Count on this filter for powerful two-pump performance, multi-stage filtration efficiency, and the convenience of compact systems. Ideal for fresh or salt water. 280 gallons per hour.
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I originally picked up the dual cartage Marineland 350, since it was cheaper and offered more circulation and filter surface area. I found the unit was cheaper made and resulted in alot of vibration noise in comparison to other filters I have owned. I swapped it out for a Marineland Pro Series 280 and I am much happier.
The 280 only has one filter cartage, but the size of the cartrage is much larger than most filters. It is rated for aquariums up to 70 gallons, I feel this may be a little bigger than what the filter can actually do, but it does a great job with my 16 gallon bow face.
The Filter pumps water through the cartage as normal, but also diverts some of the water through a tube, which sprays water over the bio wheel. I found this adds oxygen to the water and also aids in keeping the bio wheel moving efficiently. The bio- wheels work much better on this model as apposed to the 350 which had trouble spinning with age.
The extra cartage is great for adding carbon or other chemical media. The slots are a little big for normal size carbon chunks, so make sure you get larger carbon chunks, if not you will have carbon passing through the system and it will clog up the spray bar quickly. I have yet to hear it in the impeller, but I am sure it will affect the life of the impeller!
This unit has a much better design and is fairly quite. Its not as quite as the Aqueon filter I previously used, but is MUCH quieter than the Rena and Marineland 350 that I have used in the past. My aquarium is in a baby’s room, so a quite filter is a MUST. So far the 280 is doing a good job. Its not silent, but it is what I would call average or maybe even a little quieter than most hang on filters that are currently on the market.
Cartage E is a little expensive, but there are many DIY options with this filter. So make their own, some use the cut-to-fit media, an of course you can always just reuse the factory filters with cleaning for a few times.
I can’t tell you how many cheaper filters I broke prior to owning this one. It was well worth the investment and broke my pattern of buying a new filter every 6 months or so. It finally needed replacement after 3 years, but only because it was damaged during moving.
I have a sand aquarium with african dwarf frogs, but their upkeep isn’t that different from most freshwater fish. I would highly recommend this filter to anyone who’s tired of breaking filters and wants something tougher. This filter is a champ, and has dealt with an aquarium no other filter could handle.
It’s true that at first it created a powerful water current, but a few plants or aquarium decorations will control the flow. Also, once you have it a few months, the algea/other buildup will reduce the flow unless you clean it. I love this filter allows me to be lazy, I clean it once a year or less. It requires almost no maintenance, and I recommend cleaning and reusing the filter cartridges a few times to save some money. Making your own at home works well too.
I have been using this filter on my 29 gallon freshwater aquarium for 7+ years at this point, and compared to my old fluval-style filter, I can honestly say I adore this machine. It is relatively quiet, especially compared to many air-pumps on the market, which would easily mask out the sound of this filter. In the entire time that I have used this filter, I have never had any mechanical problems, and has constantly provided excellent filtration for my setup. Some reviews said that the pump is too powerful, but I tend to disagree. If you leave your water level a bit lower, the water runs down a ramp and gently hits the water. The cartidges you can purchase are great, but rather pricy. You can easily cut yourself some filter-mesh and fill the included plastic media container with whatever you like for much less. From an experienced aquarium keeper, my rating says it all, 5 stars!
This filter works great. It’s a good choice if you are becoming experienced with aquariums. Make sure you’re OK with the price of the cartridges though. Also, this filter is pretty loud. I wouldn’t recommend it if your aquarium is set up in your bedroom.
I’m using this filter in a 35 gallon show-tank with a fairly large turtle, and it is hands down the best over-the-side style filter that I have come across. My old filter Tetra Whisper EX45 Filtration System wasn’t cutting it so I replaced it with this one.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE!
For starters, the Marineland filter is much larger and the filters cartridges are much larger as well. The uptake tube is roughly twice as large and comes with an extension that allows it to draw water from near the bottom of my tank, where all the gunk is at. The previous Tetra filter could only get about half-way down.
The next improvement is the addition of a media tray which lets me put in more activated carbon or zeolite, or whatever depending on my needs. From my experience, this means that I don’t need to change filters as frequently and I can have custom filtration right out of the box. With the Tetra filter, you can put in a biobag Whisper Bio-Bag Cartridge – Large – 12 pk. – Unassembled but I find the Marineland system more robust.
From more quantitative testing, I’ve found that the ammonia levels have stayed consistently low with this filter. With my old filter, ammonia levels were all over the place and it felt like I was declaring chemical war.
This unit is also pretty quiet and it hasn’t had an impeller problems. I do find though, that you really need to prime it (fill it with water) before turning it on, otherwise you’ll hear grinding sounds and it will take a long time for the water to start flowing, if at all.
At the price point, I don’t think there’s a better widely available filter than this.