Best filter for 55 gallon aquarium: MarineLand Magnum Polishing vs Penn-Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filters

If you do not have much time to go into detail, we recommend that you should use Penn-Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filters.

While these two filters will do a great job but Penn-Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filters more compact in size, does not tank lots of space inside the tank. It is also easier to maintain and remove.

#1 Flow rate

The flow rate of fish tank filter will determine how much gallons of water it can move every single hour or the size of the aquarium you can go with this filter.  If you are looking for a filter for 55 fish tanks, you should choose the one that can handle at least 3 times the amount of water in your tank per hour. The filter has at least 165 GPH is ideal for 55 gallons of the fish tank.

The Penn Plax Cascade 700 has a high flow rate at 185 GPH. It’s ideal for all sizes of tanks up to 65 gallons. It also comes with a swimming pool style rotating 360 degrees valves that allow you to control the flow rate.

Marineland Magnum Polishing can be able to filter 290 gallons of water per hour. It can be used for up to 97 gallons.

#2 Filtration process

You should go with the filter that can offer three-way filtration and more. They are mechanical media for maintaining the cleanliness of the tank water, biological for removing remove harmful toxins and chemical filtration to improve the colonization of good bacteria.

MarineLand Magnum Poloshing has 3 stages of filtration of biological, mechanical, and chemical filtration. The Rite-Size floss sleeve catches all the dirt and debris that floating in the water; Black Diamond Premium Activated Carbon removes odors, discoloration and water impurities.

The dual-chamber provides a large surface for the growth of the beneficial bacterium that neutralizes ammonia and nitrites. Moreover, this also includes the water polishing feature that creates clean and sparkling water.

Penn-Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filters holds everything from the mechanical, chemical, and biological filters. It offers the large filter trays, which allow you can add more media and have longer periods between replacements. You can use any filter media such as bio-floss, bio-sponges, activated carbon and others.