Any functional aquarium with its fish inhabitants is a beehive of activities, and these activities lead to the generation of substances that may eventually cause the water to get cloudy. This is why it is recommended that filters like this Cascade 1000 canister Filter be installed in the aquarium.
It is an established reality that an aquarium harboring aquatic creatures will have a gradual increase in contaminants and these inhabitants pass out feces and exchange gases within their abode. And, if this is not controlled, the contamination might spike to a degree that will be unbearable for your pets; causing health complications thereafter.
More so, without a filter, you are bound to carry out manual water change at a highly demanding rate – this, on its own, could become an arduous task – if you are to keep a hygienic tank.
However, the Penn Plax Cascade 1000 canister Filter, rated as the best aquarium canister filter, offers great relief and assurance as it will preserve the clarity of the aquarium water even as impurities, toxins, and bacteria are removed from the water through the filter’s 3-stage filtration – mechanical, chemical and biological – systems.
More importantly, this product is adequately equipped to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria that are valuable in ridding the tank of ammonia, nitrate, and leftover foods.
As the Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filter 1000 effectively performs its primary functions, the fishes, plants, and other species in the aquarium are allowed to live in a conducive and healthy environment – and one that is well supplied with dissolved oxygen.
Summary of Cascade 1000 Canister Filter Review
The Penn Plax Cascade 1000 ranks among the best-selling product in its category. The reasons are there – in this review – for you to see. A sturdy and well-built device with top-rated accessories that you will never, for once, regret owning.
It is very dependable, affordable, and worth recommending to any aquarist – irrespective of the level of the experience – that desires to make a peaceful home for his/her pet.
PROS
- Very efficient
- Premium Quality
- Solid construction
- Easy installation
- Super quiet
- Cut-rate price
- Provides space for the addition of optional filter media
CON
- None
Look and Specifications
The Cascade 1000 Filter is designed as an external filter with the body and its components made from high-quality plastic materials. The device is quite sturdy and is equipped with ample features that make it carry out its primary function to a satisfactory end.
Besides its main body and the attached steady base, it also features the following:
- Â A motorhead: This, coupled with the four locking clamps, ensures that the housing has a befitting, water-tight covering over it. Additionally, a push primer button is incorporated into this motorhead to trigger the filtration process once it has been set up.
- A set of 3 baskets: These are required to ensure that the device seamlessly performs the mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration of the aquarium water.
- Valve Taps & Cut-off valves: These further promote the ease with which Cascade 1000 canister Filter does its work. They are vital for the regulation of flow rate and can rotate to the tune of 360 degrees.
- Floss pad and course sponge: These are the two media that come with the Cascade 1000. The Floss pad functions to rid the water of particulate matter while the coarse sponge provides a medium upon which beneficial bacteria, that eliminate ammonia and nitrate from the water, can grow. You can augment these media with some other ones like bio-rings, activated carbon, e.t.c.
In addition to the above-mentioned components, there are spray bars, hoses, flow valves, power cord, and instruction manual.
Regarding the specification; the Cascade Canister Filter 1000 is a 27 watts device that will sufficiently take care of the water in tanks with a maximum capacity of 100 gallons. It can achieve a flow rate of 265 gallons per hour and it weighs 12 pounds and has a dimension of 11.5 X 17 X 10 inches.
Set up
Before you proceed with the set-up, unbox all the items in the package, check to see that the package you got contains all these: the body with the motorhead having its features – priming button, cut-off valves clamps and valve taps – intact; the 3 baskets/trays, hoses, suction cups, and power cords.
The installation of the Cascade 1000 Canister Filter should flow through easily provided you carefully follow these instructions. So let’s proceed:
- Get the motorhead off [the main body] by undoing the clamps and ensure that the filter media are properly placed – starting with the most coarse (medium) at the bottom – with the aquarium water.
- Now, fill the filter (main body) to 75% of its capacity, and reposition the motorhead, securely attaching it with the aid of the clamps.
- Loosen the hose ring on the valve in readiness for the attachment of the intake hose and exhaust tube. Fix the intake hose to the valve having the blue ring and the exhaust hose to the valve with the black ring.
- Make sure you push down the hose [to the stopper’s end of the ring] and tighten the hose rings properly to avoid leakage and unnecessary vibrations when the device eventually starts working.
- Prepare your exhaust tube assembly and intake tube assembly using the tubings provided. These should thereafter be securely attached to the wall of the aquarium using the set of suction cups. The open end of both tube assemblies should be inside the aquarium.
- Next, attach each of the tube assemblies to the corresponding hose [at its other end] – based on the valve’s color.
- Turn the two-valve taps fully open and prime the filter by rapidly pressing the large button on the motorhead, you should not stop pressing until water starts flowing in from the aquarium.
- You can now plug the cord into a power source, and enjoy your new product.
Performance of Penn Plax Cascade 1000
The Penn Plax Cascade 1000 Filter is a top performer that promotes the preservation of crystal clear water in the aquarium. It gives an optimal result, and this is down to its efficient 3-stage filtration system, as well as the impressive flow rate that is achievable through it.
Furthermore, the prospect of adding extra media yet makes for improved performance. Another plus that you may truly get to appreciate is the ability of the valves to rotate unhindered, meaning the (filtration) process will run smoothly. To add to this, it is super silent in operation.
In light of all that has been discussed, it is apparent that the Penn Plax Cascade canister aquarium Filter owns its place on the list of the very best. This is probably why it is raking in rave reviews.
Customers that have had this product in their aquariums are confident about its efficiency. On more than one occasion, it was said that the Cascade 1000 canister Filter assisted in providing corrective measures to a cloudy and smelly aquarium – talk about a highly functional and reliable filtration system that neutralizes the efficiency of toxic substances like ammonia, nitrate, and so on.
