canister filters?

[hc8719]

are canister filters as good as they say they are? im getting a bit fed up with my topfin 60 (which is really a whisper 60 with topfin stamped on it)

with buying new cartridges, or attempting to make your own... (and the fact that the transparent intake tube promotes algae growth so i have to clean the intake tubes weekly is a b****

and now my penguin 330 has been letting me down

you think i could get away using a canister/hob combo?

if so, which canister/brand would you guys recomend for a 55 gal

i know alot of people like eheim and rena, suddenly my 2 penguin filters are cheaping out on me, so im not to partial to magnum because its made by marineland, and people just seem to hate the fluvals fall apart

i was thinking about the rena x2 if anything, but any personal experience with these is welcome

[Codefox]

The Magnum isn't that good anyway, had one. For a 55g you definately would be better off with a canister. You don't even need a canister/hob combo...just the canister is fine. I use the Cascade 700 myself on my 55g.

[JustOneMore20]

I have a XP3 on my 55g and so far I love it. It is super quiet and holds alot of media. Its easy to hook up too and to prime (great since I'm not good at that kind of stuff). I highly recommend it.

[Codefox]

Fortunately I think they're all easy to set up and prime these days I would say that if you got the Eheim, Fluval or Cascade you'd have a positive experience with all of them.

[MSU Fan]

i have an xp3 and 2 xp1's, and they are all very easy to set up and use.

[hc8719]

i understand that the xp2 has four different compartments for i suppose cotton in one, carbon in another, ceramic stuff in the third

is it something like that? and water goes through all of them?

[frostby]

My XP2 has two "baskets" with a top/bottom dividers. These separate the filter into 4 compartments. There's large diameter foam on the bottom to catch the big junk, a smaller diameter foam to further filter, followed by some type of media that grows bacteria, and finally filter floss or the carbon bag... whatever you want to put in there. I'm fairly happy with mine, although I wish I bought the XP3 on my 55 gallon. The flow just doesn't seem to keep up with my cichlids mess...

oh yeah, filter maintenance has dropped considerably with the cannister vs the old HOB.

Unfiltered water flows around the outside of these sealed baskets, through the bottom opening up through the media and back out to the tank. The baskets have a screen to allow flow from the basket below, so yes you are right.

Also the XP's come with the spray bar or venturi nozzle, it's a nice option if you don't want a strong jet of water shooting across your tank

I would purchase another XP in the future...

[JustOneMore20]

I use the fine and coarse filter pads, filter floss, bio-stars, and the microfiltration pad....no carbon for me. You can put whatever you want in the compartments though. I have filter floss in 2 of my compartments.