Replace filter with Hot Magnum?

[jdellman]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should replace a Emporer 400 filter with a HOT magnum? I have a 75 gallon tank and am using the Emporer and an Aquaclear 300. I have read lots of good reviews on the Magnum, and pretty much decided to get one. Then I saw the "system" with the bio-wheel, and read a few posts that said some people keep them running all the time, and thought if I am running it all the time maybe I should just replace one of my filters. I would replace the Emporer as it always stops running when my water change gets to be around 33%. Any opinions would be appreciated. :)

[rambilt]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should replace a Emporer 400 filter with a HOT magnum? I have a 75 gallon tank and am using the Emporer and an Aquaclear 300. I have read lots of good reviews on the Magnum, and pretty much decided to get one. Then I saw the "system" with the bio-wheel, and read a few posts that said some people keep them running all the time, and thought if I am running it all the time maybe I should just replace one of my filters. I would replace the Emporer as it always stops running when my water change gets to be around 33%. Any opinions would be appreciated. :)

I own the 400 Emperor and the Magnum 350. I have both of them running all the time in my 80 gallon tank. My magnum 350 is execellent in cleaning the gravel in my tank. I don't have Bio-wheel with the magnum, I thought the Emeperor will handle that. So far the water in my aquarium is always crystal clear! Only for your info. Good luck!

[Cosmo]

As Rambit implied, they are both for different functions. The Hot magnum does not provide biological filtration, only mechanical or chemical. Unless you get the extension tubes, they too will run dry as the standard tube is rather short. I used to run an Emperor 400, a fluidized bed filter, and a Hot Mag filled with peat. If you remove the 400, replace it with something that provides bio in addition to the HOT of course, you could put bio media in the Hot but then you'd lose the mechanical filtration they excel at :confused:

Jim

[jdellman]

Thank you both. I am probably confused, but I thought I can get the bio-wheels with the Magnum "Pro-system" and that would provide the biological filter. Would the the Magnum with the bio-wheel and the Bio-max filter in the Aquaclear be enough?

[rambilt]

Thank you both. I am probably confused, but I thought I can get the bio-wheels with the Magnum "Pro-system" and that would provide the biological filter. Would the the Magnum with the bio-wheel and the Bio-max filter in the Aquaclear be enough?

You are right the magnum 350 Pro comes with the Bio wheel. With your setup, you should have enough Bio filtration which is the most important filtration of all. Good Luck!

[gators111]

I have a hot magnum pro on my 30 gal show tank and it works great. I bought an extra micron filter and I switch out that every week, otherwise the flow rate will slow. However, the one bad thing is the changing of the filter which is alot more than just slipping a new filter cartridge in. One more thing, I added the skimmer extension from aquaclear onto it b/c I was getting an oil slick from some of the food. I works great, despite being jerry-rigged a bit.

[steve s]

I have a hot mag a 400 and hydro 5 spong running all the time in a 75 gal.
The 400 has two bio wheels. These plus water changes keep water real clear.

[Cosmo]

That was essentially my point.. replacing an Emperor 400, which has two bio wheels and a 400gph flow rate with a HOT magnum with one slightly larger bio wheel and a flow rate of around 250ghp doesn't really buy you much other than a slightly larger media capacity (maybe) :confused: I guess the HOT would give you the water polishing filter that the Emperor doesn't have..

Can you leave the E400 and AC on and fit the HOT w/o the bio wheel? Then you could fill the HOT with either bio media or peat and still swap out the innards for the polishing when wanted? ... just a thought..

Jim

[April]

why not..run your magnum..and just add a hydro sponge inside for the extra bio. their always good to have on hand for backup filters. a cycled sponge . i keep a few in each tank..so i have backup cycled sponges for hospital tanks or starting new tanks.
i have a hot magnum. just use if for polishing if needed..usually if our water is coming out of the tap muddy...ive used it to run on my water storage.

[jdellman]

Thank you all. I like the sponge idea, and there is room for the Magnum without the bio-wheel. Maybe I will just run it for awhile (maybe permanently) without the bio-wheel attachment and keep the Emporer and Aquaclear as well. That won't be too much current, will it?

I am unsure of exactly what "water polishing" is, and assume it means clearing the water of the minute particles. Is that correct? I hope so b/c that is the main reason I got the magnum.