Review on 🐠 Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter (1200 Elite): Superior Filtration for Pristine Water by Lindsay Parker

Well, as a reef lover, I've always had my doubts about the Nitrate Factory when I say this. I have to give this filter a 5 star rating. I put it on a 55 gallon sps/lps tank and it was crystal clear within minutes even after a 50% water change. Let's say 15 minutes to half an hour and bam clear and clean. If you're a hobbyist or a long-time hobbyist, this is a great place to start in the world of canisters. Since using this I have noticed that the fish are more active and the water quality is close to ideal sea water. However, please note that if you are installing it in a saltwater installation, you MUST service this filter at least once a week with a good disassembly and cleaning of the impeller, and do so at least once every 3 weeks. There are many YouTube videos to help you with this. If you do your homework and don't mind extra service, I say go for it. If you work and/or go to school a lot and don't have much time to keep the system running, this is not an option for you. Also understand your needs. I only have 3 fish in the tank and about 50 pounds of live rock and another 20-40 pounds of sand. and 2 other filters that only use mechanical filtration. For me, this is primarily a biofilter. I would recommend this for freshwater, but you also need to maintain your system. Those starting out in reef or fish-only aquariums do their homework before proceeding to the canister route. Saltwater is a different animal haha. Everyone has a liking for my 55 gallon seawater reef, it works. I was able to wean my protein skimmer with this product while still in the tank for an emergency or and NO SUMP! on this tank. also rolled for 2 weeks. Although I can't say I know your needs well enough and will clean your filter media frequently, especially in a saltwater aquarium.