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Marineland Magniflow c360 Canister Filter Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion

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By Lindsey Stanton

Marineland Magniflow canister aquarium filter

Finding the right aquarium filter can be a pretty hard task to accomplish, especially when you have a larger tank. You need a big filter, one that can effectively clean all of the water in your aquarium several times per hour. The problem is of course that there are tons of options out there, not all of which will provide you with what you need.

Well, there are some options that will definitely provide you with adequate tank filtration, one of those being the Marineland c360 Canister Filter. This is a high-powered, highly efficient, and convenient filtration unit but how good is it really?

Let’s get right to it and get on with this Marineland c360 review to give you all of the info you need to make an informed decision on whether it’s the right option for you and your tank.

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Marineland c360 Canister Filter Review

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The Marineland c360 Canister Filter is ideal for large aquariums and it can definitely process a whole lot of water. It is designed to keep larger aquariums clean and clear, which is done with an advanced 3-stage filtration system.

There are lots of other beneficial aspects to this filter as well, so let’s talk about all of the features that this canister filter offers;

3-Stage Filtration

platy and others in tank
Image Credit: Joan Carles Juarez, Shutterstock

The first thing that you need to know about the Marineland c360 Canister Filter is that it engages in very effective 3 stage filtration to clean the water in your aquarium. It engages in all 3 major types of filtration including mechanical, biological, and chemical. This means that the c360 is great for removing solid debris, ammonia and nitrites, and odors and discoloration too.

The biofilter balls included are shown to be especially effective at growing beneficial bacteria and killing ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. The media tray slots or baskets are replaceable and they can be removed as well, which makes for easy media changing and even easier maintenance.

Simply open the lid, remove the baskets, change the media, and close it all back up. Everything you need is included, so you don’t have to go out and buy an extra media straight away before you can use the Marineland c360 Canister Filter.

No Bypass

Something that we personally like about the c360 canister filter is that it does not have a bypass. This ensures that 100% of the water passes through all of the filter media, thus providing you with clean and clear water every single time.

Some aquarium canister filters suffer from a bypass problem, which means that not all of the water actually touches the filter media, but not with the Marineland c360. This makes it ideal for highly populated tanks with fish that produce ample amounts of waste.

Convenient Design

Three gallon betta fish aquarium with live aquatic plants
Image Credit: Sandra Burm, Shutterstock

This canister filter features a convenient and user-friendly design. All of the parts you need to set it up come included in the packaging. You simply have to attach the tubing to the water intake and outtake in order to complete the installation.

This canister filter also comes with a primer button, which eliminates the hassle that some filters cause in terms of priming. The only negative here on the primer button is that it can take a bit of force to push, but aside from that, it’s a helpful feature for any filter.

The c360 also features a very secure lid that stops leaks in their tracks, but it also comes off easily for quick maintenance.

Durable Design

The Marineland c360 canister filter is also very durable. The outer casing is made of high-grade plastic and other solid materials which keep the water on the inside and nowhere else. The shell is fairly strong, so the filter could probably even resist a fall or two, which gives a bit of reassurance.

Some canister filters suffer from the problem of falling over a lot, but this one has a stable base, thus preventing falling over, breaking, and leaking. On a side note, it is probably worth noting that this filter is designed especially for freshwater and saltwater use. The internal components are built to be able to deal with salty water with no problem.

High Capacity

Aquarium-with-undergravel-filter
Image Credit: PDPics, Pixabay

This canister filter has a very high capacity. This thing is rated for aquariums up to 100 gallons in size, which as you may recognize, is a fairly large aquarium.

The c360 has a very high capacity for processing water and can filter up to 360 gallons of water per hour. In other words, this filter can process 3.6 times as much water as is in a 100-gallon aquarium, resulting in very clean aquarium water.

Space Saver

One thing that we personally do like about this canister filter is that they do not take up any space inside of the tank. The space inside of your aquarium is valuable real estate that could be used by fish and plants, so not having a filter in the way is a pretty big deal when you are trying to build an aquatic community.

That being said, the Marineland canister filter itself is fairly large, heavy, and bulky. It is an external filter, so it will require a decent amount of shelf space outside of the aquarium, but if you already have a 100-gallon aquarium, chances are that you also have room for an external filter.

Pros
  • Good for large aquariums.
  • High-capacity filtration unit.
  • Effective 3 stage filtration.
  • No bypass design.
  • Does not take up space inside of the aquarium.
  • Easy to access.
  • Easy maintenance and cleaning.
  • Allows for changing of media – various media.
  • Easy off lid.
  • Primer button included.
Cons
  • Requires a lot of shelf space.
  • The primer button requires a lot of force to press.

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Marineland c360 FAQ

How do you set up a Magniflow Marineland 360?

Let’s go over a quick step-by-step tutorial on how to set up your Marineland Magniflow canister filter. It’s actually quite easy.

  1. First of all, take the instructions out of the box, and remove all of the contents from the box. Using the numbered diagram, make sure that all of the components are present.
  2. Next, you need to prepare the case or body of the filter. To do this, unlock the lid and remove the motor head, then unwrap and rinse all of the media under running water, place each media piece in the appropriate tray, load the trays and the securing plate in the proper order, and then close and lock the motor lid.
  3. Next, you need to place the filter where it will be, which for this model means being located under the aquarium, directly below it on a shelf. To get it to work properly, make sure that the distance from the top of the aquarium to the bottom of the filter is between 32 and 60 inches.
  4. Now it is time to assemble the intake and outtake. Attach the strainer and suction cups to the intake tube, and then moisten the suction cups, and place this on the interior wall of the aquarium. Then, attach the elbow, the diffuser, and the suction cup to the outlet tube. Moisten the suction cups and position the outlet tube inside of the aquarium.
  5. Now it is time to connect everything. Attach the vinyl tubes to the valve hose barbs and secure them in place with the hose nuts. Then attach the other ends of both vinyl tubes to the corresponding tubes (intake and outlet). Use the included snapper clamps to secure the tubing in place.
  6. All you have to do now is to press the quick prime button and turn the filter on. It should now run all on its own.

Marineland c360 vs Fluval 407: Which is better?

There are a few main differences between these two filters to keep in mind, differences we are about to go over.

Based on these differences, you can then make your own decision as to which one is best for you.

  • The Marineland is designed for aquariums up to 100 gallons, whereas the Fluval 407 can handle tanks up to 125 gallons.
  • The Marineland features an hourly flow rate of 360 gallons, whereas the Fluval 407 features an hourly flow rate of 362 gallons per hour, so almost identical.
  • The Marineland appears to have more room for media on the inside.
  • The Fluval 407 is substantially quieter and more energy-efficient than the Magniflow canister filter.
  • The Fluval 407 also appears to be a little stabler and more durable than the Marineland, although the Magniflow does look a bit better in terms of aesthetics.

Conclusion

We hope that this Marineland Magniflow 360 review was able to help you come closer to a decision. It is a decent option for larger tanks, It’s a really high capacity, effective, efficient, durable, and easy-to-use aquarium filter that should last you for a fairly long time to come.

If you do need something for an even bigger tank then it’s probably worth checking out the Fluval FX6 which is also a great filter, we have reviewed it on this article.

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