Penguin vs. Emperor Penguin

[new fish lover]

I have an Emperor Penguin 400 and a Penguin 380 which is not an Emperor. Obviously the sizes are different but the prices are dramatically different btw similiar size Emperor and just plain Penguin. I think they are the same manufactor but I can't see any difference except the name and price. Does anyone have any info?

 

[enchanted]

I own a Penguin 330 and recently recieved a replacement impeller and housing from Marineland due to a sound it was making.

Here is the link to the manufacturer of both:
http/marineland.com/products/prod_consumer.asp


Their were two part numbers on the bags for the impeller and housing so I checked both of them.

The first, Penguin 330, the second Emperor 400.


Other than the rated GPH I really don't think their is any difference in them other than the name.

 

[FishDan]

There is at least one fairly significant difference, besides GPH, between Penguin and Emperor filters. Emperors have additional media baskets to allow for more customization of filter media. The Emporor 280 has one basket, the 400 has two. This allows you to add additional chemical or biological filtration media.

\Dan

 

[DeadlyAlliance]

The pengium has 2 media baskets as well. I have a pengium 330 and it comes with 2 additional media baskets.

 

[enchanted]

Fishdan - deadlyalliance is right, the 330 has that feature and it is identical to the 400 in setup. I looked at one at petsmart today and to be honest, I could see no difference other than design look between the 330 and the 400.


My 170 doesn't have this feature though so if comparing the 170 and 280 that would be a benefit.

 

[FishDan]

Huh. I was told that the Penguins did not have the extra media baskets. Thanks for correcting me!! When I bought my Emperor I think the one difference I recall when I was checking it out was that some people reported trouble with the Penguin's impellers from time to time.

\Dan

 

[enchanted]

The impellers and housing between the emperor 400 and Pengiun 330 are the same part number by Marineland....

I think the only difference between these two is the look.

 

[FishDan]

I did a little checking (looked at the website and manuals). There are a few differences between the two (it simply does not make sense to me that one company would have two lines of filters that only look different, this strikes me as impracticale to maintain two products with some very different parts, even though others may be shared).

For one thing, I think the Emporers have larger media containers and filters than the Penguins (I am guessing here, though Marineland claims "45% more mechanical filter area", though they do not say compared to what). Marineland also claims "much as twice the filter cartridge capacity" as otehr filters "in it's class".

I am fairly sure the Emporer BioWheels are larger, also allowing for more area for bacteria to colonize. If your tank is slightly overstocked, or larger this is going to be better than smaller assembly. Marineland calls the BioWheels for Emperor filters "extra large".

Marineland says Emporers have two pumps, but make no mention of this for Penguins.

I was wrong about the media baskets, but I think there is more to these two filter types than mere looks and aestethics. The Emporers seem to be larger than the Penguins (as in nature, Emporer penguins are the largest of all species of penguin). There are also design elements that are different, such as the Emporers cover, that opens seperately over the BioWheel assembly and the media compartments.

None of these difference may be astounding, I admit, but I think it would be a simplification to just say the differences are simply in appearance.

\Dan

 

[enchanted]

For the Secondory Filter Media Trays they are not larger. I know, I own a Penguin 330 and tore an Emperor 400 apart at petsmart (to the displeasure of the manager) because I was going to swap them since they will allow that.

The secondary media trays are no larger. The same cartridge that goes in the Penguin 170 and 330 will fit the Emeperor 400 same as it will fit the Aqua-Tech filters at walmart (also made by marineland) and the Millenium Filters of that area (also a marineland product).

The replacement impellers and housings from marineland will have two part numbers. One matches the Penguin 330 the other matches the 400.

Now, where design differences come in is that is designed to output more GPH. Whether it actually does or not, I don't know.

What I do know is when I sat with a Penguin 330 next to an Emperor 400 at Petsmart (luckily I know the manager even if he wasn't to happy) the only difference I found was the look. It was not enough for a $15+ price difference between the two.

Basically it is a marketing thing that many companies do in order to sell more of a product. Even computer manufacturers such as Dell and Gateway do it. Make two products give one some better label maybe change one part and sell it for twice as much. People think the more expensive is better and buy it.

 

[catwoman]

Do the emperor filters have a spray bar that sprays water down onto the bio-wheel? I know I have seen a picture of this but I don't remember what filters they were. In fact, the picture was on a recent Drs. Foster & Smith Catalog.

 

[catwoman]

From the Drs. Foster Smith website, the Emperors have a "spray-bar driven BIO-Wheel". The penguin bio-wheels just turn from water flowing UNDER the wheel. I have a min-penguin and the biowheel always stops when the flow reduces due to a clogged cartridge. The description for the Emperors states that the bio-wheel keeps spinning regardless of flow. better design!

 

[FishDan]

I do not believe that marketing is the only difference between the two filters. Even if I am mistaken on some of my points, other points are not mistakes. And the spray bar is another addition. It simply does not make marketable sense to maintain two totally seperate products (and therefore parts lines) that do the exact same thing. I don't have an abundance of money to toss around and go buy more filters to try them out, but I still am fairly sure the differences are more than just looks.

\Dan

 

[enchanted]

Their are a few differences, but neither my 170, mini, nor 330 have ever had the bio-wheel stop since the time it was saturated. Prior to it being completely saturated it did happen occasionally.

But what I will say is the minute differences between the two do not compensate for a 30% or more price difference.