Penn Plax Cascade 300 GPH

[Crockett]

Before I buy this filter I wanted to get a few takes, good, bad or just OK. I was also wondering if anyone has had any experience with this filter relating to power outages and whether it restarted without any problems once the power came on. I am considering it for a 45 gallon grow out tank.

Dave

[alron2]

Why did you select this filter? Looks to me like it has the expensive filters cartridges. I really like the Aqua Clear filters myself. They have a reusable sponge in them; just rinse and reuse.

Ron

[Crockett]

Why did you select this filter? Looks to me like it has the expensive filters cartridges. I really like the Aqua Clear filters myself. They have a reusable sponge in them; just rinse and reuse.

Ron

I actually have not done a whole lot of reading on this filter yet. I don't want the Aqua Clear because they are known not to restart after a power outage and I have read other posts on this Forum where others have lost whole tanks of fish because this issue.

[alron2]

I always use a sponge filter and air pump as insurance alone with my Aqua Clear. I have never had either to fail to restart, better safe than sorry.

Ron

[jmf3460]

OP, don't worry about expensive filter pads. Kensfish.com sells all types of aftermarket filter pads for fractions of the price of name brand. what I do not like about this filter is how short the intake tube is. This would not reach anywhere near the middle and bottom of the water column. I have 2 emperor 400 HOB's on a tank and they have never failed to restart after a power outage.

[rickztahone]

I always use a sponge filter and air pump as insurance alone with my Aqua Clear. I have never had either to fail to restart, better safe than sorry.

Ron

This is a very good practice. Always have a back up to your regular filter.

[DiscusOnly]

I've had a few of these. I didn't use it on my discus tank. My opinion is that they don't have much space for filter media. I would rather use an AC70 or what ever they call them now instead of this.

[ESXiGuy]

These happen to be favorite HOB trying Aquaclear, Marineland and Cascades.

First of all, the intake tube is telescoping. It goes down quite far from what the picture shows.

Second, I don't even use the built in filter media. I just load up my Cascade 300s with eheim substrate mech and let water run through it.

Third - when doing water changes, I dont need to unplug it. The motor is great about being able to pull up water and restart when the water level is high enough.

[Crockett]

These happen to be favorite HOB trying Aquaclear, Marineland and Cascades.

First of all, the intake tube is telescoping. It goes down quite far from what the picture shows.

Second, I don't even use the built in filter media. I just load up my Cascade 300s with eheim substrate mech and let water run through it.

Third - when doing water changes, I dont need to unplug it. The motor is great about being able to pull up water and restart when the water level is high enough.

Thanks for the feed back everyone, I think I'm sold ESXiGuy, what you stated is exactly how I run my HOB's in regards to loading the substrate. I have also had time to do some research on these and the reviews are really good overall. I also have a Cascade submersible filter in one of my lager tanks sump which I run from time to time to clean up small debris and it has lasted years and does an excellent job, so from personal use, the brand has left me with a good impression based on my submersible Cascade filter performance.

[ESXiGuy]

Forgot one last detail. You'll want to put a prefilter sponge as well on the intake tube. This traps anything big. Fish love to also pick at any food that is stuck to the sponge as well. I don't see myself ever needing to rinse out the contents of the HOB as well.