magnum pro 350 any experience or opinion?

[dianezoo]

I have a 125 gal FW tank and needed to replace one of my Fluval 304 filters. I just received a Magnum 350 pro. This thing looks like it could be a big hassel. I have no expericen with bio wheels that come with this canister filter and also there is no directions how the gravel cleaner works that came with it. Before I set this up I though I would ask someone who "Knows" about these units and not the LFS.
I greatly appreciate your feedback on this.
Regards
Dianezoo

[SerLunchbox]

Ok.

This is a great HOB canister filter. I have used it before.

The way that the gravel cleaner works is that you attatch the hose into the "intake" for the filter while it is running .... this creates the suction neded to cause a gravel clean. The water rushes through the filter and then back out the biowheel and the extra exhaust for the filter (the place between filter and biowheel.)

This allows you to then take the canister and clean it after you have cleaned your gravel (a nice little feature).

I have moved away from this filter and put 2 AquaClear 500's on the back of my tank. Not because i didn't like the filter, but rather because i gave it to someone who needed it more then i do.

The added bonus to Magnum filters is that you get a water polishing/diatom sleeve that you can run for a few hours up to 1 day to really give your water a nice polished look. It is amazing what you can get out of your water with that filter!

If you need any more information on them, let me know.

[dianezoo]

Thanks for your fast response, however this is not a HOB hang on the back filter. It's a canister that sits under the tank and the return hose branches to the two bio wheels that do hook onto the tank as the inlet for water. It looks like that may be noisy or clog up.(?) I know what you are saying about the water polisher sleve that goes into the canister, but that also looks like a big hassel to hunhook everything and change it out just to run it for a few hours. Again these are my conerns once I hook this up and run it I cant return it. So Im just checking it out. I LOVE the large Aqua clear 500 but my tank is too close to the wall and too big to move it for them, they are the easiest of off to work with.
More feedback thanks. For gravel cleaning I run my python to the sink and drain out the debris from the gravel and that seems to be very easy without having to clean out a canister... but again I dont have experience with the Mangum. any additional fedback greatly appeciated.
Dianezoo
Dianezoo

[Fishyfanatic]

Diane- Check out the Product Review section. Poppab wrote a review regarding this filter.

[greenmaji]

I have one.. well not the Pro model (without the bio-wheel) but Ive used the bio-wheel add-ons before those aren't any trouble to set up at all..

its the filter.. its one of the oldest designs still being sold.. it has to be manualy primed and asembling it isn't the easiest task compared to other canister filters that are on the market now.

the easiest way I have figured out how to manually prime is to put the filter together, fill it with water, put the lid on, then fill the intake hose with water, and trying your best to get a backward suction going on the output side to fill it with water (not nessiary but makes it start easier)..

Get the seals wet before putting it together (it's not manditory but it helps alot), and don't try to force the clips, if there not snaping into place fairly easy its not seated correctly, just try again..

not sure what else to say really..
HTH

[shawmutt]

Skip the Magnum 350. I messed with a magnum 330 (the same one but a lot older) for a while before I smartened up and went with a filstar xp.

Check online for prices, lfs have a bad habit of overcharging on filters.

[jcarlilesiu]

I have the magnum 250 pro H.O.B. Cannister pro with bio-wheel. I like the filter, it can be a little bit of a pain to prime now and then but it does a really nice job filtering. I have been very satisfied so far

[Zagz]

I have the magnum 350 with bio wheels. I have had no problem with it. I opted on my 29 gal to not use the bio wheels due to space limitations but they are easy to use. Priming is simply tilting the filter sideways a few times to extract the air.

[jsoong]

I had the Magnum 350 Pro, without the biowheel. Good enough filter but better ones around:

Pro - water polishing capability <but the cartridge clogs quickly so need frequent servicing - daily minimum>

Cons - manual priming (a pain!), fiddly to setup, problem with leaky seals (have to fiddle to get seals to seat right + use vaseline on seals - otherwise airleak/cavitation in canister).

Gravel vac attachment - not worth the bother ---- gunk sucked up clogs the filter so you end up spending lots of time cleaning it instead .... much quicker & easier to do regular gravel vac & dump the mulm & waste water out with a siphon.

[Slarty Bartfast]

JUST installed the 350 pro, and here's input from a newb:
1) came without the screws to hold the biopro to the tank. Quick trip to lowes, and that was solved.
2) you really have to watch the directions and assemble it JUST like they say, with the hoses on the proper ends of the "T" for the bio wheels, etc.
3) directions said to use 1/2" tubing for the bio wheels, but there was no way it was going to fit onto the t they gave me, nor on the biopro. so used the 5/8 tube, seems ok.
4) I bought some hose clamps and put them on LIGHTLY instead of the rubber bands that they included. One tube on the T just WOULD NOT stop leaking, so I applied a little plumbers goop to the fitting and voila. Hose clamps MIGHT not be a good idea, but they worked for me, and I feel better about them.
5) make sure you install with the tubes going UP. Mine required elbows above the canister to fit into my stand, which therefore makes it a little hard to burp. If it doesn't burp right, it makes a bit of noise. But turning it on/off, and tilting a little seems to solve this.
6) I can't tell you how I like it, cause it's really my first filter, but so far it seems really nice to me....... The price on B i g a l s was too good to beat, esp for the pro.
Later!

[greenmaji]

Well, on top of being one of the few canisters you still have to manualy prime, I would also say its the worst design of them..
There is some wisdom in shawmutt's post thats all I'm going to say