Customer Reviews

"Marineland Penguin 200B/350B/170B/330B Rite-Size C Filter Cartridge 6 pk "

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The Penguin Bio-wheel pumps are great: quiet, effective and long-lasting. (I have a 170 filter in a 39 gallon tank.) These size C filters are widely available, but the Amazon price is much lower than at my not-so-nearby pet store.

A word of warning. The day after changing my filter three months ago fish started dying. Next morning my 6" long Plecostomus was dead. Then three Clown Loaches, each about 5 " long. Within a week I had lost 18 of my 20 fish. Yet there was no sign of disease.

A water test and much internet searching finally pointed out what I had done wrong. I had neglected my tank for a few weeks. In a rush to catch up, I siphoned out about 30 percent of the water (more than usual), did a "better" than usual job of siphoning up detritus from the gravel. Then - my biggest mistake - I replaced the Penguin filter too! The result is the water chemistry changed too quickly. The Nitrates spiked to a deadly level. My tank, healthy for more than two years, needed to be started over. Took two months and many water changes before I could safely add new fish.

I visited perhaps a dozen "fish forums" and only one had a comment saying "don't change filters when you do a water change.' The Penguin filters and the box they come in carry no warnings. What I (and you) should do is simple: space your water changes and filter changes a week or two apart.

Now knowing how important the "aged" filter is (especially in a tank like mine with no under-gravel filter) I've started this habit: there's just enough space to get a second filter flat against the old filter, their blue faces touching. After a few days I remove the older filter and put the newer one - by now doing some biological filtering - in its place. That way the tank is never depending on only a new filter. For larger tanks (say 55 gal and up), the 330 or 350 Penguin pump holds two filters side by side, so never change both filters the same week.

Hope this helps you avoid the disaster that hit my tank.

Others who I am sure know more about water chemistry have made comments that suggest that what I did is OK to do. I repeat: I changed about 25 percent of the water, vacuumed the gravel extensively and changed my filter. AND MY FISH DIED SOON AFTER. Again, I suggest you be safe and not sorry.

I bought a load of these and saved a ton of money. Petsmart ships, so no amazon prime savings. Still, what a deal. My big tank takes 8 filters. I was avoiding changing them because of cost.

Funny, I changed all 8 at the same time and threw my tank out of whack. Too much algae and goo left the system with the old filters. I'll change 'em in stages from now on.

Works great. I've been purchasing them through Amazon for around 6 months now. I have found that Amazon is the cheapest place to purchase these filters from (especially compared to local pet stores like Petsmart and Petco). I run my filter with two in at a time, rotating which one I switch every two or three weeks as needed. I have found that doing it this way and not removing both filters at once helps keep stability in the water and puts less stress on the fish as the filters contain good bacteria that keep ammonia down. Have yet to have an issue with them. :)

The cartridges are great and fit the filter well. We really like this filter, it keeps the fish tank very clean!

These are the same as the size you can fit in the ones carried at wal-mart, but these are higher quality. It is cheaper than I can find in the store (pet stores) on sale.

Ordered and fits in my filter properly. However, the product came in a different package than the one shown. Rather, it is the same one that I can buy at stores like Petsmart. This picture says "new carbon, works faster!" however the package i received doesn't. I am wondering whether there is a difference in the product itself and whether the one pictured is a newer model.

Half price of petstore for these filters, promt and damage free delivery, exactly as advertised, multiple orders all highest quality, A+++ seller.

I have a Marineland water filter for my aquarium, so I kind of have no choice on which brand to choose. These filters are much more inexpensive when bought on Amazon that at petsmart or petco. I will continue purchacing my replacement filters here.

Great product and price. I have used them for six months and I am very satisfied! I have a saltwater set up and rinse mine once a week and replace once a month. These work great.

As my review title say's, BUT I didnt buy them here. I got them in FISH TOWN USA and so glad I did.
I didnt have to use my charge card. And if they didnt have them I would have bought them here.
Bought two packs alittle more exspensive but I also got my fish there a month ago.
I recommend the place due to varity of fish, filters, decor and such beatutiful tanks as you just walk in.
Amazing, want to invest but I really cant, nice tanks though.
Bought a 15 gallon tank but at Pet Menu and its great too, they also carry supplies, got my second filter for
new tank there.
Amazon's a great place to shop, but I felt I had to support the neighborhood store.