Professional 250 External Canister Filter

Have you been fumbling and futsing with an old filter that hangs off the back of your tank making noise, forcing you to move the tank away from the wall to make space, laughing at you and mocking you every time you have to change the nasty smelly carbon filters? Then it's time to do yourself a favour and give your tank an upgrade. I've had many tanks over the years and i've always done what a lot of people do, aggravate myself with the old faithful Top Fin and the like filters. Never being satisfied with the water clarity and just about controlling myself from throwing it out the window as i'm changing a filter. Not to mention the bottles and bottles of Advil i've downed over the years dealing with the noise those filters make. I've seen canister filters in the local pet shops and I was always intrigued by the concept, and then blown away by the amount of money the stores were charging. But I upgraded my tank with a larger one and decided to upgrade my filtering system too. I found this filter on Amazon for half the price that the commercial pet stores are charging for comparable filters, so I did some investigation and decided to take the plunge and purchase this beauty. Firstly, it's amazingly simple to set this filter up. Open the package, take all of the filters and bio pieces out and place them in the trays (wash them off). Place the trays in the filter and secure the top. Place the filter under the tank, measure and cut the water tubes and attach to the filter and to the intake and output assemblies. Push on the priming button on the top a few times until water fills the chamber then turn it on. That's it! Secondly, it's quiet. It's super quiet. For the first couple of days I had it running I had to look to make sure there was water coming out of the discharge nozzle because it was so quiet. Thirdly, it's very powerful and processes a lot of water. I had to turn down the output because it was so powerful. That's a good thing. Lastly, and most importantly, it is amazing at how well it filters and cleans the water. Canisters are biological filters unlike the old fashioned that are carbon filters. Now you can put carbon in this filter, but that should only be for a short period of time. Once you get the biologics going and go through a good nitro cycle you'll be amazed at how crystal clear the water is. I kick started my tank with some bacteria chemicals and ran it for a good 3-4 weeks with no fish. Then after testing the water and getting the ph and other levels to where I needed them I introduced a school to get the nitro cycle going. I got a good bacteria bloom that lasted for about 2 days and then the water turned crystal clear and has been crystal clear ever since. It's unbelievable how clear the water actually is. I've never seen water so clear in any of my other setups over the years using the hang off carbon filters. This filter is fantastic. I'd recommend to anyone wanting to upgrade their setup. (UPDATE - 7/20/2016) - I've had this filter for almost 5 months and i'm happy to say that I am still amazed at how well this filter works. It works so well that i'm on Amazon to purchase another for my daughters tank to replace her hang off carbon filter. Even though the tanks are almost the same size, same PH, nitros, etc. and almost the same stock level and feeding schedule and same water change schedule, her tank is and always has been slightly cloudy and not quite clear. My tank is still crystal clear, and I mean crystal clear. This Hydor filter has worked and worked and worked and is unbelievably quiet. This has to be the best purchase I have ever made for any of my tanks. (UPDATE - 1/23/2017) - It's been a year since I purchased and I am still extremely satisfied with this filter. It is excellent. It just runs and runs. And I do have a tip for those that have had issues with filter cleaning and the water spillage when you remove the hoses. Here is the process I use and I don't spill a drop of water: 1) With the pump still running close the inlet valve. 2) After a few seconds close the outlet valve. 3) Unplug the pump. 4) Remove the hoses. That's it! Closing the inlet valve will cause the pump to pump out water remaining in the pump chamber. When you close the outlet valve and unplug the pump, the water level will be lower than the nozzles so you will not spill any water. Works every time for me. Also, remember to only rinse out the ceramics with tank water. Do not rinse with clean water, you will lose the biologics in the filter. I have found that the white filter media needs to be replaced every couple of months. I rinse out the filter every 3 months and replace the white filter pad when I do.

Well what can I say? When I first got this product I was unfamiliar with the brand Hydor. Never seen it on store shelves so I was worried about the product. However, 4 year later and this amazing filter is still running. Meanwhile, other brand name filters I've gotten have hit the bucket way before this one, usually making it to almost 2 years at best. Worst of all, they aren't that much cheaper either. Despite the age of my filter, it still runs wonderfully. It moves plenty of water and is virtually unnoticeable that it is running. It is incredibly quiet and I am usually sitting next to it about 3 feet away. My rainbows enjoy the current the filter produces from the spray bars and can be seen playing in it every day. The filter comes with a ton of accessories that will be useful to just about anyone. Mine came with an abundance of suction cups that helps position the intake and outputs perfectly. It came with ceramic rings, a course sponge and a fine sponge that quickly polished my water. My only complaint is the fine sponge that comes with this filter is a bit small and will fill up quickly. Instead of buying a replacement, I have used pollyfil and it works without constantly clogging. Otherwise the included accessories are an excellent addition. My only real complaint that can apply to all canister filters is maintenance. When you finally have to clean the filter, it is a chore to do. You gotta unplug the hoses, haul the filter to a sink or bucket, was out the gunk from the ceramic rings and sponges, put in new fine filter media and assemble it. It's quite the hassle to do, but at least I only got to do it a few times a year. If I had a hanging filter, I'd have to do maintenance every 2 weeks tops. Overall, the filter is a great value and is sure to please. It is built with quality components and comes with an abundance of accessories to customize your installation. I would have no problem buying another canister filter from Hydor. They are quiet, move lots of water and are built to perform.

Simple to install and quiet while running.

I was admittedly impatient waiting for the filter. Slightly annoyed when it came with a type A socket though I ordered to the UK, when I looked back at the order there was no option for socket type although hydor have clearly told me there is that option. I ordered a converter which came promptly. However aside from the initial noise and trip of my house fuse box and a couple more trips when trying again it now does nothing. Will update hopefully this can be resolved and I can put a review of the product after actually being able to use it

The spray bar is perfect for evenly moving water on the surface. The amount of media available makes it perfect in the event you get another fish tank and need to kick-start a new filter. This is well worth the upfront cost for a long term hobby.

Box was damaged but the product work ok. But makes a lot of noise and vibrations.

Después de 2 meses de uso, presentó una grieta, no fue golpeado es por eso que le doy 2 estrellas, en cuanto al desempeño no tengo queja, mucha potencia, mucho espacio para medios filtrantes.