Rena Filstar XP3 Review

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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decoy50

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2012
1,136
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96
VA
After one year, mine ended up in the garbage last night. Everytime I went to clean it, it was a huge hassle to get it restarted. Never wanted to prime and would suck air for a few days before righting itself. Last night after I cleaned it, it started leaking - pretty solid flow of water too. I'm really glad I had a backup HOB Aquaclear 110. Maybe a new seal would have fixed it, but it would always worry me & I don't need that extra headache. It would have drained 2/3 of my tank before it cut off, if I hadn't been around to catch the leak.

This was my first canister & I've been going all Aquaclear HOBs due to the pain of this rena. I bought it because it looked really simple and thought it would be a good starter canister, but it has really turned me off of them. Right now I'm running two 110s on an overstocked 150 vieja growout. In the future, I'll likely need the extra bio I can get with a canister, but I'll be damned if I buy another rena. I guess I'll go Fluval XP6 when I go canister again & at the price they sell for, that thing better run smoothly for a long time!
 
I would say either the Fluval FX6 or a classic Eheim filter would be a good choice. I run 2 Fluval FX5s and they have been awesome.
 
I can't believe you had trouble priming your rena. All I do is pit back under the tank reconnect hoses wait for canister to syphon full and plug back in and away It went. A few times I had to wiggle canister to remove the air lock but that is it. Was yours brand new or second hand those seals are cheap I would fix it and try again. If you had the rena on this setup alone you were way under filtered any way. Yoi would need the thefx6 for that setup.
 
I've had multiple xp3s and xp4s over the years and never a problem with any of them. I wouldn't stay away from Rena due to one bad filter.i had an aquaclear 110 go out on me after a week but I still use them with no other problems since
 
Love the filters but ive had a few problems. Recently I broke where the clamp was attached to the canister shell and I couldnt find a replacent anywhere. I had to just buy a used one on CL.

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i have 2 XP4 and a XP3 running on my tanks .. priming is quite easy.... if it's a clean out...i'll fill it up with tank water first ... clip on the lid and hoses..turn the power on ... click open one of the clips and you'll hear a hiss of air.....and BAM you're primed ... i clean my canisters every 2 months or so....
 
Just get an Fx5... Fx6 bring next to nothing new.

You can find used Fx5s for around $100.
 
I haven't seen many used FX5s go for 100 bucks either.
 
My renas craped out on me an xp3 and 2 killed about 100 dollars worth of fish and still having problems with them I used to like renas but now I would rather have a fx5

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