile filtering capabilities, particularly ideal for mechanical/chemical filtration and quick aquarium clean ups.

http://www.epinions.com/content_67424325252

Overall rating: 5 stars
Effectiveness: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Pros
• Easy setup and maintenance, Excellent water quality, quiet!
Cons
• Takes patience to clean filter cartridge well.
The Bottom Line - Marineland's superior design has kept me happy for over 8 years! Simple, and powerful, definitely worth the money!

And here are a couple of articles that descibe the product;
http://www.finsnfurpetsupplies.com/magarticle.html
http://www.aquahobby.com/products/magnum.html

I hope this helps.

 

[loganj]

HOT magnum

I have been running a HOT Magnum with a Pro 30 Bio Wheel on a 55 for about 4 years. It is an excellent filter and I have never had any trouble with it. I would recommend this setup for anyone. You will need the bio wheel though as this filter by itself has little biological capacity. It really is a great piece of equipment.
Logan J

 

[sunsplash76]

Thanks so much to both of you for the great replies and advice. I am putting the HOt Magnum on my christmas list. It really looks like it will do a pretty good job in my tank. I did a really good cleaning on this last water change, and the clarity is pretty good, but I still want that filter.