so i just eamiled marinland and asked about the flow control on the new models and they said that they took it off. just thought that people might want to know. they didnt give me a reason though. i'm still pissed
New Emperor filters with mid level intake
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Mine has a lever on the intake tube, it's a separate attachment that lengthens the intake hose and can be left off with the strainer higher up in the tank. The lever opens a vent and can be stopped at a multitude of points to disperse suction and soften the intake pressure. It's about halfway into the tank. Mine's a brand new penguin, so they may have added it recently.
I knew something had to be up with the Emperors. When I bought the two I have from big al's, they were $36.99 each. They are $47.99 now, an $11 increase in only a few years, thats an aweful lot. Guess we have to pay for that new extention/flow control piece.
OK....I went to my LFS where I bought my Emperor 400 two months ago and asked the owner about the filter. The new Emperor 400 does not have the flow control knob. Yes, the 400 has the intake extender for deeper tanks and an adjustable mid-tank intake but that is not the flow control. The owner of the LFS even went as far as to show me the manufacture date on the Emperor 400's he had on the shelve and they'd all been made within the last month or so. Since I bought pretty much my whole tank set-up from him (tank, stand, filters, gravel, test kit, etc) he's kind of in to keeping me happy and wanted to make sure I wasn't thinking he sold me "old" stuff. I didn't let on that I'd kind of like the older model with the flow control.
Might add that I took the intake extender and put it on my 280 which is on a 37 gallon tall show tank...works great. The 400 pulls from mid level and I run a fluidized bed filter at the other end of the tank that pulls from just above the gravel.
Might add that I took the intake extender and put it on my 280 which is on a 37 gallon tall show tank...works great. The 400 pulls from mid level and I run a fluidized bed filter at the other end of the tank that pulls from just above the gravel.
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sorry about this, but randyk47- tell me PLEASE what you're using to run the fluidized bed filter. I've had a merlin for a while, that i can't seem to get right.
I use a Maxi-Jet 600 on my fluidized bed filter. I have it submerged just above the gravel level with a sponge pre-filter on it to keep out the larger pieces. I have to crank the control on the filter way back, almost to the minimum, so I don't overpower the bed. I think I probably could have gotten by with a less powerful pump but the 600 was recommended because of it's GPH. Once the bed ages a bit more it might take a bit more flow to keep it at the right level so maybe I'll eventually need the extra pump capacity.
