Review on Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Filter - Ideal for Large Aquariums & Fish Tanks Ranging from 30 to 200 Gallons by Brittany Smith

I have a 13 inch Pleco guppy, a bunch of Texas map turtles and some other stuff in a 75 gallon aquarium that needed the flow filter removed. I left and when I got home it smelled awful and I couldn't even see through the water. Pleco was supposed to be standing by the window just so I could see him. I couldn't use the Fluval 305 I had and I couldn't find another on Craigslist for $25. I researched during the day. and decided on the Cascade 1000 based on the accessories and good reviews. Good choice so far Pros 1. The price, $99 for a filter that can handle 100 gallon tanks, is great. The method of its manufacture in some respects. It's way better than a Fluval. For one, it has a clip on each side, not just two. I had a Fluval that only had two clips. It was much more difficult to clamp and one broke. Then it was all over. Cascade is a lot easier to pinch and if one breaks you have three more left over to make up for it. Compared to Fluval 305, the design is better than Fluval 305 because the connectors move to the motor, so you can move the hose in many directions much more conveniently and easily. With Fluval the snorkel was so stiff and if I wanted to reposition the snorkel I had to take it completely out of the water which was excruciating. And the last big thing is the primer. Instead of a small, finger-sided stylus to push and pull in the water to start it, the cascade uses a button instead. I had a Fluval and was taking so long to refill it that the pin broke and I had to order a new one. it still didn't work. Since the cascade is the button of the pump, you don't have to worry about that. Another important factor, far superior to the button, is that you can rock it with the foot pads, not your arms. I did this and it started in less than 30 seconds, no kidding. With Fluval, I tried walking it for about twenty minutes for the first time and some people gave up. The way the water flow converter is made is better than Fluval's because Fluval's thin plastic element flexes easily and doesn't slide up and down in slots. you will have no problem with that here. 3. very easy to set up. You can see the water filling the canister, the hoses are very flexible and easy to connect. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH INFLATION, SIMPLY STOP USING HANDS < STAND UP AND USE FUSSLAD. IT WORKED FOR ME IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS! 4. Large water consumption. You can adjust the outlet and inlet water flow separately. So if you're using a sprayer and want it to be quieter at night, you can slow it down. The atomizer is cool but noisy when you use it over water. 5. The accessories for it are pretty cool. It comes with a sprayer about 3 feet long. I plugged it in first and it was so long it sank in the water and didn't look at all like the cool fender pics I see. Then I thought I had 8 suction cups with connectors on them. I only needed one or two for the inlet and outlet hoses so I attached one to the end of the spray bar and it fitted perfectly. Now my sprinkler is level over the water and I can create a kind of love tunnel and it sounds a lot better and ALSO distributes the filtered water a lot better. Those suckers stay, I've had a hard time with the Fluval suckers and the Cascade 100 gives you 8. You really only need 3 or 5 at most. 6. It looks nice, isn't noisy and the pedestal it sits on, is much wider than the course of the river, so it won't accidentally fall off. This is important if you have pets or children. CONS 1. The spray can be a bit noisy if you use it over water to throw it in the aquarium, but I like it and some people might like it too. 2. The attached charcoal pack does not take up all the space in the main canister. it covers about 88%. The Fluval is a camera with a custom pocket large enough to cover an entire tray. Eventually you'll need to replace the charcoal, so if you can't find something that fits perfectly, you can buy your own charcoal somewhere and use a product like a pair of tights to make your own bag. But anyway, I don't think it matters much, so I wasn't worried about that. After about 2 hours the tank stops smelling. After 14 hours I have crystal clear water from a filter that is quieter, much easier to set up and cleans better than anything I've had before. I recommend this one and I would buy another one. If you are having trouble filling, make sure you twist the hoses properly and connect them as tightly as possible. You rotate to bring it to the part you just assembled. Make sure you have a LONG piece of plastic on the inlet and a short piece on the outlet. Make sure all four clamps on the base are properly adjusted and USE THE CUSHION OF THE FOOT TO FILL QUICKLY > Once you see some water filling up, don't move so fast. Once full, it pushes the water through the outlet and you can plug it into the mains. The easiest setup I've ever had. Less than thirty seconds. If you don't get it, you may have made a wrong connection or you're not doing it quickly. use your legs If you can't afford it try the 700 and if that's still too much try the underwater cascade 600. The 600 is good to use if you have a suitcase and the hoses are in the way. I have two on my other tank and they work great too and are more like a 3 in 1. I did a little research and am VERY happy with the 600 and 1000.