Last Updated: February 23, 2020 (Refresh Now)
Penn Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter
Last Updated: February 23, 2020 (Refresh Now)
7.6
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
1000
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
39
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1838 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 961 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Cleaning
245filter, canister filter, canister, water, easy to clean
+69%
-31%
" ... Works very good for my 65 gallon tank and keep the tank clean. ... "
" ... This on is quieter and easier to clean and put back together. ... "
" ... Loved how well this filter keeps my aquarium clean a lot longer. ... "
" ... This is awesome Penn plax Cascade canister filter is worth every penny ... "
" ... Easy to setup and clean when needed. ... "
" ... Makes alot of air bubbles witch is good for the fish but not so much for visual clearness. ... Priming the canister is easy. ... "
" ... Use it for my turtle tank and keeps the water pretty clean. ... "
" ... I clean the filter every two week. ... "
Product Reliability
140filter, stopped working, pump, stopped, motor
+40%
-60%
" ... After one very small movement of one of the tubes it stopped working again. ... "
" ... First I lost a Pictus Catfish, then my beloved Firemouth I've had for 4 years, then a juvenile Firemouth, then several Convicts. ... "
" ... After 2 weeks the tank was full of waste. ... Replaced the filter material again still not working. ... "
" ... I’ve disassembled it and reassembled multiple times. ... "
" ... Then it kept losing its prime every few weeks . ... "
" ... It's completely useless ... "
" ... I installed in early July and it's been working fine but lately I noticed it "burps" every 30 seconds or so. ... "
" ... The O ring is broken after about three month. ... "
Ease of Use
122set, quiet, instructions, easy to clean, filter
+95%
-5%
" ... It was much easier to work with! ... "
" ... Easy to replace filler materials and not too heavy. ... Very easy set up and break down. ... "
" ... It’s Easy to set up if you follow the directions. ... "
" ... Quiet, easy maintenance, and comes with EVERYTHING you need to set it up for the price! ... "
" ... Easy to clean, very quiet, and easy to maintain. ... "
" ... The set up was easy. ... "
" ... Arrived and was easy to set up. ... "
" ... A lot easier to clean and use. ... "
Water Usage
114tank, gallon, crystal clear, flowing, flow
+65%
-35%
" ... Keeps the water crystal clear. ... "
" ... It moves a ton of water and my tank is nice and clear today! ... "
" ... My set up is a 75 gallon fresh water tank. ... "
" ... The filter was able to keep the water clean. ... "
" ... Its been running for a few days now and is still quiet and my tank water is very clear. ... "
" ... It is very quiet when the water level is high enough (no splashing), and it is not disruptive. ... "
" ... Keeps my 184 gallon aquarium cleane and very well balanced water love it! ... "
" ... I think the Cascade is easy to set up and the water is BEAUTIFUL! ... "
Setup
109setup, set, filter, easy to set, easy to assemble
+94%
-6%
" ... - VERY WELL BUILT: the instructions are incredibly thorough and easy to read/follow, you can customize the inserts to have four different kinds of filter elements. ... "
" ... Straight forward hook up and go! ... "
" ... Initial set up was a little complicated, but once I figured it out, started right up and is working great. ... "
" ... ALSO you need to correct medium for the job look on Youtube for different setups for fish finding setup up for turtles had to search Google for correct filter setup and correct medium(filters) for my tank. ... Very good product would recommend and make sure you look up your medium setup on Youtube or google . ... "
" ... The initial setup was kind of frustrating, but overall worth the purchase. ... "
" ... Should have followed my intuition while installing instead of following the directions word for word. ... "
" ... The filter came in many pieces and was intimidating at first but the instructions are very simple and step by step easy to follow. ... "
" ... Super quiet and gets the job done with simple setup. ... "
Storage
100gallon tank, trays, gallon, aquarium, canister
+76%
-24%
" ... I've had it running my 125 gallon tank along with a Sunsun HW404B for the last 5 years. ... "
" ... I used this for about eight months on my 75 gallon tank, and it worked pretty well. ... "
" ... It takes up a lot of space and must be set up BELOW your tank. ... "
" ... I did swap out my carbon for media balls and my top canister basket is filled with ceramic media for bacteria. ... "
" ... I needed a more powerful filter for a cichlid tank 95 gallons. ... "
" ... Love these canister filters. ... "
" ... It has 3 large bins for plenty of media ... "
" ... They are quiet and are quite strong filters. ... Just if you have small fish and the filter on a smaller tank the circulation can be strong. ... "
Water Resistance
99tank, turtle, crystal clear, water crystal clear, gallon
+62%
-38%
" ... plus I absolutely love the cascading water return for extra oxygenation of the water and the fact that you have options on how to set up the intake and return. ... "
" ... Keeps aquarium water clear ... "
" ... I have 4 large turtles and it clears the water quickly and stays clear for longer. ... "
" ... Never had a problem with it and keep the water crystal clear for my giraffe-nose catfish that is roughly 24inches long. ... "
" ... I just switched filters out today and in 3 hrs the water is clear and looking awesome. ... "
" ... Tried many at last got crystal clear water . ... "
" ... Love the water fountain tubes if you want it set up that way. ... "
" ... I replace about 15-20% of the water every week and the tank stays super clear. ... "
Build Quality
92hoses, tubing, pump, tubes, fluval
+35%
-65%
" ... Hoses were pretty short, one barely reaches from one side of my aquarium to the stand underneath where the filter is. ... "
" ... Open the package and the base is broken! ... "
" ... Either this has a defective seal, or it's just poorly made. ... "
" ... this one though the handle pops off and I’ve had problems with the handles on the side coming apart . ... "
" ... The connectors on top are huge too. ... "
" ... It's a little difficult to put together. ... We had to seal the seams to prevent the air from seeping in. ... "
" ... I checked the impeller and put some Vaseline on the impeller shaft. ... "
" ... Missing all of the tubing and connectors to the unit. ... "
Sound Quality
91filter, loud, noise, pump, motor
+59%
-41%
" ... Can’t beat this product so easy to assemble and no noise . ... "
" ... Mine is quiet. ... "
" ... It is so quiet. ... "
" ... After 12 hours of operation, The cascade 700 is 45db, over 10 db quieter than the whisper power filter 40 I started with. ... "
" ... The motor is very quiet. ... "
" ... This has a very quiet pump. ... "
" ... A lot quieter than the filter system I had before. ... "
" ... I must say the motor sound is noticeable from even the farthest corner of the room. ... "
Price
82worth, filter, cost, great value, waste
+79%
-21%
" ... Found at Petsmart for double the price. ... "
" ... other than having difficulty getting it primed but it is awesome for the price ... "
" ... I really liked the price point.it truly does a wonderful job. ... "
" ... I looked at the Fluvals but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend the money on one again and started searching for other options. ... "
" ... Worth every penny! ... "
" ... (Which wasn’t an option for us due to having sand bottom) Well worth the money spent on this system. ... "
" ... Does a great job on my aquarium and it's low cost ... "
" ... Worth my time in researching and money. ... "
Ease of Cleaning
49easy to clean, cleaning, tank, quiet, filter
+94%
-6%
" ... easy to set up, use, clean, etc. ... "
" ... I'm happy and I hope the first cleaning goes well - it should! ... "
" ... This on is quieter and easier to clean and put back together. ... "
" ... The filter itself was very simple to clean and definitely seemed to do its job. ... "
" ... It’s easy to clean as well. ... "
" ... It does very well cleaning. ... "
" ... It has been good to me but it was a lot of cleaning because well goldfish are funky haha! ... "
" ... Easy to clean, very quiet, and easy to maintain. ... "
Returns
39replacement, returned, sent, returning, return window
+13%
-87%
" ... If I could return it, I would. ... "
" ... I gave up and replaced with a Fluval 307. ... "
" ... So upset that I now have to return this crap! ... "
" ... So I ordered one of these around the beginning of January, I had it for less than a month and I returned it because I had a huge drop in water pressure, took it apart cleaned it, checked hoses, replaced floss pads and it still did not improve. ... "
" ... But was unlucky. ... Your experience may be different, but mine resulted in returning the product :( ... "
" ... I dried the unit off and packed it in a box to return to Amazon. ... "
" ... I Wish I could return it. ... "
" ... I unfortunately didn't realize this was the case until after the return window. ... "
Fit
36seal, tank, trays, baskets, aquarium
+28%
-72%
" ... Had various issues with air leakage (The hang on back intake and outflow assemblies are 2 half shells glued together, the glue loosened causing air leak in intake. ... "
" ... I think it's coming from the side where the clamps close down to lock the filter head in place. ... "
" ... The screw-on couplers for the input and output lines were pretty weak and had to be replaced after a few cleanings. ... They connect to the valve using plastic tension only, and if you overtighten the connection even slightly, the coupler snaps loose. ... "
" ... Both came in not working one is cracked and won't hold a shield and the other one won't hold a seal also. ... "
" ... The oring on the propeller housing popped off on the first filter change and it had expanded so it was about 1/4 inch to big and couldn’t be reinstalled making the filter unusable. ... "
" ... Update: pump head seal failed after 3 years. ... "
" ... this one though the handle pops off and I’ve had problems with the handles on the side coming apart . ... "
" ... they write in their manual make sure the trays are tight fitting -- maybe so -- but still it is only a friction fit -- i threw it out yesterday-- your better off buying a canister filer that uses a paper filter cartridge which i have and back to using it -you can always add extra media i use 50 micron media - around the cartridge as a prefilter - which gives your cartridge-longer life- i have a saltwater tank and only use the filter for maintenance water polishing with my refugium ... "
Marketplace
25seller, amazon, advertised, another, works
+44%
-56%
" ... First it was a pain to prime! ... "
" ... Per another reviewer this is intentional per the manufacturer. ... "
" ... if the seller would reach me back it would be great ... "
" ... There were no supplies here in England so I ordered it from the US to ship over. ... "
" ... I even left my email for them. ... "
" ... No one responded! ... "
" ... It's not the item, because I already have two of these if the seller. ... "
" ... No help from company. ... No help from email. ... "
Volume
24noise, louder, filter, quiet, silent
+4%
-96%
" ... I've had it for about six months and already the motor is twice as loud. ... "
" ... Was disappointed at how loud it was at first when it said quiet. ... Then it got worse (louder) ... "
" ... It's louder then other filters I have used, we can hear it over the television, even when turned up rather loud. ... "
" ... Noise: The unit is not silent, but it is far from loud. ... Yes both were extremely silent, but the Cascade isn’t loud by any means. ... "
" ... It is pretty loud when the water is being jetted back into the tank with either setting i wish it came with an extension to put it underwater for my turtles. ... "
" ... It is a bit loud but not as loud as the old hob filter. ... "
" ... This filter is LOUD. ... "
" ... It's so loud I can hear it across the house. ... "
For Running
23run, tank, strong, hear it running, penn plax
+91%
-9%
" ... After running the Penn Plax for a while now I have the following comments: ... "
" ... Works great can't even hear it running ... "
" ... runs great and very quite. ... "
" ... Bought in July 2017 and it’s been running every day. ... It’s now almost March 2019 and it’s still running strong. ... "
" ... Both run very quietly and very strong. ... "
" ... Keep priming it and it will start running fine. ... "
" ... I will still let it run longer for stability purposes. ... "
" ... Been running this for a month with my 40G tank and is done a good job. ... "
Suction
23water, tank, suction cups, create, vacuum
+30%
-70%
" ... After cleaning it out and reassembling there is a leak and the suction is almost completely out so water quality is bad. ... "
" ... Low filter suction ☹. ... "
" ... No suction and wouldn’t prime when primed several times. ... "
" ... This thing just won’t prime correctly and it really just won’t start any suction at all. ... "
" ... Suction cups stick to the glass but do not hold the intake and outtake. ... "
" ... The rubber o ring to put on the baskets doesnt stay on so it doesnt create a strong suction to make this pump work. ... "
" ... All the pumping, priming, finagling in the world, and I still couldn’t get this thing to create a suction and pull in water. ... "
" ... Unit never did achieve suction - would give it a negative number if I could for suction. ... "
Overall performance
21runs, done, running, quietly, quiet
+100%
" ... Does the job ... "
" ... Does its job ... "
" ... So, this thing does its job. ... "
" ... Work very well a little hard to get it started but after its running it does the job well . ... "
" ... With that done, it runs very quietly. ... "
" ... It is quiet and does a great job. ... "
" ... Runs very quietly. ... "
" ... Been running this for a month with my 40G tank and is done a good job. ... "
Clarity
19crystal, tank, keeps, within, tanks
+95%
-5%
" ... Keeps my 55 gallon crystal clear. ... "
" ... The tank is now crystal clear. ... "
" ... The fact that it is clear is super helpful so you can peek in on it and see if it’s getting funky. ... "
" ... The tank is crystal clear. ... "
" ... They keep the tanks crystal clear. ... "
" ... It was crystal clear in 20 minutes and the fish were super active again. ... "
" ... Within about two days it was crystal clear. ... "
" ... With purigen this filter keeps my tank crystal clear! ... "
Washing
17canister filter, good, first, cascade, purchased
+94%
-6%
" ... This is one powerful filter. ... "
" ... This is my first canister filter. ... "
" ... Trade of is that this one is a little loader. ... "
" ... So far so good with the canister filter. ... "
" ... This is a REALLY powerful filter. ... "
" ... But if you are looking for a budget filter, this is a good option. ... "
" ... I am replacing 2 fluval cascade filters. ... "
" ... This filter is not the quietest. ... "
Comfort
13pain, hands, ring, priming, medium
+46%
-54%
" ... Seem to fall off every 2-3 days. ... "
" ... The priming mechanism is a pain. ... "
" ... Getting the flow correct is a real pain in the A** due to the fact you have to match the flow on both sides of the pump which is next to impossible you just have to wing it. ... "
" ... I mean I have tried priming the darn thing til my hands exhausted out. ... "
" ... A piece of the trim around the bottom fell off. ... "
" ... Altogether I am very displeased with the quality of the extendable arm being that the lightest amount of pressure could have caused this piece to start flooding. ... "
" ... The main clip snapped off of if as soon as i lifted it up. ... "
Delivery
12well, received, packaged, box, first
+50%
-50%
" ... First of all it arrived broken. ... "
" ... The box was busted up. ... "
" ... Arrived broken not pleased ... "
" ... I received this canister on a Tuesday & hooked it up. ... "
" ... Came in a timely manner but when opening the box the bottom of the filter was cracked and chipped. ... "
Size
11think, small, media, leave, enough
+82%
-18%
" ... just would have liked to incorporate more media because of the larger size. ... "
" ... This makes loving it a lot easier ... "
" ... Lastly, buy your media in bulk . ... "
" ... This is smaller than the sunsun but the quality is better! ... "
" ... Size is very manageable/compact. ... "
" ... Make sure you leave yourself enough tubing before you cut it to size. ... "
" ... I think something simpler and not so bulky can be made. ... "
Defective Delivery
10defective, arrived, right, plastic, package
-100%
" ... Finally, the next one I purchased was broken right out of the box. ... "
" ... Product works well but it arrived with a broken plastic piece. ... "
" ... Hopefully for the rest of you, I'm just part of the small percentile that happened to get a defective one. ... "
" ... First of all it arrived broken. ... "
" ... Arrived broken not pleased ... "
" ... Open the package and the base is broken! ... "
" ... Our unit arrived with one of the plastic pieces broken right out of the box. ... "
" ... Either this has a defective seal, or it's just poorly made. ... "
Lens
10filter, canister, good, clear, sun
+100%
" ... Such a nice change from hanging filters. ... "
" ... First canister filter and very very happy over side/wall filters. ... "
" ... A great canister filters for beginners! ... "
" ... These filters won't last forever but you get good bang for your buck. ... "
" ... The filter has a pump to prime the filter which works great. ... "
" ... It’s not your regular “just plug it in and go” fish filter. ... "
" ... The filters along with all the insert filter materials keep my tank's water as clear as glass. ... "
" ... The older penn plax filters were very durable and well built. ... "
Call quality
9customer service, voice, times, could, call
+33%
-67%
" ... So many complaints about poor customer service who knows nothing about the product and takes more than a week to return calls! ... "
" ... The Penn Plax Cascade is the only one that I can hear ... "
" ... Call we call all answering machines. ... "
" ... I tried to call their customer service six times and none of my voice mails were answered. ... "
" ... Tried calling them 3 times on 3 different days on 3 different weeks (just to ensure, the lady (voice mail goes to a ladies vm) could be on vacation etc . ... "
" ... NEVER received a call back! ... "
Design
9design, quiet, look, issue, flaw
+78%
-22%
" ... Very quiet can’t even tell it it is working until you look ... "
" ... It looks and feels sturdy, and is quiet. ... "
" ... looks to be an extra. ... "
" ... It's a solid unit, and looks to be constructed well. ... "
" ... the simplest design is -i find the most efficient ... "
" ... 2. at least it looks nice from the outside :) ... "
" ... Looks awesome and performs great. ... "
Software Platform
8error, user, update, filter, changes
+63%
-38%
" ... I found it easy to put together and with very little trial and error, I got it working. ... "
" ... if something changes I will update! ... "
" ... Probably user error but this is worth the investment. ... "
" ... Will update review if anything changes. ... "
" ... Very good product would recommend and make sure you look up your medium setup on Youtube or google . ... "
Inlet Outlet Pipe
8tank, hose, pipes, intake, inlet
+38%
-63%
" ... Hose connectors was bended. ... "
" ... And of course it starts leaking from the outlet valve. ... "
" ... I do wish that the plastic intake tube was more adjustable to accomodate a more shallow tank, while the exhaust pipe could be adjusted to reach deeper into the tank (I have turtles, so the tank isn't filled to the top) I was able to modify the exhaust tube with a bit of spare hose to reach into the tank. ... I do still wish the exhaust pipe was much longer, to reach underwater in a shallow tank. ... "
Features
8system, pump, priming, like, features
+75%
-25%
" ... The priming button feature made for easy start up. ... "
" ... Live the self priming feature. ... "
" ... The noise level is low and the pump siphon feature works well. ... "
" ... I'll have to get used to disconnecting the hoses, but I like the flow adjustment feature. ... "
" ... I compared this the Cascade 1000's features with other more highly recommended canister type filters such as Eheim and they seemed comparable, but Penn-Plax's price on Amazon was almost half the price of some of its higher end competitors--especially in comparison to independent fish stores and chains such as Petco or Petsmart. ... "
" ... I gave it one star because the basket system design and freedom to choose your own media are really great features. ... "
Controls
7prime, using, push, pumping, priming
+57%
-43%
" ... The priming button feature made for easy start up. ... "
" ... I follow the user manual, press the button and you can't make it work! ... "
" ... You can control the rate of input or output separately using valves, which is pretty interesting. ... "
Screen Protection
7cracked, installed, filter, died, day
-100%
" ... Came cracked, doesn’t seem of good quality ... "
" ... First one comes cracked. ... "
" ... One day after I installed this filter, my 3 glass catfish died. ... "
" ... To do this you shake it until the bubbles are all out. ... "
" ... One day after I installed this filter, my 3 glass catfish died. ... "
Hair
7hoses, tubes, tank, sure, size
+43%
-57%
" ... Therefore I stripped it down rechecked propeller, seals and even cut and moved to a better location (straight run with hoses). ... "
" ... I cut one of the pipes to be as short as it could be and it still is too deep. ... "
Capacity
6bedroom, hear, tank, mess, flooded
+17%
-83%
" ... I woke up to a watery mess dripping from my first floor into my basement hallway. ... Just before I began to rip into one of my walls. ... "
" ... It's so loud I can hear it across the house. ... "
" ... Not for a tank in or near a bedroom. ... "
" ... Just like everyone else not only did it come broken, but it flooded my daughters bedroom. ... "
" ... I want my time and energy back from having to clean the colossal mess this made in my living room. ... "
Video Playback
6watched, youtube, video, instructions, watch
+67%
-33%
" ... Watched YouTube videos and decided for less than half the cost it was worth a shot. ... "
" ... I watched a few videos again. ... "
" ... We have read and watched a ton of videos. ... "
" ... Watched a few U tube videos, and figured it out. ... "
Power Consumption
5+100%
" ... Better power than expected. ... "
" ... The location is in Colombia, where there are weekly power outages. ... "
" ... Plenty of power. ... "
" ... Pump is quite and seems to have great power. ... "
" ... The Penn-Plax has more power too, which is nice. ... "
Wash Programs
4first, course, plax, penn, filters
+75%
-25%
" ... Just did my first filter change . ... "
" ... 3) Remove all baskets from filter and throw away the floss filter and wash the course filters and carbon filters. ... "
" ... This is my first canaster filter. ... "
Noise Cancellation
4noise level, filter
+25%
-75%
" ... The noise this filter generates is maddening. ... "
" ... Too much noise. ... "
" ... Constant noise is annoying. ... "
Product As Described
4works, exactly, everything, picture
+100%
" ... Works as advertised . ... "
" ... Does as advertised! ... "
" ... Works as advertised. ... "
" ... Everything worked exactly as advertised. ... -Everything is well labeled and functions exactly as advertised ... "
For Travel
3+33%
-67%
" ... Worked for 1 month, came back after vacation and now it doesn't have any suction and making a raddling noise. ... "
" ... Too bad I got busy with travel so couldn't return the Penn Plax within 30 days per Amazon's policy because it truly was a waste of $70. ... "
Apps
3setup, media, many, google
+67%
-33%
" ... You can customize the media. ... "
" ... Very good product would recommend and make sure you look up your medium setup on Youtube or google . ... "
Cables
3tubing, ok, hose
-100%
" ... Hose connectors was bended. ... "
" ... Missing all of the tubing and connectors to the unit. ... "
" ... The connectors on top are huge too. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 1838 meters