Newbie Challenge---Are you game?

Starting this hobby is scary, frustrating, expensive, and confusing. There's so much to learn if you want to do it correctly without killing your tank or spending a whole lot more than your budget can afford.

A nice forum like 3Reef is a great source of information. In spite of this, it is still important to understand a number of things to make your reefkeeping life easier. If you want to get a slightly better understanding of these things to both make your life easier and to save some money, please continue.

I ran across a product that has tons of testimonials. Here they are. Testimonials | Freedom Filter - Freedom Aquarium

There is something VERY interesting on this page alone without looking at the product. Can anyone determine what it is?

HINT: It's not that Raymond Chapman is your "SORCE" for freshwater aquarium fish. Many people keep both marine and freshwater. However, for enquiring minds that need to know, here's his "Aquarium Writer" experience. index If you don't know how I found this, please visit this thread. http://www.3reef.com/forums/bucket/google-search-tips-36130.html#post333446

OK...here's the challenge. This product does biological filtration, chemical filtration, and mechanical filtration and has a lot of testimonials. Yet, I wouldn't put this product into my tank even if it was free. (Well, actually I would. Then, I would wait until the person who gave it to me for free left, and then I would rip out the Mag-Drive and then throw the rest away).

Here's my next question. Why don't I like it this product?

For newbies, a guess is fine here but please take the time to read the whole website critically. No one is going to attack you....this thread is intended to teach by reading each others responses For more experienced members, PLEASE GIVE HINTS AND NOT ANSWERS. Here's the website. Freedom Filter: The Ultimate Saltwater Aquarium Filtration System - Freedom Aquarium

HINT: This product does Chemical, Mechanical, and Biological filtration and fails at all three. As a first step, I would define all 3 types of filtration.

 

Let me take the first crack at this one:
The first thing that comes to mind is "too good to be true." If it looks it, it probably is. When looking at the cutaway of the device, it looks like the vast majority of the water is just pumped, unfiltered, straight through the system. The water that is forced into the skimmer just sorta hangs around in the box until it is pushed out by new water. Ther seems to be no way the sponges actually do anything because no water is forced over them. When the "filtered" water leaves the box, it flows out at the back of the unit, probably just to get sucked right back up into it. It has such a hight flow rate because none of that moving water is getting filtered.
Or I could be way out over my skis.

 

Nope. You made some EXCELLENT points. I'm not going to say which ones yet because I want other people to chime in with their opinions. Keep following this thread.

 

Those fitler pads made me wonder as well. Seems to me that they would be the main source of the supposed biological filtration (ie the one place the beneficial bacteria could colonize to any useful extent). But if they were truly also working as a means of physical filtration (actually straining out larger pieces of waste, etc) they would have to be periodically removed and cleaned/replaced. That's not gonna make the bacteria colony real happy.
Also, I wouldn't like the idea of a piece of equipment that large inside my tank. (yes, I know my Remora prefilter is bulky, but this thing would be the size of my Remora, I think.) AND it's blue!
Am I close or am I just making stuff up...again...

 

Some very great points Pisces!!!

As before, I'm not going to offer much feedback on which points I like as I'm hoping a lot of newbies put their input in.

 

I sent off for the brochure- but when one of you buys one let me know what you think-

 

I'm definately NOT buying one of these. I would nominate this product for 3Reef's Worst Product of the Month.

I just found out that this product ranges from $200~$300 WITHOUT the magdrive pump. This info comes from a trustworthy person.

OK....I'll let out my opinion of what seems weird to me on the testimonial page (beyond the inflated "aquarium writer"). This product has licensed distributors (retailers). Almost all of the testimonials are from their distributors who are hoping to make money selling these units. Two of the happy customers didn't leave their last name. Additionally, does anyone want to know how many products advertise achieving the Brooklyn Aquarium Societies Seal of Approval. Just one....this one. "brooklyn aquarium society" seal of approval - Google Search

 

Excuse me for sounding like a negative nancy about all this, but it seems like the only point for this thread is to bash this product, and nothing more. Granted from what I'm reading and what you guys are pointing out, its a piece of junk, but you are just trying to shroud it all by calling it a "lesson." Might as well call a duck a duck and title this thread "Freedom Filter a hunk of junk" ......but then I guess my post doesnt have much of a point either.........................

 

You don't know me so I can understand why you're doubting my intentions. Frankly, that's a very good thing IMO. You are thinking critically and that's one thing that I hope this thread produces. I've moderated 4 forums and I have come right out and said, "Don't buy that piece of junk" thousands of times.

I'm trying something different here. I might fall right on my face or this might become a great thread that teaches people to think critically, to understand how Mechanical Filtration works, how Chemical Filtration Works, and how Biological Filtration works, and how to look at a supplement or piece of equipment and whether or not you should buy it. Only time will tell.

 

Ill just keep it short and sweet theres just not enough size to this unit to maintain the size tanks it claims. Surface area for bacteria is almost nonexistant and the skimmer has no where for good air interaction and how effective is 2tablespoons of carbon on a 300Gal tank?