Odyssea CFS 14i/ CFS 1200

[turtleguy10]

is anyone using this? debating on giving it a try with a sunsun hw-603 prefilter before it and filling this with crushed lava rock

http://www.aquatraders.com/Aquarium-Canister-Filter-Odyssea-CFS-14i-p/42054.htm

not much info on the net that i found for this. they claim Flow Rate:1400 gph

I've sold my last sunsun 304b, looking to try something newer with a much higher flow rate.

 

[nossalucard]

As much as I "love" to save a dollar as much as anyone else, please tread lightly with ANY of these brand filters. I've "almost" bought 1 or 2 just to tinker with(I have a basement fish room I would use/test them in, but I still wouldn't want a flood even down there), but in the long run I decided against it. They're really just a powerhead in a "can" with sponge around it, not a well designed filtration unit.

I've seen quite a few stories like this: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/foru...88-Beware-of-Odyssea-CFS-500-Canister-Filters

Now I'm NOT saying it can't happen with ANY canister, but, I dunno...

Do a good google search on CFS canister lid cracks or CFS canister leaks, oversized rubber seals on the knockoff "aquastop" valves(copied from Fluval), and "HAVING" to mod it right off the "bat" for NORMAL operation due to inconsistencies in manufacture.

ALL canisters have the ability to leak, ESPECIALLY the way some folks are so HEAVY HANDED, but I'd almost put my (2) Aquatop and (2) SunSun 304/404B's up against my Eheim 2262 and Fluval FX5 & FX6 anyday. SO much in fact I don't even use the FX's and Eheim...YET(all still in box waiting for 300gal HOPEFULLY THIS SUMMER, wife permitting)

People have to realize, it's NOT about FLOW, it's about COMPLETE DENITRIFICATION, and most people DON'T need anywhere as much BIO as they think they do....

Really re-evaluate your bio-load. If the Sunsun/Aquatops "clones" were handling your load, why would you sell them? If you needed more flow, use Koralia powerheads. NO filter is going to catch ALL of the detritus if that is your mission....

Best of luck, and be careful. I look forward to your review if you DO still get one. And here's another tidbit or two for ya:

Keep us posted....

 

[Woefulrelic]

xraycer is a fan and may be able to advise you.

 

[nossalucard]

One additional thing, I too have one of the SunSun "prefilters", and I assure you that with the diameter of the tubing on it, that it WILL likely either cavitate the CFS pump's intake(possibly prematurely burning out the pump as you should NEVER put "HEAVY" restrictions on intake), or at least DEFINETLY lower it's flow., which is COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE to what seems to be your goal.

Food for thought...

 

[xraycer]

Let me give you my first hand experiences with these Odyssea canisters. I own the 700 and two of the 500s. I think they are excellent filters! After 2+ years of use, I have had no failure, no leaks, no breakage, no issues. I also found out that the pump will turn itself "off" when water levels run below the intake.....in other words, canister is empty of water. The only modification I've had to make is replaced the o-rings on the hose-canister connectors, because the factory ones are too large. It goes on easily enough, but is extremely difficult to disconnect. I can see over time this damaging the o-ring and ultimately cause a leak. I just replaced these o-rings with some proper sized o-rings, which cost a couple of bucks, and this has been a non-issue since.

I strongly believe that a lot of issues with many mechanical equipments has more to do with "user error".

 

[mscamp02]

I've had a 500 for about four years, also zero issues, breaks etc. I've had 2 fx5s for that long as well and have had small leaks, faulty pump, many broken clamps.

They are solid

 

[nossalucard]

Well, if you're gonna take a chance, at least read up on the RECOMMENDED mods I suppose(likely caries across the whole product line I'm guessing):
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forum...review-and-circumference-modification.239484/

I just don't think this should all be required or recommended for a filter you JUST BOUGHT.

It spells "trouble waiting" to me, but I really do wish you ALL the best of luck. I like to "tinker" myself, but because I WANT TO, not because the design of a product I PAID FOR is that DEFICIENT.

Hopefully I'm WRONG. After all, opinions are like "as**h*l*s, we all have one right!


 

[xraycer]

That thread from aquaricentral is a good one, and I've actually read through the whole thing before I bought my first Odyssea. There's no need to do all the mods. That OP was more experimenting than anything else. The only mod needed is to replace those o-rings on the connectors, that's it. You don't even have to do this if you plan to never disconnect the hose connectors.

 

[xraycer]

Now that I've thought about it, all I did was replaced with different size o-rings. I don't even consider that a modification.

So, I stand corrected, I've made no modifications and these canisters still works great

 

[demonknight]

i loved them, till they stopped working. too lazy to figure out why but was a joy to have in my tank. now it's just not available here.

i had the cfs700 which just sort of gave up after a year or two. but the cfs500 i got was dead from the word go. everytime i plugged it in it would trip my electrical safety and when it didn't it started leaking.