Hi All, my 55 gallon had two penguin 350 HOB's on it but I'm currently in the process of upgrading to 2 Emperor 400's ( this is just my opinion, but if you are going to use HOB filters then pay a little more and go with the emperor. It really has some nice features).

Anyways, I'm looking for some advice from someone who is familiar with them.

The emperor has 2 refillable media containers. I had some fluval prefilter laying around so I filled the containers with them, like so:



The media container's openings are much smaller then the holes in the fluval, so will this even do anything for me, if not what media should I use, or would I be better off just running 2 more filters?

Heres a pic for those who aren't familiar with this filter's set-up:



I love the adjustable spray bars on these, thats one of my few gripes about the penguin model.

and last question, my oscar is in the 9-10 inch range, do I need to have the strainer on the end of the intake tube?



Thanks,
-Az

I have all mechanical media in both my emperor 400 and my penguin 350. When I did it just as you are, I still put the mechanical behind the ceramic, as to catch more physical contaminant first.

Now, I use the $5 bag Marineland filter batting in those containers, sponges behind it, and I am meaning to pick up a second set of those gray things unless I switch to a canister. I also will never use carbon unless removing medication, and since I never use medication ...

The reason some people prefer the Penguin 350 over the Emperor 400 is how the water gets to the bio-wheels. The 350 uses over flow that has passed through the filter media, the 400 uses the spray bars, but that water passes without being pre-filtered. Not a big deal really.

The bio-wheels are very efficient at removing ammonia and nitrite, so, this is why I go with more mechanical, and, since doing so, the tank has looked extra clear ... polished.

The strainer keeps out larger waste, such as pieces of pellets that are expelled when Os eat, plant material if you have live plants, detrius if it float up off the bottom. It screens the water before the filter filters the smaller to microscopic stuff.

I also have an O in a 55 gallon, so your set up is much like mine Though, I plan to eventually add a cansiter. My favorite thing about the 400 is the media trays, It is designed well to make the water pass through them. not around.

Hi Kenshin, so you use Marineland filter batting in the grey containers? I'll have to look for that. I hadn't thought of getting another set of the grey containers, but that would save me some work...I cut a small hole in the top of the blue filters and empty out the carbon each time I replace them.

I liked the penguin 350's but I had a little trouble occasionally with the bio-wheels sticking (i'd clean the groves that they rest in to get the gunk out, but it didn't always help.), and also twice now the inflow tube has gotten knocked hard enough to unseat it. Its always the same filter on the left side of the tank, don't know if Chopper is purposely attacking it or getting spooked and running into it.

Do you think the two 400's would be enough filtration for a 75 gallon tank?

Thanks,

-Az

Hi Kenshin, so you use Marineland filter batting in the grey containers? I'll have to look for that. I hadn't thought of getting another set of the grey containers, but that would save me some work...I cut a small hole in the top of the blue filters and empty out the carbon each time I replace them.

I liked the penguin 350's but I had a little trouble occasionally with the bio-wheels sticking (i'd clean the groves that they rest in to get the gunk out, but it didn't always help.), and also twice now the inflow tube has gotten knocked hard enough to unseat it. Its always the same filter on the left side of the tank, don't know if Chopper is purposely attacking it or getting spooked and running into it.

Do you think the two 400's would be enough filtration for a 75 gallon tank?

Thanks,

-Az

yep, a general rule with power/hob filters is about 10x turnover, so you would want at least 750 gph, you have two 400s = 800 gph

I haven't personally had any problems with the intake tubes coming up, and mine has spooked him/herself out and knocked into them a few times for some cosmetic to harsh scale damage; but always grazed the tubes, maybe yours is intentionally disrupting it!

Mine still has its moments, when there is plants, will do some redecorating, even moving air stones around when there isn't plants. Since I greatly reduced the amount of gravel, has been scooping up and making piles and clearing off other areas. Whatever makes my O happy I say

I don't have problems with my wheels spinning, though, I try to take off the filters at least once a week to clean out the inside of algae/solid waste that builds up in them and hinders the impeller. It keeps the tank healthier, since that debris isn't the best to have all your water circulating past!

Since the Penguin is smaller inside, I use the blue ones slit and emptied of carbon, and shove that same marineland filter pad into it, as well as some sponges behind it. I love using that padding, it is cheap and can be rinsed quite a few times before needing replacement. It is a quite sturdy pad, not like fiber fill types that seem to deteriorate or don't rinse well. Of course that is my personal opinion.

Just to be sure, what exactly are you replacing? If you have the blue pads slit, that blue fiber can be rinsed out clean as well and re-used quite a few times. I have two 5 gallon buckets ... when I go to clean the filters, I fill one up before I get the Python going, then empty the two filters into the second ... I used one bucket of tank water to rinse the mechanical filter media, rinsing that brush that came with the Emperor as I used it to clean, and I use Aquarium Wipes (API) to get the inside of the filters extra clean, so the tank water is great for rinsing those off as well (they also work great for not scratching glass if you use a metal scraper, put between it and it seems to get extra clean and last longer in my experience ... and putting them at the end of that brush to get inside the impeller housing really well).

My biggest problem with the Penguins ... and I forgotten because my O has calmed down a lot lately, is the squared-off corners on on the output ... with an O, it is asking for trouble/injuries. If only us fish lovers designed the products ...

I was replacing the blue rite-size pads. I didn't know it was ok to rinse and re-use them .

I was at the LFS yesterday and saw the grey media containers for sale for about $10, and they were also selling refillable media containers for the penguin 350's. I also saw the filter batting you mentioned, so I think I'm going to grab some next time and try it.

Thanks for the tips and advice I appreciate it!

-Brian

your lucky, the lps was so bad it shut down, the lfs only stocks random items, the chain stores have been slipping on the products they usually have in stock. I have not once saw the baskets for the emperor, and I just assumed they didn't exist for the penguin

As long as you rinse them in tank water and they look acceptably clean, I feel they are quite fine to reuse. If they are starting to get stained up bad, then it might be time to replace them ... but save yourself some money in the long run.

I love that batting because it is cheap and sturdy. It does a decent job at keeping the water nice and clean ... just need some good scissors or use a utility blade to cut it.

I have tried several different things to get to the point I am ... and will probably try more things. I used something I read suggested elsewhere, a cotton fiber batting, but, it fell apart and turned into this awful slime within a week. It was nasty to clean up out of the filterbox.

Sounds like you won't have to use those rite-sized pads any longer. If I didn't have to order those baskets online, I would have them already, I think about them at the store, but forgot when I ordered some stuff online recently. I feed my O Hikari, and the Bio-Gold+ was less than half-price of the store cost online ... as well as the water treatments being cheaper ...

I use the API PondCare StressCoat+, MelaFix, and PimaFix. It is double strength so the bottle lasts much longer. I believe it is 15 ml to treat 60 gallons for that version of StressCoat, and around 5-10 ml per 50 gallons for the two others when/if needed.

... I also keep a large container of aquarium salt on hand ... not to use in the tank, but as a great weight to go on top of the lids to keep them from being knocked up when he was getting jumpy during his adolescence. So ... to everyone, don't forget to keep the lids and covers weighted down ... I have read some sad stories in the past ... and I know mine has scared me with a loud bang against the top of his tank a few times

I am glad to help how I can to the best of my knowledge.

Yeah, the LFS is Great! I think the penguin refillables may be new, I often checked that isle as I've been wanting to switch to the 400's for awhile and I never noticed them or the grey ones for the 400s before.

It really does sound like we have a very similar set-up, I use alot of the same products. I had to tape down the lids since my oscar Did jump out of the tank once. One of the scarest moments I've had seeing him laying there on the floor its a good thing oscars are such tough characters!

-Az