I have two of these filters one installed on a 10 gallon and the other on a 20 gallon tank.
These work great with little maintenance needed on my part. Just clean the end of the pickup tube from time to time and change the filter cartridge when needed and you are all set. Changing the cartridges is very easy and not messy. Cleaning the pickup tube does require pulling the end off, rinsing it out and reinstalling. I have yet to have to remove the filter completely from the tank (after more than a year of use).
The cartridges last a reasonable amount of time as I am getting between 4 and 5 weeks of use out of them before they need replacing.
Overall, no complaints here works just like the Aqueon says it does!
I inherited one of these filters used from a friend, and I have been using it nonstop ever since. I run some more expensive filters on my other tanks, such as the Fluval 306 canister filter, Marineland Penguin series, Tetra Whisper and Penn-Plax Cascade. I can honestly say that this Aqueon filter is one of the best filters I have, and if I ever have to replace one of my other HOB filters, there is a good chance I would get one of the Aqueon filters to do so.
Let us first make clear that any HOB filter will require a minor investment in filter cartridges. I have run this particular filter on a tank with gouramis, and currently on a tank with neon tetras and albino corys. How do I make my cartridges last so long? Well, I have one of these attached to the intake: Pre-Filter Sponge 3 Pack for Fluval Edge Aquarium This prevents too much debris from being sucked into the filter while increasing the biological filtration, the most important stage in filtration, as any good aquariust knows. These Fluval sponges fit perfectly and in no way inhibit the flow. They have saved me a lot of money on cartridges, and when they get dirty, I just rinse them in some aquarium water and put them back on. My flower shrimp also love to eat particles of food from the sponge!
As for being quiet, mine runs silently. I never hear this filter running. If you get one that makes a lot of noise, please see about getting a replacement as I have never had this problem, and as I said, this is a pre-owned filter.
As for being reliable, because of its design, this filter starts right up after a power outage or water change. No priming for this filter! This is the main reason that I would replace one of my other HOB filters with one of these. The Marineland filters require priming, the Tetra Whisper filters are meant to be self-priming, but can be somewhat unreliable. My Aqueon filter has always started up again after being turned off. This is great peace of mind, especially when I am away from home for a few days.
As for being effective, this filter holds its own against its competitors. True, it is not an Aquaclear, but it is just as good as any filter using a standard carbon cartridge. Its bio-filtration may not be the best, but this only becomes an issue when you have to replace the cartridge, and if you are using a sponge pre-filter as I recommend above, you should not have a problem with your tank cycling after a cartridge change.
Now, let me make a few points:
1. This particular filter should NOT be used for goldfish. This model is designed for ten gallons or less, and a ten gallon tank is not appropriate for a goldfish. Besides, goldies create so much waste that they require at least TWICE the recommended filtration. For example, on my 75 gallon goldfish tank, I run a canister recommended for 70 gallons, a HOB recommended for 70 gallons, and 2 Hydro Sponge filters recommended for 40 gallons each. Over-filtration? Maybe, but goldies don't mind the current, and it keeps my water clean. In addition, even the smallest goldfish will grow too large for a ten gallon tank, and if the fish itself doesn't grow, its organs will, and it will eventually die a painful death. I did once put a small common goldfish into a ten gallon hospital tank temporarily, but I did so with plenty of filtration. This Aqueon QuietFlow 10 is not enough for any kind of goldfish in any tank whatsoever.
2. This filter should NOT, in my opinion, be used for any Betta. It doesn't create a super-strong current, but it is still too strong for a fish who prefers still water. I have found that a Hydro Sponge filter powered by an air pump is all you need to filter a tank for one Betta. I have a male crowntail Betta in a ten gallon tank, and I do just this. I also have a female Betta in a five gallon tank, and I use a Whisper internal filter set on its lowest setting, and this seems to work as well. The Aqueon filter is NOT appropriate for a Betta.
3. If you overload your tank, you need more filtration, and you will have to change your cartridge more. Research and learn what kind and how many fish can go into a ten gallon tank, and don't exceed this amount. It's a bad idea for everyone involved, especially the fish.
In conclusion, this filter is economical, silent, reliable, and well-designed. It suffers only from a somewhat inferior system for bio-filtration which can easily be remedied by the addition of an inexpensive sponge pre-filter. This would be a great filter for beginners because of its simple design, and also a great choice for those of us with more experience who are on a budget or for whom it is impractical to run a canister filter.
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I got mine in a plant tank kit. The filter seems to do a great job. My water is crystal clear, and I've had mine running for 10+ months. I've had many generations of guppies. Also my tank was incredibly overpopulated and still, the filter did a fenomenal job. I love it. When I added the substrate, ActivFlora it took care of the silt/cloudiness in the water. The combination of healthy water and good filtration makes an entirely healthy system. I hardly do water changes or maintenance aside from changing the filter cartridge.
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I have this filter on a 30 gal tank and will get another for my 10. It keeps the water very clear.
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This filter came as part of a kit along with a 36g bow front tank. My 36g is not heavily stocked. It has 1 modest-sized pleco (~6"), 1 adult angel and 3 juvenile angels. This filter is easy to assemble, easy to maintain and runs very quiet. It filters the water very well and the "Bio-holster" that holds the filter media seems to hold sufficient bacterial growth on its own to mitigate the loss of any bacteria from changing the filter media.
The big problem I have with this product is that it takes almost no time before the filter media fills up enough to where the water starts running over the bypass divider and the skipping filter media entirely, at which point too much sediment gets by. Even with the modest bio-load my tank has, It will start bypassing as soon as only three or four days after changing the cartridge. In fact, when a brand new cartridge is put in, the water coming from the pump is right at the edge of overflowing the bypass, so you can imagine that it doesn't take much flow degradation through the media to cause the bypassing to start. It would be nice if the pump had a way to slow the speed and reduce flow, but there is no such adjustment for this product.
So, I gave it three stars because, yes, it filters quite well and runs quietly, but unless you plan on using this on a smaller tank (perhaps a 10g?), don't bother or you'll be spending a fortune on filter cartridges.
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I suspect most aquarists don't own a phosphate test kit and this is unfortunate because they allow you to avoid algae blooms. Furthermore, in reef aquaria a high phosphate (PO4) level can hinder calcium (Ca) absorption for corals because the PO4 precipitates out Calcium Phosphate making Ca unavailable for coral absorption. Phosphate is also a plant food and you can be inadvertently adding it to your tank through fish food and other products such as Seachem's Neutral Regulator.
