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If you have seen my best canister filter review post, you know that I’m a big fan of European filters. Knowing this, you can tell how my excitement was when I got the word that Aquael was coming to the US. I just had to do an Aquael Multikani 800 review.
From the Dutch Aquascape to the Dutch Reefing system to legendary manufacturers like Eheim, Europe has filled our hobby with quality and innovation. Aquael is a company that has been in the industry for over 40 years. They specialize in aquarium products, and their experience shows. The Aquael Multikani 800 filter is designed to be very versatile and work well with tanks of all sizes. It’s also easy to set up, maintain, and use! Read on below for our full review on this product.
In this post, I will dive into how the Multikani has a unique place in the Canister Filter space and how this Polish manufacturer is making a name for itself. Let’s get started!
In this review, will go over the following:
- Features
- Craftsmanship
- Ease of Use
- Value for Money
- Product Support
- Price
In a hurry? I recommend purchasing the AquaEl MultiKani from Amazon
Aquael Multikani 800 Features
The Aquael Multikani 800 has a compact size that makes it perfect for smaller tanks. The biggest feature is its ability to expand with its expandable chambers. You can add up to 8 additional cambers by purchasing expansion packs from Aquael. It’s really easy to achieve crystal clear aquarium water with this filter by expanding and customizating the filtration cartridges .
Multikani Expansions
The Aquael Multikani 800 has 4 different expansion cartridges you can order. The four types are:
- ZeoMAX Plus
- Carbo Max Plus
- BioCeraMax Pro
- PhosMAX Basic
While all of these will serve a purpose in a freshwater aquarium, personally I would prefer to add my own media. I’ll get into that later. For what Aquael offers stock, I would say the BioCeraMax and Carbo Max chemical filtration are the best cartridges to purchase. All the expansion cartridges are reusable.
The filter has a level to adjust to have different levels of flow, which you adjust by sliding the level. The first level is for gentle to moderate water movement, while the furthest is more aggressive.
Child Proof Lock
The Multikani is opened and locked with a special plastic key as showed in the above picture. This key is removable and can be stored safely making this one of the few truly child proof aquarium filters on the market. A huge plus for parents!
External Pump
The Aquael external pump is rated for 210 gallons per hour and can be hooked up outside of the canister filter. This allows you to clean the filer while having the pump still circulate your aquarium water!
This is not the first time I’ve been impressed with Aquael products. This is not the first time I’ve been impressed with Aquael products. After all, I did review the Cobalt EXT. The EXT is actually manufactured by Aquael. I just did not know that at the time. They also make the Cobalt Neo-Therm, one of the best aquarium heaters on the market.
Craftsmanship
Aquael has been in the industry for over 35 years, and their experience is evident in the quality of their products. They have over 600 employees all over the world, and every 15 seconds, someone in the world purchases a heater manufactured by them. They have two factories both in Europe and sell in over 100 countries
As you can see, Aquael is a high quality manufacturer. The Multikani is no exception to their standard. There is no cheap plastic feeling with this canister filter. Aquael backs their filter with a 2-year warranty. This puts them above the cheaper filters like the SunSun and less than the OASE and Fluval. They are definitely positioning themselves as a value based brand.
800 Value For Money
When it comes to value, I feel the the Multikani has positioned itself as the top budget option buy when it comes to canister filters. It compares best with the SunSun filter. While the SunSun is a bigger filter, it is also more expensive and has been knowing for having quality control issues.
The Multikani in comparison, has a lower price point and can expand it over time. While it can do up to 8 cartridges, I don’t feel you won’t need more than 3 or 4 paired with the pump it comes with. You can expand it to 3 cartridges and still be under $100 for a high quality canister filter. Given it’s not built cheap and has a quality manufacturer making it, I’m really happy with this product.
800 Ease of Use
I found the Aquael not as intuitive as other canister filters I have worked with. It is a unique filter after all. The biggest thing I had to get over was how durable the equipment is. At first, I was concerned about breaking the key that locks and unlocks the filter. The plastic is heavy duty. I thought that it was going to be delicate due to the price point.
The instructions are actually easy to follow, it’s just that the pictures are tiny. I provided a screenshot below of the configurations and the copy of the instructions below for easy reference.
It was really easy to get it installed in the tank. The unit does not have a self priming feature, so you will need to prime it the old school way. It makes sense that this filter would have this feature given the size of it. To prime, you will need to suck on the tube to deliver water to the pump. It is an old fashion way of setting up a canister these days, but since the filter can keep pumping even when you are cleaning it, you technically will only need to do this once.
Product Support
Aquael is new to the US Market. Knowing this, we know that product support is going to be limited as there is not a big user base. If you are purchasing from one of their resellers like Cobalt, you should be in pretty good hands as Cobalt has great customer service. The same can be said with Amazon since Amazon is willing to work with the buyers.
One of Aquael’s biggest criticism is the lack of email support. For phone support though, their service is great. The same can be said if you purchase the product at an LFS in the UK. I imagine Aquael will have similar service in the US with LFS. The only service number they have at the time of this article is (22) 644 76 16 int. 1138. It’s an international number, but they speak english. They should have a US number in the future as they expand distribution.
Multikani Price
I find Aquael’s products in between the prices of premium sellers like OASE and discount sellers like SunSun. For the Multikani, you will spend slightly less than the SunSun, but the filter will be small and the output will be as well. This places the Multikani in slower flowing smaller tanks. For a have flow and filtration heavy setup like a African Cichlid tank, I would recommend looking into an OASE or stepping up to their UltraMax filter.
This canister filter fits really well in aquariums 40 gallons and under. It is super quiet and can be expanded. Anything larger, I would recommend stepping up to a bigger capacity and higher flow canister. I think it’s probably the best filter you can buy that will work with larger betta fish tank setups and other setups that require lower flow. It’s also great for turtle tanks and shallow water tank setups.
Aquael vs Oase vs Fluval
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – how does Aquael compared to the established European players in the market. All these brands and filters will produce crystal clear aquarium water, but there are differences between the brands that I will explain below.
Aquael vs Oase
Versus Oase, the Aquael offers a lower price. The best comparable filter in OASE’s line up would be the Filtosmart 60 or 100. You will need to add an expansion cartridge to make the Multikani comparable to it. With that, I find the Multikani better than the Filtosmart. You do not have to take out the entire unit to clean it out.
Another issue with the Filtosmart is the filtration confriguration. It’s in the wrong order. The Multikani is simple, it works from the top down so you just need to place all your mechanical filtration at the top to get the cleanest water in the biological chambers. The Multikani is cheaper, easier to use, and more convenient than the OASE.
Aquael vs Fluval
The Aquael Multikani is best compared to the Fluval 107. The Fluval has bigger filtration capacity, a higher flow rate, and a higher price tag. The Aquael offers a more compact size, cheaper price. Between the two, the Fluval canister filter definitely has an edge, but at a higher price tag.
If your focus is on cost, I would go with the Multikani for a smaller tank. If your focus is on features, I would look at the Fluval 107 instead. The fluval is more suited for traditional community tanks while the Multikani is best suited for low flow setups.
Closing Thoughts
The Multikani a great option for small tanks or setups that require a lower flow rate. The filter comes with everything you need to get started- including tubing, fittings, and media. It’s also easy to install and maintain without any special tools or training required! Aquael is a trusted brand for all your aquarium needs, and the Multikani filter provides an excellent value. Click here to purchase this item from a trusted retailer today.
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I’m thrilled that you found Aquarium Store Depot! Here you’ll find information on fish, aquariums, and all things aquatics related. I’m a hobbyist (being doing this since I was 11) and here to help other hobbyists thrive with their aquariums! I adhere to a high quality Editorial Process and Review products with real life field usage and practical analysis.
