Provide clean, healthy water to the pets in your aquarium with help from this canister filter that features a large media capacity and strong flow rates for efficient and effective cleaning. The self-priming design makes maintenance simple.

Overall rating:

4.5

(76 reviews) 71

64 of 76(84%)customers recommend this product.

Reviews for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Review 1 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Featured
We really liked this!
Featured

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Rena Filstar XP3

March 10, 2007

by paulkk

fromMetro Detroit, MI

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

I have this XP3 running on a 29 gallon euro tank as a South American Rain Forest Blackwater setup. Standard foam media and bio-chem zorb that came with the unit....add ons: One package of Rena Biostars, and 1 16 ounce bag of peat and ketapang leaf.... I have six pygocentrus nattereris (red belly piranha) and the water is flawless with a brilliant yellow hue from the peat and ketapang leaf. I feed the piranhas a mixture of live feeders, frozen brine shrimp, frozen beef heart, filet mignon, wild salmon, red snapper, ahi tuna, etc. They are really messy eaters but within 5-10 minutes the Filstar picks up all of the excess. The media baskets are so spacious that the sky is the limit when it comes to filter media. If you know what a canister filter is, then you have all the smarts to set this up..it took about 15 minutes and is silent . 5 stars.

+9points

10of 11voted this as helpful.

Review 2 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Featured
We really liked this!
Featured

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Crystal clear water!

August 25, 2006

by ManeG

fromTRC, WA

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

Very easy to install and prime; keeps water crystal clear and clean; a must-have for every aquarium owner.

+2points

3of 4voted this as helpful.

Review 3 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quiet and Efficient

February 25, 2013

by Lewisberry

fromLewisberry, Pa

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Good flow rate. Unit is quiet and efficient. Its easy to clean.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 4 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

February 25, 2013

by susan1378

fromillinois

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

This has to be the best filter I ever used. Quiet so easy to set up my four year old helped. If it broke tomorrow i would run and get another. My water is crystal clear, from top to bottom. I have 150 gallon, I use the large up to 175 gallon. Your not spending a ton of money on filters, just using the chem stars and pouches. took me less them 30 mins to do a 30% water change. not that the tank looked bad just monthly maintance

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 5 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Filstar XP

January 23, 2013

by Kellimomof3

fromIndiana

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

I bought this from filstar xp from petsmart and I could not be happier. I use this in a saltwater tank and it has worked so well on keeping my tank clean and I like the fact that I do not have to hang a filter from the side of my tank. My fish are doing great with this system and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of fish tanks or already has one and is looking. Thank you petsmart for your advice and help you gave me in finding a great filter system that works great.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 6 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

I would recommend this product

August 28, 2012

by vinersfreshwaterfishies

fromOttawa, Ont

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

I have been operating my XP2 for four (4) years now without incident. I have replaced the O ring once in that time, as a result of carelessness on my part.

With correct filter maintenance, this product has never once broken down or stopped working in the four years I have owned and operated it.

+2points

2of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 7 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Buying another one for tank #2 in the next week!

July 31, 2012

by Colesquarters

fromRochester, MN

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Lucked out when our area PetsMart had the xp2 on clearance for $39.99, figured it was worth a shot for our 36 gallon we were setting up... We love it- crystal clear water, easy to clean, and assemble, and I find myself cleaning the tank every 6-8 weeks and usually that's because the water is getting lower not because its cloudy. Fish are healthy and we have yet to do a water check without perfect results (we use regular tap water with the Tetra Aquasafe drops). We are setting up a 90 gallon and plan on getting the xp3. Upon reading I found out I was supposed to replace carbon, pads, etc every 1-3 months. Its been 8 months and our water is still crystal clear. We are beyond happy with this filter and recommend it to anyone including beginners.

+3points

3of 3voted this as helpful.

Review 8 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

dependable unit

July 19, 2012

by nata2

fromEau Claire Wi

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

i currently have 3 XP3 and 1 XP2 running on my 125 gallon tanks. The water is crystal clear. Easy set up, once its primed it will stay that way with their quick disconnect tubes. It is made of plastic but durable and dependable. I love the fact that you can add or subtract media as you need it. The beneficial bacteria is alive and well inside the filter. I won't use any other canister filter.

+2points

2of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 9 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Excellent Product

June 11, 2011

by warlord

fromCharleston West Virginia

What is your gender?M

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

I purchased the X2 for my 75 Gallon tank, replacing 2 Marineland hanging units and could not be more happy..The unit is super quiet, a barely detectable Hum is heard when the cabinet doors are closed...The 2 Marineland hanging units did a great job keeping the water clear but were a bit on the noisy side and filthy looking so they had to go..Installation of the X2 was simple and straight forward and it took only 20 minutes.
The hoses are a very snug to install so make sure you put just a touch of petroleum jelly on each of the connections and your job is much easier..Comes with all the basket media you need but I will probably purchase a few more Biostars to go in one of the baskets..Priming the unit was simple, just let it fill up with water for two minutes and then plug it in..Mine took right off with excellent water flow..The tank is crystal clear and no leaks at all from any of the connections or the unit itself..
And as I said its sooooo quiet ..Wow!!!!! Highly recommend this Filter, and the price is very affordable...wish I had purchased it a long time ago....for the price you can't go wrong..

Pros: easy to clean, easy to install, works great

+2points

2of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 10 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

3 / 5 76 reviews

Poor Quality

January 18, 2011

by cichlid2011

fromTaylor, BC

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?First time

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

overall its a o product, but i was not happy when water was pooring into the motor housing and out on the floor through the power cord.

the construction of the top lid where the quick disconect comes off needs to be improved. Water is allowed to bypass the O-Rings when outlet nossels are rotated. It can be fixed with a bit of silicon, but for the price you shouldn't have to fix anything yourself.

Also i had the fitting from the spray bar fall out.

Pros: good filtration

Cons: poor lid constrution

-2points

0of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 11 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Rena Filter for Turtle.

December 27, 2010

by trevieze

fromPerry, MI

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

Bought this filter for my sons turtle tank. This is the best filter I've ever bought. Just lift the lever to disconnect the hoses from the filter and take it to the sink and clean it there. There is no mess or water all over the place. Once done just plug the hoses back in and prime the return hose and your done.

Pros: awesome

Cons: none at this moment

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 12 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Doing it's job very well

September 3, 2010

by Javious

fromUpstate, NY

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?2

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 76 reviews

I purchased the XP2 model to replace the HoB Aqueon 20 that came with my 26 gallon tank. The included filter kept the water pretty clear, but after 3 weeks had not grown enough bacteria to process ammonia into any detectable amount of nitrite. After much research I chose the Rena Filstar XP2, it's flow rate should be enough to cycle the water over 11 times per hour which is massive overkill but I wanted the 2 media baskets. I added 2 more of the black 30 media to the bottom basket and purchased a package of the ceramic bio rings to add to the top basket. The include 8 bio stars seemed lost in the basket by themselves. After 1 week I am now measuring low levels of Nitrites. I attribute much of this progress to the new filter and the loads of room for bio stars/rings.

Two things during set up that I felt could be improved are that the flip up handle to close the valves and remove the hoses from the canister is very stiff. This could have been addressed in the directions, I felt that mine was damaged or defective for quite a while. The second is that the hoses are very challenging to get pushed onto the barbed parts. I was very concerned that I might break the suction or return plastic tubes during this process.

The video here is helpful and I wish I had seen it before I purchased and assembled mine! The filter is very quiet except when priming or start up after a water change. I installed the flow control valve before the spray bar and am glad I did, when it is all the way open the current is a bit much for my Gouramis.

I'd buy one again if I had room for another tank.

Pros: quiet, well built

Cons: a couple of tough spots during assembly, 50% increase in cost to get a second media basket

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 13 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

XP1 w/ 20 Gal Tank. Silent & works!

August 29, 2010

by SPL15

fromWest Michigan

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?2

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

Using this filter on a 20 Gal tank to raise a few koi to put in my pond next spring.

Setup is straight forward. I'm impressed with the amount/size of the tubing & output options that come with the unit. More expensive units in the same price range didnt include this. Also I'm happy that the box lists expected real world output after filtering in addition to the more common unrealistic unloaded Pump flow rate.

Also the canister does a great job of catching debris before it enters the filtering. I removed my under gravel filter to install the xp1 & it kicked up massive amounts of debris which mostly has settled in the canister without entering the filtering media (such as advertised). Also this space beneath the trays is a great place to stick used filter to seed a new tank or to seed a new filter for future use.

I've only had it a short while so I can't comment on long term reliability. But build quality seams pretty good for the money. It did have a trickle leak when first set up (one drop out of a corner per minute), however this has been eliminated by reseating the top. This is the only real concen I have.

Instead of the carbon pack & star thingies. I just use layers of filter floss in the media bin & stuck the 4 (probably worthless) star thingies in the bottom. I also added a little bit of Zeolite to the bottom in the canister part to absorb a little ammonia while the tank cycles.

I really like the fact that the unit is more wide than other units in the same capacity category that are tall. This helps reduce the water velocity through the media which is good because duration time in the media has a great effect of filter efficiency. Also it makes it shorter so it fits in the space I have.

It does have a very tiny bypass on the media tray top, but it is very small (1/8" Square Hole). Oh yea, it is very quiet & VERY VERY easy to clean.

Definitely recommend & will buy again for my next tank! This unit was well thought out during engineering phase & it shows.

Pros: quiet user friendly output flexibility, quality tubing

Cons: top seal may be finicky, the unit says it draws 18 watts not 13w

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 14 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Great product

August 17, 2010

by JP19937

fromWashington

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 76 reviews

I purchased the XP3 for my 120g tank to compliment the magnum 350 that I already had and can tell you this is a powerful long lasting filter. It's been going strong for almost 6 years now and it can go months in between cleanings. I originally bought it because I raised my small koi in the tank before they went out into the pond and koi are extremely dirty fish and I've never had problems even though it's not rated for the tank I have. I recently found after cleaning the filter that it began to leak from the top pump housing but turned out to be operator error as one of the basket dividers had popped out not allowing it to seat properly.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 15 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Works amazing!

April 8, 2010

by Raven23

fromOntario Canada

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 76 reviews

I have the Rena XP 3 for my 65 gallon turtle tank. There is about 50 gallons of water in the tank and this works perfectly to keep it very clean. I had a few problems getting it to prime. Every time I take it apart to clean I have to try a few times to get it to prime but onces it catches it works flawlessly. I wish it came with a few extra clips for the intake and outtake as I have broken a couple (my own fault, not a quality thing) I have had this filter running for almost 3 years now. It does handle heavy cleaning very well. As I said this is for a turtle tank, turtles are quite messy and this filter cleans the tank perfectly. I also love all of the filter media options. I have tried several different variations of media in the filter but have finally figured out the perfect mix for my needs. I love that it has so many baskets so I have pleanty of room for the media.
Thanks Rena for making such an excellent product.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 16 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Best Filter Ever!

March 4, 2010

by teacher7712

fromSilver Spring MD

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?4

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

This is the greatest filter I have ever owned. I teach middle school and have an aquatic turtle in my room. If you know anything about turtles, you know that their tanks get rather dirty very quickly. I used to have to change the water in my tank every week, but now with the RENA CANISTER, I have to change it every 6-8 months and I have never replaced any of the filter cartridges. I have just rinsed them out and reused them.. I have done this for a year and only now am I replacing the components with new ones. It is so easy to clean and just the best thing I have ever owned. I love it!

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 17 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

2 / 5 76 reviews

XP3

February 18, 2010

by AMDC

fromMONMOUTH, IL

Performance

2 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

2 / 5 76 reviews

I have the rena xp3 and had it for about a weeke then added some extra filter media. When I hooked it back up by the next morning it was leaking. I adjusted it everyway I could and still couldnt get it to stop. I had to get some plummers grease to put around the o-rings and still have had some problems if the hoses are not in exactly the right place.

Pros: filtration works good plus ample place for media.

Cons: quick valve disconnect is cheap as leaks.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 18 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

1 / 5 76 reviews

DO NOT BUY THIS FILTER.

December 18, 2009

by JCMI

fromMichigan

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

4 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 76 reviews

I recently purchased this filter for my stingray breeding tank to compliment a few sponge filters also being used.
After 2 weeks, the impeller had broken and I had to replace that. 2 weeks later, the motor stopped pumping even and was just heating water inside of it.
About a week later I fixed that problem, and the whole thing JUST STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TOP.
I don't know how other people got off with good reviews on this filter, you couldn't PAY me to use another Rena canister filter. I'm extremely upset with this product.

Pros: pretty easy setup, pleasant looking, ran well when it actually did it's job, quiet

Cons: do, not, buy, seriously., weak build fell apart very soon after purchase.

-1point

0of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 19 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Rena XP3 is byfar the best filter i have eva had..

September 9, 2009

by Salparmar

fromAtlanta, GA

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 76 reviews

I use to have a 29gal fresh water tank and used a lot of different kinds of hang on filters.. had a lot of issue where the water got cloudy, the water kept pouring out from the intake side of it, Now since i m moving from 29gal to 75gal Aquarium i thought of breaking down my pockets & buying a canister filter, did a lot of research & bought this XP3 Canister FilStar filter, it was just to easy to install it & started using it in no time. I had guest ova from India & they saw the Aquarium & asked is there water in it, no jokes thas how clear the water is.. i love this filter, i cant stop talkin abt this filter thas how good it really is.. I would recommend to everyone who is thinking abt getting a filter to setup a New Aquarium or for an Existing Aquarium.. Aquarium water is soooo crystal clear that u cant tell if there is any water in it.. I will give this filter 100 Stars if i could..

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 20 for API(r) FILSTAR xP Canister Filter

Overall rating

5 / 5 76 reviews

Crystal Clear, "Polished" Water

August 18, 2009

by ZooMom65

fromIndiana

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 76 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 76 reviews

Ease of Use

3 / 5 76 reviews

Visitors to the house say if they didn't know better, they would think there wasn't any water in the tank at all.

I have a Rena filter (Filstar XP 4) on my 125 gal community tank. This is a very reliable and forgiving filter, IF you make regular water changes and maintain a reasonable and well-chosen bio-load.

As long as water changes are regular, between 15-20% a week, even if I neglect to change some of the media as often as I should (it takes a lot more time and effort to change out media than with the Penguin Bio-Wheel filters that I have on my other 3 tanks) and occasionally skip siphoning the gravel, the water stays crystal clear, the plants and ornaments algae-free and I have healthy, parasite and disease-free fish/aquarium, with only two small rubber-lip plecos to do cleanup duty.

Despite it's size, it's very quiet and unobtrusive.

Pros: water so clean you think there isn't any in there

Cons: plan a little more time for filter maintenance

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

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