Customer Reviews

Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I bought the H.O.T. Magnum because it was the cheapest canister filter at the local petstore. Good move. Using the micron filter, it got rid of the cloudiness in my tank in about three days (55 gal tank). I switched it to carbon and it as been working like a champ. My tank also has two high-capacity over-tank filters of the normal type, and they constantly overflow and pour gunk into the tank. The H.O.T. Magnum doesn't do this. It is set to suck from my undergravel filter, which, combined with a powerhead, has really reduced floating stuff in the tank. I'm going to get a Magnum 350 pro next and get rid of both my normal over-tank filters.

I owned the HOT Magnum Canister Filter prior to upgrading to an Eheim Ecco Canister Filter. I had to upgrade because this filter couldn't keep up with my medium size saltwater tank. However this filter works great for freshwater tanks from small to medium size. It's fairly cheap and reliable. It cleans like a champ and supplies are fairly cheap to operate it. This is a good buy.

I just set up my 2nd 50 gallon fish tank and decided to try this filter set up instead of the FilStar Canister Filter that I have used for years in my original tank. I don't know if you need to but I am using 2 of these filters in my tank. They do a marvelous job, the extra filter works great, you just put it in for a few hours and your tank is crystal clear! The main advantage I see to these filters is, since they sit at the back top of your tank you never have to worry about the filter leaking. There have been a couple of times I haven't gotten the lid quite sealed enough on my canister filter and woke up to 3 inches of water in my tank cabinet. Fortunately my husband built the cabinet quite sturdy and water proof!

I love the compact size of this filter! It's half the size of my old worn out canister. I also like the Hang On Tank quality of being hidden behind the aquarium backdrop. When using an aquarium stand with no cabinet, it's a huge visual improvement over the large canister hoses running down to the giant filter sitting in the floor. It functions well, with a lot of flow power for a filter this size. I've cut up a block of foam from my old canister into strips that I've filled the cartridge with instead of carbon. You should only use carbon for removing medicine, etc., not all the time, if you have plants.

At first, I kept getting air bubbles. I was filling the canister at the sink(with faucet water from an aerator), snapping on the top, and then carrying it to the aquarium, attaching hoses, and turning it on. I found that filling it most of the way, then hanging it on the tank and topping it all the way to the brim with a glass of tank water makes a big difference. It's also easier to be sure the gaskets are straight and proper with the aquarium already hanging on the tank. I suggest you fill it hanging on the tank and use the silicone grease that came with the filter on the lid gasket if you have any bubble problems. Once I did, the last few bubbles disappeared in a short while.

I ran this filter while doing a major re-aquascaping on a neglected tank, and while I did have to clean the filter afterwards, it collected a _lot_ of gunk, which is what you want to see! This filter is an incredible deal, and is much easier to take to the sink and clean than a traditional larger more cumbersome canister filter(I've used Eheim, Rena Filstar, and Penn-Plax Cascade). I plan to add an old spraybar I have lying around. If you do a web search, you will find examples of this.

No water evaporation and splashing like an open-top HOT style filter, but it's out of the way, and easy to maneuver, unlike a usual canister, and the price is excellent! If you have a 55 gallon aquarium, this is the ticket.

Marineland has the user's manual, etc. up on their website:
[...]

I bought this filter because My boss had the complete set with Bio Wheel, and Gravel cleaner and it was so great for gravel cleaning.
The basic version of this filter comes with,
1. A Media canister that can be filled with Active Carbon. A sample of carbon comes with this filter kit. I bought Ceramic Noodles at the pet store for the biological filtering properties to put in mine instead of the carbon.
2. The slip cover filter for the media insert.
3. A water polishing filter that reminds me of a Reusable pool ,or Jacuzzi filter.
4. Intake Tube, and strainer.
5. Pose-able Output Pipe with flow divert.
6. Understandable Directions.

Pluses.
1. It has an ON / OFF button on the back. I turn it off to feed the fish. Than back on to clean up.
2. The Output Pipe is underwater. Result, No noise from the filtered water hitting water surface.
3. The flow of the output can be aimed in any direction you want.
straight down, across, to the left,or right.
4. This filter is so quiet, I occasionally will check that the filter is on.
5. The diverter can be adjusted to focus, or fan out the water flow.
6. 250 Gallons an hour. Seems like a lot, but I have a 20 Hexagon high. I have the diverter fanning water out. It's not like a water hose. Just moving water well.

Minuses.
1. Disassembly and Assembly takes practice. You will want to keep instruction book for reference of the difference between regular filter Assembly, and water polishing filter assembly. once I leaned, I have been able to do on the tank. But most of the time the filter will have to be removed to a sink were It (filter) can be disassembled, Cleaned, or filter types changed, and reassembled.
Keep in mind that this, The cleaning of the filter canister seems to be the reason that people dislike this filter. But keep in mind that You will only clean it (filter) about every three months. Unless You over feed, and do not keep plants tidy.
If You get the Gravel Cleaning attachment, You can clean the gravel with the water polishing filter removing all the nastiness without siphoning off all your water out of the tank. You can then do your 20% water change.
I like this filter a lot, and think you will also.

I've installed the HOT Magnum with the BioWheel attachment (HOT Magnum Pro) on my 55 gallon tank for about 6 months now, and I'm very impressed with the performance of this filter system. This canister filter is powerful and power thrifty at 250gph while using only 18 watts. I especially like having the filter out of sight hanging behind the tank.

This combination of canister filter and biowheel is pretty amazing. The water is very clear thanks to the no by pass design of the canister and the tank is well oxygenated due to the spray bar/biowheel component. The biowheel is also great at removing amonia and nitrite which becomes undetectable (amonia less than 0.25mg/liter and nitrite less than 0.1mg/liter) after a few days of running this filter. That's with a bio load of 12 adult Angelfish, 10 large swordtails, and 5 bushynose plecos! If you don't understand what all this mean, then trust me when I tell you the performance of this system is hard to beat.

Now for the down side: This filter is a pain to clean.
First of all, don't bother using the fine carbon that comes with the filter. This will cause your filter to clog up in no time if you have a heavily stocked tank like me. I threw out the carbon after the first week and replaced it with ceramic noodles, which does not clog at all. The nylon mesh sleeve works well to trap fish waste, but is messy to clean or replace, and you have to take the whole filter apart to do it. After I spent a few minutes taking this apart, clean it, reassemble it, and fill it with water, mine filter sometimes lose syphon and I have to take it apart and assemble it again. I have to pay special attention to the stupid red gasket that likes to fall out when I not careful. This is why I gave this filter 3 stars.

The power switch is located near the bottom of the backside of the filter. While it's nice to have a power switch, the placement is bad because it's right up against the wall and you have to reach all the way down the back of your tank to reach it.

So, to sum up. If you want one of the best performing and efficient filter and don't mind having to take a filter apart and get messy once awhile (for me that's about every 2 weeks), then this is the filter for you.

Additional note: The BioWheel Pro30 (the one with spray bar) is really fantastic in it's performance, and is key to the awesome performance of this system. This component can be used with other easier to clean internal canister or powerheads, so don't ever discard this attachment.

Update Oct 13, 2011
I got tired of cleaning canister filters. Got sick of taking the canisters apart, cleaning all the pieces, putting it back together, and then reinstalling the filter to the tank.

I've installed the Emperor 400 on 4 of my larger tanks. This outside hang-on-the-back power filter has the bio-wheels with spray bar and cartridges that are disposable. No more cleaning dirty sponges and taking apart canisters!!!

Maybe it's because this is the only kind of filter I will buy for my tank, so I know how these go together, but I had absolutely no trouble getting this one up and running. The only reason I have to buy these every few years is that we have such hard water that anything that uses water in our house bites the dust eventually. These filters are just excellent. Maybe the other reviewer got a defective one (?) Sorry to hear it. This is the third one I've owned, and I love 'em.

So I got this filter for Christmas, and immediately saw a change to much clearer water from my penguin bio-wheel 100. But, air kept circulating through, which made the water seem darker. I figured out that I didn't put enough water in the canister before starting it, and air was trapped inside. Now, my tank is looking better than ever, and I am glad the filter worked out. The cichlids love it too!

I have a 30 gallon with two 170 bio power filters on it. They do a nice job in keeping the water clear, but I am really picky and like it crystal clear. I bought this a week ago and am amazed. Ran it for 30 minutes and my tank is now CRYSTAL CLEAR, and I mean so clear the fish look like they are suspended in air! This filter "polishes" the water in that it gets out all the little teeny tiny stuff that leaves a slight cloudy film in the tank. The suction is really good. It comes with two types filter material, a bio wheel that is a pretty good size, and a regular blue sleeve that you put carbon in. The blue one should be used for everyday use, the bio wheel for once in awhile (that direction comes straight from MARINELAND). The bio wheel filter, does such a fantastic job at filtering that it gets dirty very fast and needs to be rinsed off. That is why they say to use the other one for daily use. It is quiet...it does have a pretty stong output of water and is probably best on 50 gallons or larger if used everyday....the fish can get slammed up against the glass in smaller tanks. You can direct the flow somewhat, but not very well. That's not a fault of the filter, it needs to be on a larger tank. It works exactly as designed. Overall this has to be a 5 star filter. I thought it was too expensive at first, but, shhhh, don't tell MARINELAND, but after seeing what a good job it does I would have paid twice this amount! I does not run everyday, my other filters take care of that. I just use it when my tank need a little cleaning up, especially after a water change. It is worth every penny if you want really REALLY clean water in your tank.

Marineland's hang on the back HOT 250 works well at doing what it is designed to do - act as an interchangeable media filter to correct temporary water problems. It is important to note that it is not designed to be used as a permanent filter.

The unit is easy to put together and can be on your tank and operating within 30 minutes of opening the box. The filter is meant to be used as a water polisher with the micron filter installed or as a mechanical/chemical filter with the sleeve/carbon installed. Both cannot be installed together. It is one or the other. The filter does both well but it is not meant to do it permanently. The unit is designed to fix temporary water problems a tank is experiencing. The HOT is not designed to provide biological filtration.

The unit when running is quiet. The single negative I noted during operation is the diffuser fixture in the outlet nozzle kept popping out. I eventually just thru it away as it didn't do that great of a job of defusing the flow anyway.

The manufacturer claims suitability for up to 55 gallon tanks. Mine was hung on a 28 gallon tank and it took 2 days with charcoal and another 2 with the micron filter to clean up the water problem I was having (child dumped a full container of flakes into the tank - and it is an understatement when I say that is a real problem). I attribute the long time to clean up to the 250 GPH flow rate claimed by the manufacturer being the "flow rate with no media" (standard industry reporting practice with the exception of one manufacturer who reports "with media flow rates"). The flow rate with media is no where near 250 GPH in my opinion which is based on a comparison between the flow rate of a 133 GPH power head and the flow rate out of the HOT when operating with media. In my opinion the flow rate with media is no more than 160 to 180 GPH which will only cycle the water in a 55 gallon tank thru the filter 3 times in an hour. The standard for many aquarists is 10 time though some say 6 is adequate.

That said: the unit does what it says it will do which is act as a quality mechanical/chemical filter or as a water polisher with the micron filter.

The HOT Magnum 250 provides a lot of value for the price you will pay. Highly recommended.