new filter...now what!

chazsgirl

AC Members
Jul 14, 2008
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ok I had a great time at the fish place and found a great deal on a penguin 350 filter. I was having issues with my aquaclear and thought it wasn't powerful enough or just wasn't doing the job so i decided to try another one, it is only $24 after sale,tax and rebate!!(love that store) anyways this filter is new to me what should I do? :help::help::help:
SHOULD i:
hook it up and pour some stress zyme in the filter and let it run
OR
let the media float in the tank to get the biological bacteria to adhear to my filter..

may sound stupid but I just don't wanna kill anyone! thanks in advance!
 
run this filter simultaneously with your current filter for a couple weeks or so to allow the beneficial bacteria to colonize the media
 
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PENGUIN 350. I PURCHASED TWO OF THEM COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE QUITE NOISY. :confused: NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH THEM. HAVE ALSO READ OTHERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HAVEING TO HAND PRIME THEM AFTER POWER OUTAGES. HASNT HAPPENED TO ME YET BUT MIGHT WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
 
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PENGUIN 350. I PURCHASED TWO OF THEM COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE QUITE NOISY. :confused: NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH THEM. HAVE ALSO READ OTHERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HAVEING TO HAND PRIME THEM AFTER POWER OUTAGES. HASNT HAPPENED TO ME YET BUT MIGHT WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.


UGH....WHERE WERE U WHEN I BOUGHT THIS!!! lol... no seriously I have read good things about it so far so fingers crossed!!

ahh... also another dumb thing, u really NEVER have to change the bio-wheel? also this thing is huge!!

ADDED:
I was reading the manual and it says that if it makes noise to clean and or adjust the impeller if that doesn't work it needs to be replaced and they give a 3 year replacement plan!
 
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ok the big F'er is installed & should have taped it for a laugh on youtube! too many darn parts, forgot to fill it with water, cord was just long enough to fit the strip, had to cut a section of the 2nd hood to fit the thing and then had to cut another cuz the 1st was too small, oh yes and it is loud! (well not crazy loud but more so than any aquaclear I have owned)now i have both filters running my poor little fishies are scrambling for their lives! although all that madness never alarmed the giant pleco! now we'll see how long it is before husband unplugs one of them due to too much power being used!I would like to add that anyone that currently has ill will towards me I open the floor for u to have a good laugh for I am an idiot installing a crazy filter at 3am!
 
LOL YES THEY ARE HUGE. THEY DO WORK VERY WELL EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE LOUD. I TOOK THE TOP OFF MINE AND IT GOT ALOT QUIETER. STILL SO MUCH LOUDER THAN THE OLDER ONES..... GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT PLAN THANKS!
 
run the new one and the old one at the same time for AT LEAST a week (two is better)

floating the media will do almost no good as bacteria doesnt grow in water it grows on surfaces

if the other filter is already gone, or not-functional.. you can take some used media and stick it inside the filter for a while-- that usually helps

otherwise.. you are gonna have a major mini-cycle on your hands and that will suck lol
 
i have a few 350's but mostly the bigger emperor 400's and love them both i never had a 'noise' issue like some people do. about every 4 - 5 months i have to swish the bio wheels in a bucket of tank water but that just takes a few seconds at most and they spin like crazy when i pop them back in the filter.
 
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