Marineland C-530

[reptileguy2727]

Anyone used one yet? How is it?

The rep came in today with one and it supposedly rivals the FX5. I just wanted to hear from someone who has actually used it.

[Weezer]

Just saw them online, spendy..http://kensfish.com/marinelandcanisterfilters.html 240.00...:)

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+16744&pcatid=16744 340.00

[Rbishop]

Nope..it is the next new size of the C Series..they haven't even added it to their site yet...

[reptileguy2727]

I hadn't even heards about it until he said he had one with him. It is huge, looks fake. So I guess no one has one. Thanks anyways. I have not been impressed with the rest of the C-series anyways.

[Rbishop]

I love the C-series..try a google search...

[Rbishop]

I hadn't even heards about it until he said he had one with him. It is huge, looks fake. So I guess no one has one. Thanks anyways. I have not been impressed with the rest of the C-series anyways.


Curious..how many of the C series do you own and operate...?

[reptileguy2727]

I use Fluvals but we have a C-series on the 90 at work. Even right after cleaning the flow is so bad that the water basically falls out of the outlet. The rep said hopefully it is just a messed up impeller or something and to call or email Marineland. I can't stand the tank rim adaptors, the intake strainer, or the outlet nozzle. Fluval has them beat by miles on the actual hardware from the hoses on up. The canister itself is arguable (I don't think the C-series canister itself is any better than Fluvals), but I will stick with the Fluvals.

I do like how the gph rating is with a four foot head height and the media included when you originally buy the canister, not just the pump or an empty filter level with the tank's water like other companies do. But if people don't know this they will think it is not as good.

[jm1212]

i've known about the C-530 for quite a while, since it was listed on the parts spreadsheet that came with my C-360. the parts listed for it already had codes, and since i couldnt find anything about the filter or the price anywhere, i just thought that it was for commercial setups only.

the C-530 would be one big filter, but the best big filter out there. if marineland is really going to let people buy them for consumer use, i'll have to get myself a 90 gallon tank to run it on...the C-360 i have is the best filter i have ever owned.

$340 may be expensive, but the other canisters were also pretty expensive when they were first released. $250 was not an uncommon price for a C-360 a few months ago.

thankfully, i got mine for free. i dont think that added to my satisfaction at all :rolleyes:

[reptileguy2727]

They are for general sale, retail should be about $300.

[msjinkzd]

I for one love my c-360
It has outstanding flow, the media baskets are a nice size, it was easy to set up and its easy to maintain. I would be interested in this larger size for sure.

[Rbishop]

Hmmm...I like personal use before labeling something bad...

Fluval has them beat from the hoses up...? Not very impressive of a recommendation....

Each to his own...lmao

[reptileguy2727]

I have seen, examined, and personally used them (I am the only one who does anything in the fish dept at work, so I deal with the one at work all the time) so I do have personal use.

I am not claiming to have tons of experience with them. They just really need to upgrade the tank rim adaptor, outlet, and intake strainer. You don't need any experience with them to know that. I also think the trays should be taller, not so short and wide.

The other issue is the media. I don't use carbon, but is still a standard in the hobby so I understand why they include it. But they have two different biological medias. One is bioballs, the other is ceramic rings. Bioballs are for wet/dry, not submerged uses. Yes, I understand these are different than usual bioballs and are more dense, but they still won't provide the most surface area per volume the way other medias do and the way any biological media for submerged use needs to. The ceramic rins are supplosedly porous, but sure don't seem like it (and the rep agreed). With the arguable effectiveness of known porous ceramic medias like Fluval and Eheims I can't see how the ones in the C-series are really effective (even Fluval and Eheim's biological medias supposedly do not provide more bioavailable surface area, the holes are so small that they become clogged and any biofilm from nitrifying and other bacteria can actually clog the small holes). And they have two biological medias, they can't both be best so they need to decide which is the best and provide that one. The foam is fine. The fine pad though is thin, flimsy, and does not fit snug in the tray. So if it gets anything in it the water will just flow around it. I prefer to use polyester pillow stuffing crammed in to one tray, this functions as a great fine mechanical/polishing media. Their trays are too short to allow for this though.

In addition to all this the plastic piece below the bottom tray should simply be part of the canister, not a separate piece. With it being separate (or attached to the bottom tray as in the 530) it creates a dead zone underneath it and means even more cleaning.

The outlet on the 530 is much better though, it swivels and adjusts in two different spots so you can get the flow exactly where you want it in any direction.

[reptileguy2727]

But I do love the handles, genius (Fluval needs to add one). The 530 has no handle though, understandably.

[excuzzzeme]

I think $350 for a t-shirt and a first year filter is a bit steep. If anything, they should follow the AquaClear model of raising prices as popularity increases. This would put more in the field sooner allowing for higher refill sales as well.

[Bubbles2112]

I have a C-360 too and also love the ease of maintenance and basket sizes. I wouldn't part with mine..............except for a bigger size canister.....and tank.

[Mgamer20o0]

reptileguy2727 (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=37600) you seem very alone lol really havent seen anyone say anything bad about it. if i was buying a new canister i would pick up the c series. i read endless good reviews about them. if you dont like the media that comes with it dont use it lol sell it and buy something you do want.

excuzzzeme (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=69589) its a new model and if its going vs the fx5 i think thats around the same price. i dont keep up on my fluvals i really do hate them though i hear good things about the fx5.

[Cory Keeper]

hmmm, so If I ever do decide to upgrade to a bigger canister, a C-220 over a 29g might be way to go.

[Rbishop]

Seems many folks are always pretty sold on one brand of filter...lol. I know I am.

Though I do have enough tanks and used equipment to get an idea of the day to day requirements of them. I hink many of us find one that wroks for us and our conditions and stick with them for life.

[reptileguy2727]

They obviously work, but I just think there are way too many little things that could be better (that are better in other companies' canisters) to warrant paying for one of these. They made a huge leap in canisters, but they stayed behind so long they still have a little catching up to do.

[Rbishop]

I think $350 for a t-shirt and a first year filter is a bit steep. If anything, they should follow the AquaClear model of raising prices as popularity increases. This would put more in the field sooner allowing for higher refill sales as well.

C-530 at petsolutions.... $249

http://www.petsolutions.com/Marineland-Multi-Stage-Canister-Filters+I47450490+C20.aspx

[Bubbles2112]

Wowweee Rbishop! Great prices for all of them! I may have to check out some more of their 'stuff'!

Cory Keeper, I am presently using a (modified internals) Eheim ECCO canister on my 29g. I also have a Marineland C-360 on my 75g. They are both really great canisters filters and you can modify what you want to put in the baskets. I dumped the bio-balls that came with the C-360 and stocked it with the Eheim Substrat (they look like the Coco Puffs cereal) balls. They are both really great for me and I think the smaller Marineland C-series canisters would be just as great as the larger filters. They are both really easy to take care of and have no water leakage when you disconnect the hoses from the canisters. I have purchased a bunch of the unwanted/broken ECCO's from e-bay and put together a few canisters that work for very little money from a guy from Wisconsin--dealsforyourpets--I think is his ebay name.

[Squawkbert]

Not much to add -

other than I'm still waiting for Marineland to post their winners list on the "Win a New C-Series Filter" website (like they said they would in Aug. 07) and

Eheim also offers both spherical and annular (sp?) shaped biomedia in their classic series filters (I supplement mine w/ nylon potscrubbers).

I have no personal experience w/ the Marinelands but, having compared specs and prices, I don't think Eheim Classics are going anywhere soon.