Aquarium Pharmaceuticals has a new canister filter on the market that has some rather interesting features. Besides holding the typical filter media, the new API Nexx is a modular canister that can be expanded to increase the filtration capabilities and better meet the needs of your aquarium. On top of that, the pump has been removed from the filter and placed into the aquarium, doing away with any need to prime the system before use or after replacing filtration media. While we typically shy away from canister filters due to the fact that they typically become nitrate factories over the long run (for some reason hobbyists tend to “forget” to change the media”), the Nexx takes all of the fuss out of media changing. With the simple turn of a handle, the filter pulls right off of the base unit. The power doesn’t even have to be turned off, as the base unit keeps water flowing even when the filter is removed. After disconnecting the main portion of the filter, simply remove the lids on the two media chambers, replace the exhausted media and filters, and put the filter back onto the base unit. The Nexx canister will refill automatically and be back on the road to filtering the aquarium’s water in no time. The price for an API Nexx is approximately $80 online, and the extension kit will set you back another $60.
A video of this action can be seen after the page break.
Before jumping into the video, I wanted to take the time to share some first hand user experience with the Nexx filter that was sent to us by a local hobbyist. The individual works at a local fish store and informed us that their first API Nexx canister filter leaked almost right out of the box. The user immediately contacted API, who replaced the filter without question and almost instantly. The company also vowed to tear down the filter and find the problem, but we’ve yet to hear back from the hobbyist to see if the issue was ever discovered.
