MarineLand Penguin Power Filter Review

If you’re in the market for a filter to suit your aquarium, the Marineland Penguin Power Filter might just be the one you’re seeking. It removes odors, discolorations, and waste, has a three-stage filtration system, and is quiet enough to put in any room.

Unfortunately, not every user speaks of a good experience with this filter. Some have encountered issues with it leaking, with it making loud noises even after a short amount of time, and a few even found it stopped working in less than a year.

However, before you make the final decision about whether this is the filter for you and your fish, let’s take a closer look at the Marineland Penguin Power Filter.

Marineland Penguin Power Filter: The Details

Specs

• Weight: 75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2 x 6.1 x 8 inches.
• Filter Capacity: 70 gallons.
• Flow Rate: 350 gph.
• Media Stages: Three-stage filtration; biological, mechanical, and chemical.
• Self-Priming or Standard: Self-Priming.
• Warranty: Three-year warranty.

Features

Three-Stage Filtration

The Marineland Penguin Power Filter comes with a three-stage filtration system that combines mechanical, chemical, and biological media stages.

The mechanical and chemical stages remove the waste, any discoloration in the water, and also eliminates odors. Each stage contains Black Diamond Premium Activated Carbon for added strength in these procedures.

The biological filtration is provided by the BIO-Wheel and removes the ammonia and nitrite from the aquarium.

There is also an intake strainer, designed to eliminate the largest debris as the water goes through the intake hose, so your media filtration doesn’t have to deal with that.

Your fish will thank you for their new, clean environment.

Noise-Reducing Vent Covers

This Marineland filter also has covers specifically placed over the vents, ensuring any noise the filter might generate is reduced to just a whisper.

You don’t have to worry about where to place your aquarium. Even if it’s in your bedroom, the filter won’t wake you up at night – providing a good night’s sleep for you and your fish!

Capacity

The Penguin Power filter works on an aquarium that holds up to 70 gallons of water. So, whether you have a smaller sized aquarium or a large one that indeed holds 70 gallons, this filter will be able to process a great deal of water.

It can also filter through 350 gallons of water per hour, so your fish won’t have to ever sit in a dirty habitat for too long.

Warranty

The Marineland Penguin Power Filter comes with a three-year warranty.

If there is an issue with any of the materials on the filter due to the manufacturing or the workmanship, you can have it repaired or replaced free of charge.

Anything that is beyond normal everyday use will not be covered, however.

Marineland Penguin Power Filter Review

The Positives

Quiet

We all know how annoying the whirr or gurgle of an aquarium can be. Fortunately, Marineland takes away that annoyance with their Penguin Power Filter.

Most testers noted that as long as you keep the impeller blades clean with regular maintenance, the Penguin Power filter is very quiet. You don’t have to worry that there will be a lot of noise when the filter is running.

The noise-reducing vent cover really does a great job at keeping this filter silent – or very near silent. Now you won’t have to worry about your aquarium drowning out conversation, or ruining a night’s sleep.

Easy to Use

Users also noted how easy this Marineland filter is to use. Since all that’s necessary for maintenance is to change the cartridge inside the filter and clean the parts, it’s a pretty simple process.

As long as you have extra cartridges on hand (just like a printer in a way), you will be all set! You don’t even have to turn off the filter to change the cartridge.

And since this filter works on both saltwater and freshwater, you don’t have to worry about the type of aquarium you own. Just make sure the size is compatible with this filter.

The BIO-Wheel in the filter also ensures the removal of ammonia and nitrates which develop in the water.

So, as long as your filter is working properly, and you are maintaining it, you really don’t have much to do. We really appreciated that!

Easy Maintenance

Along with the basic cartridge maintenance, quite a few users liked that all they had to do was clean off the impeller.

One stated all they did was unplug the pump, lift the cover, pull the intake tube forward, and clean the impeller with a little white vinegar and a paper towel to make sure everything would spin the way it should.

A few of our testers even mentioned that they have used this brand of filter for a number of their aquariums because of how easy they are to work with.

Easy maintenance usually means that your filter will also be easy to clean. Fortunately, with the Penguin Power Filter, you won’t have to worry.

Inexpensive

When it comes to the cost of a filter, prices can vary widely. However, the Penguin Power filter is available at an extraordinarily low cost.

At under $50 on Amazon, this filter makes taking care of your fish and their environment easy. You don’t have to break the bank with this purchase.

This is great for those on a budget and beginner aquarists who don’t want to spend a ton of money on aquarium equipment.

The refills for the Penguin Power Filter are also affordable, and easy to find, making the entire process all the easier. You won’t be running around and shelling out loads of cash when it comes time to refill your filter cartridges.

Effective

Regardless of the price or features included in your filter, the most important thing to figure out is if it does what it says. The Penguin Power Filter will do a great job at keeping your tank clean.

This filter is powerful, providing a steady flow to ensure that your tank stays clean with little effort. It performs efficiently and quickly to make sure your fish and aquarium are looking crystal clear, always.

Durable and Reliable

Since Marineland has been around for a while, many aquarists stand behind their brand having prior received outstanding products from this company.

The Penguin Power Filter follows their line of durable, reliable products that are built to last you the years. No matter how many times you clean or run maintenance on your filter, it’s designed to stand up to wear and tear and long use.

A number of users have held on to their Penguin Power Filters for years to have it continue to perform efficiently and just as powerful as the first day it arrived.

Customer Service

In addition to Marineland’s 3-year warranty, you’ll also be backed by their great customer service. We all know how frustrating it can be to call a customer service department to only get the usual runaround.

With Marineland, you can expect their customer service department to be just as reliable as their filters, lending their assistance when you need it.

The Negatives

Leaks

Unfortunately, some testers found this filter prone to leaking. One user even warned that it was leaking water onto their floor and near where the plug was on the aquarium, which could result in an electrical issue.

While you can exchange your filter without personal cost, should you encounter this issue, it’s still a hassle to consider. No one wants a filter that leaks water all over the place!

Grinding Noise

While some users found this filter to be very quiet, others had issues with a grinding noise. One tester noted that they owned the filter for about four months, and then it started making this unruly sound.

Despite trying just about everything, it was still impossible to get the noise to cease. When they tried calling Marineland to find a solution, there was very little contact information for them to use, forcing them to shut off the filter just so they could go to sleep at night.

Stopped Working

Manufacturing errors happen, even to the best of machines. That’s why a healthy warranty is a valuable asset to have.

However, the number of errors any purchase contains is worth considering, as this could mean a great deal of hassle for you.

While many users find this filter to be reliable, a few users had the Penguin Power filter stop working altogether, not long after they bought it. After about five months, these few filters would grind to a halt and refuse to start up again.

Other users had the BIO-wheel stop turning, only to fix it and have it stop working again. The reliability of this product is definitely in question. Fortunately, there’s a warranty in place should you be given a lemon.

Here’s a video showing what the Marineland Penguin Power Filter looks like out of the box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHCLGuSIvDA

Overall Verdict

After going through all the positives and negatives, we would recommend the Marineland Penguin Power Filter.

While there are more positives than negatives in this case, there were a number of reviews that talked about their filter leaking – which can be a concern to a number of those looking for their perfect filter.

This seems to be a you-get-what-you-pay-for situation. So, while the price is definitely right, you should be careful to inspect the filter and keep a hold of your warranty.

Should an issue arise in the future, you can exchange it for a new one, at the cost of your time and effort.

However, if no issues arise, then you are the proud owner of an effective, heavy-duty, and well-priced aquarium filter.

Where to Buy the Marineland Penguin Power Filter

Marineland has a number of products under their belt in the aquatics department, most of which are affordable, built with quality, and easy to use.

Their products are well-known with aquarists and enthusiasts, and their website covers a variety of tools and materials from aquariums to heaters and skimmers.

This company has had great success with their line of products, most of which can be found in pet and specialty stores. The Marineland Penguin Power Filter is no different, available both in-store and online.

To start your search, check out the following online retailers.

• Pet Smart (from $24)
• Pet Co. (from $40)
• Pet Mountain (from $36)

And of course, you can also find this filter on Amazon.

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That’s it for our Marineland Penguin Power Filter review. Would you give it a try?