Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel Power Filter, Multi-Stage Aquarium Filtration

This is my second Marineland Penguin 350 Filter, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with its performance. My first one lasted almost 5 years without a single issue, so when it came time to replace it, I didn’t hesitate to go with the same model again. The reliability and longevity of this filter are impressive—especially considering it’s running on a saltwater tank.The Penguin 350 has been a workhorse, offering great filtration for both mechanical and biological needs. I’ve found it to be very effective at keeping my aquarium water clear and healthy. The biowheel technology is a standout feature, providing excellent biological filtration that helps maintain a stable, clean environment for my fish and corals. The adjustable flow rate is also a great feature, allowing me to fine-tune the filtration to suit the specific needs of my saltwater setup.I appreciate how easy the filter is to maintain, with quick and hassle-free cartridge changes. It’s relatively quiet compared to other filters I’ve tried, which is a big plus, especially with a tank in a living room. Plus, the filter’s durability is top-notch. After almost 5 years of use, my old filter was still running strong with no issues, though I decided to replace it just for peace of mind.If you’re looking for a reliable, long-lasting filter that performs well in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums, I highly recommend the Marineland Penguin 350. It’s a great value for the price, and I’ll definitely be sticking with this model for the foreseeable future.

I used to work as a marine biologist for a major state aquarium. Marineland bio pumps have been around forever. I have been using them for both salt and freshwater tanks in gallon sizes ranging from 10-200. All have worked flawlessly and I will continue to use them as both primary and secondary systems. They are far superior to anything except canister systems BUT in some ways, better than canister filters due to ease of maintenance. I will pick 3-4 of these at one time over a single system any day. Simply, one goes down (breaks), another is still keeping your tank clean and filtered. Please read!!! your fish and you will be much happier and stun everyone else...Advantages:1) You don't have to shut it down. Pull the cartridge, rinse the new one with distilled water, slowly replace it back in the formed slots. No shutting down valves, seals/o-ring probs etc..2) They're pretty quiet but can get the "bubbling noise" when your water level drops below a certain point.Typically just below the flat part of the outlets. It won't hurt it or the fish if it does, it just gets that "noisy" waterfall sound which some, people feel it's soothing. Keeping the water level up is a good thing and remember, those bio wheels add oxygen to the water. Canisters don't.3) They are easy to fix unless the actual motor goes bad. A wheel sticks? clean the roller pins and slots. 5 minutes. Impeller stops? try pulling and just clean the surfaces of the magnet and cavity; again a 5 minute job. You do have to unplug it for those two jobs.TIPS-A) Do yourself a huge favor and buy an extra set or two of cartridges. They are easily found from mom-n-pop pet stores to large chain stores. You CAN rinse the old ones in an emergency.B) Go to the grocery store and get a gl jug of distilled water and keep it. Reason? tap and even well water has trace elements and minerals that will kill the beneficial bacteria and cause a cloudy white appearance (bacterial bloom) for a cpl days.C) Motor/impeller maintenance - Unplug the pump. Lift the cover off, grab the intake tube (square) and slightly wiggle while pulling upward. Clean with a paper towel and white vinegar on the rubber "grommets" and silver pins you see.Basically, make sure everything that is suppose to spin, does so smoothly.D) Bio wheel sticking - Just lift the cover off. No need to unplug. Lift the sticking wheel outuse a Q-tip to clean the slots where the wheel rests. Lightly clean the silver roller pins on the ends. Replace. DO NOT CLEAN OR WASH the paper wheel itself.Sounds like work?? it's not... A canister or in tank filter is ten times more work and messy.These are awesome filters.. Get it and take heed to what I wrote. You'll be happy with it....

This is the filter that I use for my 30 gallon tank. It’s rated for 50-70 gallon but I like to over filter because my freshwater puffers are messy eaters. Marineland is a pretty well known brand in the hobby and I own several other of their products. None of them have ever given me any trouble and that includes this filter. It’s a little bulky but that doesn’t matter as long as it works imo.I bought my tank second hand so before I got this, I was using one that came with it. Didn’t last long though. I ended up having to replace it with this after just a month. Luckily I was smart enough to save some of the media so I could seed the new filter.Pros:(1) Its pretty quiet most of the time. It gets louder if your water level drops below a certain point but you can prevent that easily by replenishing the water. I try to do that every day if I remember.(2) The filter is easy to put together. There’s a diagram that you can follow but it’s literally just common sense. Link the pieces together, put in the cartridge and that’s about it. Took me maybe two or three minutes max.(3) Set up is quick. Once you’ve hung it to your tank, you pour water in the chamber until the mechanism starts to spin. Then you can put the lids on which sit at the top. This step took less than a minute.(4) It does a good job of dealing with the bio load. I wouldn’t say that my tank is overstocked but like I said before my puffers are messy eaters. With this filter, my nitrite and ammonia levels are always at 0. Nitrates depends on whether or not I’ve changed the water recently but usually hovers at around 10ppm.(5) Easy to clean. I take the lid off and give it a good rinse with the tank water. Sometimes I like to use a bottle cleaning brush to remove algae that’s formed in the crevices. I actually got a set of 5 here on Amazon - blue ones from a brand called TurboCons:(1) There’s no way to control the flow of the water. Fortunately my puffers can deal with it no problem but I can see how it can be an issue for some fish like bettas. I suppose you can always do the “water bottle trick” though to slow it down.(2) I mentioned this already but this filter is bulky. If you want something nicer-looking, get something else. This will not be a good match for your rimless tank. I have mine in the corner and it still looks pretty intrusive.(3) The wheel splashes sometimes. I have a lid so I don’t have to worry about the water getting out but it would be nice if it was less splashy. It always causes a bunch of bubbles to form on the side.In conclusion, this is a good filter but it does have some drawbacks- the most obvious being the way it looks. Yes it’s not pretty but it gets the job done well. You can’t control the water flow like other filters but it’s also more quiet than others.