Rated 1 out of 5 by nope didnt even work
spent so much time trying to set it up, and it never even turned on. bio wheel doesnt spin, tube is way too long for my tank. now i have 3 fish stuck in measuring cups because the filter doesnt work
April 19, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by NewAquariumEnthusiast Average Filter
I purchased a 200 Penguin Bio-wheel filter 4 weeks ago.
PROS:
1. Good overall buy for the price.
CONS:
1. You can't have a dual filter cartridge as the packing says you can. If you add a second filter cartridge then the water struggles to get through both filters, backs up, and just pours out through the water overflow chamber. This completely bypasses the bio-wheel which defeats the purpose of having one. It started working property when I removed the second filter cartridge. But now after a few days it started backing up again. So I rinsed the cartridge and it started working again. Then a few days later it started backing up again and the cartridge wasn't even dirty. But again it started working after I pulled the cartridge out of the slot a little bit. I'm not sure what the problem is with the filters. Perhaps too full of carbon or perhaps the water overflow chamber needs to be bigger. Not sure.
January 12, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by amsoilman This product is not reliable
I purchased the Penguin 200 Bio-Filter only two Months ago, and now it has started t fail. The problem seams to be that the flow of the water has been reduced to the point the Bio-Wheel will not turn. I have taken it apart to clean it, and it looks very clean, so something else is the problem. I certainly don't want to purchase another one, but will need a pump in the very near future. I don;t think I will get this brand again!
January 2, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by Biscuit lifespan of a mayfly
My first penguin 200 filter lasted about 2 years. Not great, but okay for the price, so I bought another one. That one lasted 6 months. (The bio-wheel on both never turned, but I figured that was just a gimmick anyway.)
I won't be giving this brand a third try.
January 2, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by HeclaStreet High quality filter for freshwater tanks
I ditched the water filter that came with my 20 gallon tank because it was too small, too loud and did a poor job cleaning my tank. I couldn't maintain a healthy tank. I picked up a Marineland Penguin filter because I recognized the brand and knew they made premium products. With the BIO wheel and high-grade carbon filter that comes with the Penguin, I've been able to keep a clean, clear water tank. The Penguin is much quieter than the filter it replaced. The water is sparkling clear and my fish have never been happier. I recommend using two filter cartridges--when possible. This keeps the water very clean and my fish happy.
September 28, 2012
Rated 1 out of 5 by VolRath217 It was quiet, especially when it stopped working
I bought this on May 28th to replace a filter system that we'd been using for several years that finally gave out. We had had one with a bio wheel in the past and our aquarium has an algae issue, so we went with the 200 for the 2 filters and the bio wheel. Up until today (Aug 7th), it's worked fine, but I came home from work and could hear the motor as soon as I walked in the door which is highly unusual. I walked over and took to the top cover off to make sure that something hadn't gotten sucked up into it and the whole thing just shut off and wouldn't come back on. I couldn't find anything clogging the tube or the fly wheel, it's like it just decided "Well, it's been 2 months, time to shut down".
August 7, 2012
Rated 1 out of 5 by michaelg210 Nice while it lasts (which is not long)
I had a Marineland Penguin 100 B filter, nice little gizmo, quiet, good filtration, mainly i bought because i liked the biowheel.
I was satisfied overall with the product until it stopped working, approximately 9 months after i bought it. Since i had to buy another filter anyway, i decided to go with another brand as i did not see the value due to lack of durability.
June 2, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Charlie77 Great Little Filter!
I really don't understand why so many people claim to have issues. I have been utilizing different Penguin models for many years on several nano reef tanks and have yet to have issues with any of them. I'm currently maintaining a 10 gal nano (Penguin 150B) which has been in operation for about 5 years and have yet needed to replace any parts aside from the filter pads. I wonder when the impeller is going to fail but it is still running fine. I highly recommend this line of Marineland filters.
May 15, 2012