Who Gives A Fish Forums

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?

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.

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?

drumbeat wrote: ↑Tue Jun 10, 2025 4:34 am 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.

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

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?

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.

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.

Finley wrote: ↑Tue Jun 10, 2025 6:27 am 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.

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