Halelorf
Senior Member
Registered: December 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 2708
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Review Date: Tue April 29, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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quiet, low cost, large capacity for media, comes with extra plumbing parts
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Cons:
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Can sometimes be a pain to get the siphon primed if you do maintanence.
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Very affordable and great canister filters. Very quiet and provides great filtration.
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Red
Senior Member
Registered: March 2008 Posts: 12486
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Review Date: Sun November 16, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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very good
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Cons:
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pretty good worth every penny and trustworthy
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LORENZO
Member
Registered: November 2008 Location: nl canada Posts: 635
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Review Date: Wed December 17, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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quiet excellent filtration good media capacity
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Cons:
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self priming about 90% of the time.
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Not overly expensive. Very quiet and easy to clean! Water flow is superb. IF power outage will start up on its own.
------------------------------
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smaug
can't keep fish alive
Registered: October 2007 Posts: 11851
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Review Date: Sat October 3, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Cons:
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nothing better.Ive had an xp-2 in cont operation for over 4 yrs now.They aint cheap anymore though.
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Lab_Rat
Got fry?
Registered: June 2008 Location: Deep, deep South Posts: 6864
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Review Date: Mon October 26, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Quiet, high turnover, lots of room for media
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Cons:
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XP4 does not prime well (too tall, poor design)
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Absolutely love the Rena Filstar canisters. I am currently running a XP2 on my 29g, a XP3 on my 55g, and a XP4 on the 75g. Plenty of room for tons of media, I primarily load them full of floss and biomedia. Also have a valve to vary the flow, plus the option of a spray bar or just the nozzle. I modify my spray bars by taking the end cap off. Very easy to prime (except the XP4), would highly recommend (esp the XP3, love it!)
------------------------------
 Originally Posted by i_am_511
Lighten up its just the internet its not like someone came in your house and punched a baby in the face.
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debbie51975
Member
Registered: December 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 232
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Review Date: Mon December 21, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Had mine 2 years, no major problems. Never shut down.
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Cons:
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Had to replace the rubber seal once.
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Worth it. Only problem I'm having is, I've had a hard time finding a local store that sells the Rena brand, so I make alot of my own charcoal packs etc, or I get another brand. If I want Rena, I drive about 30 minutes.
------------------------------ Fish Hugger~
It's an addiction...deal with it!
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ILuvMyGoldBarb
Marine Tank Addict
Registered: February 2008 Posts: 10337
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Review Date: Wed December 30, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $110.00
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Great capacity for biomedia, quiet
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Cons:
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not much biomedia included
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Just received my XP3 today and I am quite pleased. Very easy to prime and extremely quiet. I love the versatility of this filter and the numerous options that are included with it. I was quite disappointed with the amount of biomedia that was included. There was a total of maybe 7 of the "stars" in the bag. I loaded all the other chambers with Ehfisubstrat instead. I wouldn't give it a full 10 simply because I have nothing but Eheims to compare it to, and I still find them to be better. But definitely a 9/10.
------------------------------ Considering a Marine Aquarium? A Breakdown of the Components, Live Rock, Cycling a Marine Tank
"The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The WILLINGNESS to learn is a choice." - Unknown
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dragoonwoman
Rev War History Lady
Registered: September 2009 Location: Colchester, CT Posts: 771
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Review Date: Tue March 9, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Easy shut off and detach of hoses, large capacity, total flexibility of media used, almost silent operation, simple setup, easy to clean
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Cons:
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none
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The Rena xp2 is the first large canister filter I've owned, and I would certainly consider buying another of this brand. I agree that the packet of "stars" that comes with it to be a joke, and also the dumb things FLOAT so they tend to go all over when I open the canister for cleaning. I replaced them all with Fluval ceramic bio-rings, which sink and stay where I put them.
Otherwise this is a great filter so far, and has lots of power. Mine has been in operation for about 4 months now (which isn't very long, I agree), but it has proved an excellent filter in that time. The only problems I've had with it were user-induced!!
------------------------------ Dragoon Woman
46 bowfront: Planted, Angelfish, Rasboras, Cories, Tetras, Otos
25g: Planted, cherry shrimp, otos
5g: Planted, Betta
4g: Planted, betta
5 horses, 7 cats, all rescued animals
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Cliff
Moderator
Registered: January 2010 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 20090
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Review Date: Fri July 30, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Too Many to list
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Cons:
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The hose clamps
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They have really good flow rate and large media capacity. I really like the spray bar that comes with the filter. The filter is easy to assemble and easy to maintain. Very quite filter as well. I would recommend this filter.
The only thing I did not like about the filter is the hose clamps that come with it, but they did work
------------------------------ If you take your time to do the research FIRST, you can successfully set-up and keep ANY type of aquarium with ease.
"Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo
Fishless Cycle Cycling with Fish http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=76398”] Marine Aquarium Info [/URL] [URL="http://saltwater.aquaticcommunity.com/"]
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rothenb1
Member
Registered: February 2010 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 699
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Review Date: Thu August 12, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Easy to shut off/turn on, loads of room for media
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Cons:
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None as of now
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I use an XP3 on my 125 gallon. Very quiet and simple filtration system. Was completely seeded within a week on my 90 gal and went through zero mini cycle when hooked up to the 125. I love that you can pull the lever to turn it on and off during water changes, rather than unplug it. I will be adding an XP2 to the 125 as I am quite pleased with the product.
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CassieLEO
Sweet Peas Mommy
Registered: November 2010 Location: MA Posts: 1861
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Review Date: Thu December 2, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Love the filter baskets and how you can customize everything
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Cons:
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The priming took a long time, and for me at least, if its plugged in, and I lift the lever, water pours EVERYWHERE. I lost 5 inches of water out of my 55 gallon tank in a matter of minutes. But, it was user error, just be careful!!!!
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All in all its a very good filter. My water is crystal clear, with no floaties or anything.
------------------------------

Google is your friend. Use it!!!
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Cassandra
Member
Registered: November 2008 Location: Twentynine Palms, California Posts: 433
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Review Date: Tue February 1, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Easy setup, large media baskets, super quiet
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Cons:
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doesn't come with very much filter media
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I bought the XP3 for my new 60 gallon tank after many recommendations and positive reviews from people on this website. I have always used HOB filters so I was intimidated about setting up this--my first--canister filter. I dont know what I was so afraid of. I watched (lol!) as my husband who knows nothing about anything aquarium-related set this thing up and it looked so easy. I am very happy with this purchase and although they are kind of expensive, shop around! I found mine for $159 online but didn't want to wait for it to be delivered and Petsmart price-matched for me. I bought this along with the Rena Air 300 pump which I also reviewed. I highly recommend this filter.
------------------------------ You can never have too many wheelbarrows.
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carl87gt
Junior Member
Registered: December 2011 Location: Maryland Heights, MO Posts: 6
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Review Date: Fri January 6, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $150.00
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Quiet, inexpensive, easy to clean, lots of media options
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Cons:
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Media is expensive
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I have an XP3 on my 75 gallon and love it. Easy to prime, easy to clean. Media pads are expensive but I often buy the bulk roll and cut my own to save a few bucks. Does a great job keeping the tank clean.
------------------------------ "Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer" Percy Cerutty
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bignellm
Senior Member
Registered: July 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 2436
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Review Date: Sun March 25, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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No Primer Pump, Easy Set up, Easy Prime, No Mouth Priming
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Cons:
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Blue tint to intake tube
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Old Marine
Senior Member
Registered: January 2012 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1848
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Review Date: Sun July 1, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $131.00
| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Easy to use, Easy to set up,
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Cons:
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None
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I have a rena Xp-3 and just love it. I have never had a problem with it yet and it filters my Mbuna tank Great!
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