Misled about aquarium filters?

[Finley]

Just got a new canister filter for my 55 gallon tank, but it's not pulling debris like the store guy said it would. Anyone else feel like they got tricked by filter promises?

[Veltor]

What model did you get? Some canisters need a break-in period to build up beneficial bacteria before they work at full efficiency. Also, how's your flow rate set? Too high or low can mess with debris pickup.

[drumbeat]

Yep, store folks love overselling filters. My Fluval 407 took like two weeks to really kick in. Now it's a beast, but man, that wait was sketchy. You running any pre-filter sponges?

[wyrmkin]

Yep, store folks love overselling filters. My Fluval 407 took like two weeks to really kick in. Now it's a beast, but man, that wait was sketchy. You running any pre-filter sponges?

Same here with my 407! Adding a pre-filter sponge helped a ton with the initial debris. Also, what's your substrate? Sand can sometimes clog things up faster.

[sleek]

I've got a hang-on-back filter, and it's kinda weak too. Maybe all filters are just overhyped?

[route4]

Nah, not all filters are trash. My Eheim Classic is a champ, but it took some tweaking. You gotta play with the media setup sometimes. What's in your canister, Finley?

[Finley]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll give it some time and maybe tweak the media. It's a SunSun HW-3028, by the way.

[tigercub]

SunSun filters are decent for the price, but they do need a break-in period. Make sure you're not overloading it with fine filter pads too soon.

[Veltor]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll give it some time and maybe tweak the media. It's a SunSun HW-3028, by the way.

Ah, the HW-3028. Good budget option, but yeah, it's not gonna perform like a high-end canister right away. How often are you doing water changes? Debris buildup can slow things down.

[drumbeat]

Also, check if your intake tube is fully submerged. Sometimes it's the little things, ya know?