Marineland HOT canister filter, magnum pro

Allot of questions so I will answer just one and give others a chance. You don't need the pro model as bio wheels a offer little benefit at the loss of outflow water pressure moment and all the added plumbing. recommend you wait until the regular HM are on sale again for $45-$47 including shipping. If you still want bio wheels recommend you use the money saved on the regular Hot mag to buy a Penguin 350, at least then the bio wheels will be out of the way and you'll have a backup power filter to boot all in the same foot print of space occupying your tank.

i like the magnum pro version and own several of them. there is a filter cart you use to polish the water which means it traps all the small stuff in the water makes your water look clearer. the carts are cleanable and reusable. the cost to operate filter is cheap you buy the foam sleeve that slips over the carbon container or polishing cart when dirty just rinse it out and re use so cost is very small overall to use this filter. i think they are very good filters and i have alot of them and they are made well last a long time and do a good job.

lin said:

1. What is "quick clean water polishing"?
MEANING THAT YOU CAN USE IT FOR A NORMAL FILTER WITH 1 INSTERT.. OR YOU CAN ALSO PUT IN THE MICRON CARTRIDGE AND LEAVE IT ON OVERNIGHT TO MAKE THE WATER CRYSTAL CLEAR (WATER POLISHING)

2. Has anyone use these and what is your opinion?
YES. I HAVE 2 OF THEM AND THEY ARE TRULY AN AMAZING FILTER

3. Would these be better than a regular HOT power filter and why?
IT DEPENDS ON YOUR USE... FOR A NORMAL FILTER THAT IS THE TANKS MAIN SOURCE OF FILTRATION I USE A NORMAL HOT FILTER, ALTHOUGH THAT DOESNT MEAN THIS FILTER WOULNT BE SUFFICIENT. BUT FOR A SPARE FILTER OR FOR A POLISHING FILTER THESE THINGS ARE SECOND TO NONE. YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE CANISTER DESIGN, BUT ITS MUCH MORE CONVENIENT THAN A CANISTER

4. What is the cost/requirements of maintaining this system; filter, cartridge, etc. replacements.
At this point, I'm sure that you realize that I'm a "newbie", so all patience with me and any help would be appreciated.
CHEAPER THAN A NORMAL HOT. I DONT BUY FILTER REPLACEMENTS.. I JUST REWRAP THE INSERT IN FOAM PERIODICALLY.. AND REPLACE CARBON WHEN I NEED TO RUN IT
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ANSWERS IN RED

Is the 250 big enough for an underpopulated 55?

i like to over filter so i would use 2 of them on a 55G

I consider the 250 an augmenting portable and special needs filter, not a primary filter system. For primary filter I would spend a tad more and but the magnum 350 which has the same polishing capabilities but substantially more performance and endurance. I use the Hot Mag 250 to augment the FX5 on my 120 Tank and to augment the Magnum 350 on my 80 tank. I also have one on my 244 tank augmenting a Tom's PS4 sump and a FX5. The Hot mag 250 creates allot of bubble underwater aeration if you remove all the out flow piping and use just 1 elbow to push air and water strait down, so the 250 has also replaced all my power heads. I plan to hook all of them to their own 600 Amp Hr UPS which will have them operating for 24 none stop or more hours if power managed during a power outage providing both filtration and aeration.

Got a bunch of Marineland filters; old and newer Penguins and Empires as well as the HOT magnums and the Pros. Can't speak to the scientific proof of the biowheels' efficiencies or lack thereof but I do know that anecdotally my tanks that have them never have any problems.

The HOT approach is fine on a bigger tank but even on my 210 the biowheel plumbing attachment helps it eat up an entire lid bay. The lost energy in the biowheel motion is also a sort of diminishing return since the outflow barely ripples the surface compared to the normal non-pro version discharge.

The flexibility of the filter though is awesome. Between the pleated cartridge and the internal canister you can do a lot. I use carbon and or a Purigen bag inside and wrap the outside with a 50 micron felt held on by a couple of skinny rubber bands and it makes the water invisible. Best part is that the felt can be cleaned just like the cartridge and the Purigen, just soak in some bleach and water, rinse neutralize and you're back in biz. According to Gunner you can regen the carbon too in your microwave so for the money you'll save big over buying filter media throw-aways for the HOB types.

I suppose you could use it as a primary but IMO you're better off using it as a compliment. The biowheel might make the difference in terms of biological but for anything more than a 20g tall I'd be addin' sponges and powerheads...but I'm also a little nuts.

Biowheels are the biological filtration system of choice in the commercial aquaculture field because they can economically support more weight of fish than any other biological filtration system. Magnums are good reliable filters and adding a biowheel only improves them. They are a bit louder than some other canisters such as Eheims and Fluvals, but the difference never bothered me. My wife on the other hand is very sensitive to the difference so I no longer run mine except for an occasional water polishing.