Penn-Plax Cascade 200 Power Filter – Hang-On Filter with Quad Filtration – Great for Freshwater and Saltwater Setups

I have had tanks of one sort or another for 60 years. Penn Plax was always a trusted, quality brand. Apparently this is no longer true. This filter was being used as nothing more than a water polisher. I tend to overfilter, as I have a heavily planted tank. I separated the included sponge, as it did make the filter run slower. I clean my filter media regularly and this filter did not really have much to do other than a bit of filtration right after a water change stirred things up. It quit suddenly, ONE DAY after the return window closed. I tried ALL the hacks to get it working again with no luck. (And trust me, I do know 'em all) It is truly disappointing to find that this brand too, has gone the way of Tetra and become nothing more than junk.

Great pump. Cleans water very well, and quick. Starting it up can be a pain to get it to cycle but it adventualy does.

Used as a temp replacement for my Fluval filter system. Works well. Just wish it had more filter stages like my Fluval system. Had to order pump parts and used this in the meantime. My fish are still alive. Very quiet system.

silenciosos y funcionales

Filter seems high quality and effective, however I am disappointed because the description is misleading. I originally purchased this Cascade 200 for a 55 gallon as a second filter since it's made for up to 50 gallon tanks. The problem is the filter is rather small and does not fit properly on my aquarium!.

Self priming, quiet, good filter.

This filter works really well. My only issue with it is the intake tube is not long enough, I have a tall 37 gallon tank and it doesn’t even go half way down.

I have many different type of filtration.... sump, hang on the bag, sponge.... this filter (I have 2 sizes), just great, high flow and silence. Plus = re-start, most of the time, if the pump shut-down. Now, I advice few modification. From the in-take add a foam/sponge, inside the filter tank, do not used the provided equipment, use foam/sponge and add ceramic rings (or equivalent). Nothing will compete with this hang-on the back filter. The aqua clear is nice too (I have QTY 3), same principle but will not re-start in case the pump stop. Please remember = for best result, oversize your filter. If you have a 20 gallons, use the next size hang-on the back (30 to 40 gallons capacity). This is true for all filters. You will never be sorry for this advice. Why = Because, you can stock your tank as much as you want, add any plants, and never be worry about it. Also, do not neglect your filter, clean it (just be careful with your media not to kill your bacteria). Enjoy.

Wish I bought the next one up. Tank could look a bit clearer.

tengo el acuaclear 50 en mi pecera de 40 Galones pensaba conprqr otro acuaclear y descubrí este filtro que según reseñas americanas dicen que funciona muy bien y a mitad de precio del acuaclear 50 que es una marca líder de filtros de cascada , el penn plax 200 apenas lo estoy ciclándo para poner una pecera de 20 o probablemente 30 galones maximo

For the price...this filter seems to be a winner. It was very simple to attach the motor to the intake following the instruction sheet included in the box. It is very quiet. I can't even really hear it humming along at all. The one I was replacing was so loud you couldn't think to yourself over the noise.The water flow is smooth and I really like being able to adjust the flow. The openings on the intake might be a little large for the smallest of fish, so that might need to be a consideration. I currently have 4 zebra-striped danios in mine while I cycle the tank and they seem to do fine with it. I have the intake set about mid-way. The 3-layer filtration seems that it will do a good job. I'll know more once the tank is fully cycled and the remaining fish added. I currently have the carbon filter removed while I build the good bacteria on the 2 levels of biological filtration. As others have suggested, after cycling, a weekly rinse of the sponge should be good.

After researching a number of different filters for my 20-gallon gourami tank, I decided to give this one a try. It is designed with function in mind, including an adequate system of bio-filtration and flow control. Flow control, though simple in design, is a nice feature to have that is sadly lacking on many HOB filters. This feature was important to me as gouramis are labyrinth fish who prefer slow-moving water, and I wanted the ability to adjust the flow, if necessary.One reason I hesitated to invest in this filter is that, although the filter itself is very reasonably priced, the replacement filter cartridges are somewhat expensive. Fortunately, the size of the intake tube is just right to use one of these pre-filters: This increases the biological filtration even more while filtering small particles before they ever enter the filter itself. I simply rinse the pre-filter in aquarium water ever two weeks or so and replace the filter cartridge once a month, since activated carbon expires monthly. Rinsing the pre-filter is an easy step, since this has an extendable intake tube, making it easy to detach the endpiece from the filter itself without having to actually pull the sponge off the intake every time. The filter even continues to run while I do this, as long as the end of the intake is submersed. As an added bonus, my flower shrimp loves to eat the particles of food that collect on the sponge, and as a filter feeder, she enjoys the luxury of hanging on the intake to make use of the flow without the danger of being harmed by the filter intake. Meanwhile, between some tinkering with the flow control and the addition of the sponge, the flow itself is weak enough to not upset my male/female pair of gouramis, who are able to blow bubble nests and engage in spawning behavior. Even though this is only a 20-gallon tank, the flower shrimp, clown pleco and mystery snails have their own space, and the gouramis have theirs. Having a sponge pre-filter and flow control also benefits the live plants in my tank, especially the java fern, which proliferates easily and abundantly, but often can be damaged by filter intakes when the young ferns float about the tank before finding a piece of driftwood or other material where they can grow.In terms of reliability, I have run this filter steadily for four months as of the writing of this review, and, used in conjunction with some additional sponge filters, this has proven itself to be reliable. It is self-priming and consistently restarts automatically following a power outage. It even runs steadily during a partial water change, and the 'Bio-Falls' system seems to provide additional aeration for the water, which is important not only for providing oxygen for my water-breathing creatures, but helps remove toxic substances, which benefits all of the creatures in my tank, including the air-breathing gouramis.To conclude, I will provide a brief list of pros and cons:PROS:1. It is inexpensive2. It is effective in terms of mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration3. It is reliable and self-priming4. It fits the inexpensive Fluval sponge pre-filters5. It has flow controlCONS:1. Replacement cartridges are not easily found in stores2. Replacement cartridges are expensive (but this can be easily addressed by using an inexpensive sponge pre-filter, extending the cartridge life to at least a full month)