OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster Thermo 250,Black

This is my first external canister-type aquarium filter and I'm very happy with my purchase. Going from a 10 gallon tank with various hanging filters (Tetra, Fluval, Marineland) to a larger (50? gallon) tank with a red-eared slider was a big difference for me. Turtles are very very messy, so I knew I had to make the change when putting him into a bigger tank. I was nervous at first but now that I've had this for several months, I am comfortable with disassembly for routine cleaning. About 3 months into use, it started getting louder and louder. After ruling out air in the lines, I figured it had to be the impeller, but getting to it requires removing a housing that was impossible for me. Cleaning the impeller is part of routine maintenance so I knew it was not only possible but necessary- I just couldn't get to it. My hubby had to use the provided tool along with a little man-handling. Now that it's been removed once, I am able to to do it myself from now on, but it was just that first-time I couldn't untighten its cover. Again, I'm very happy with my purchase as it is quite easy to clean (now that my husband has loosened all the fittings) and it keeps the water super clear. It doesn't leak, is completely silent (when maintained properly), and is pretty straightforward to setup and maintain. The only criticism I have is that there's no indicator for the heater - there's no light that it's on and working, and even if there was a light you wouldn't be able to see it since it's internal. So your only indication of a burned out heater would be cold water. This hasn't happened yet but is something I think about.

I LOVE IT! I've been using two of these Thermo 250's on my freshwater 55 gal, for 3 weeks+ now. The Thermo 250 cost a lil more than most canister filters, but has 2 great features that make it worth the extra price. 1: It comes with a built in heater which is great, because that's less clutter in your aquarium. 2: It has a pre-filter on the intake that can be pulled out and cleaned separately, so you don't have to always clean the whole canister, and you can keep that good bacteria growing in the main filter trays. 3: It comes with 4 trays to add media too. 4: It's super quiet, my 60 gal rated air pump is louder then both of my 250Ts combined, and the air pump really quiet. I have not had to do any maintenance in my first month of running and the water flow is still very strong in my heavily fish stocked/planted aquarium. I have to be honest though; I'm only using the coarse circular intake filter pads that came with it, because I upgraded just about everything else. I also added jardli glass water intake and glass water outtake for that kool less clutter look. This is because I did some serious research on the net and good ol youtube. After a long search on all types of aquarium filters ie.. hang on back, canister, sponge, under gravel and sup, I came across this Thermo 250 Canister from Oase. Now just about all if not every youtube video on it was from a none english speaking country. Then I seen this random video that said "pimpmyfilter". I clicked on it and some British guy named the "pondguru" was giving a demonstration on how to make the Thermo 600 model more efficient. After watching that video I was completely hooked/sold on his way of making the Thermo Canister filter more efficient. I didn't do the drilling though, cause it doesn't seem to be needed, the water flow is still very strong. With that being said I can't give an honest opinion on how good the filter media is that came with it like the meduim and fine pads and the ceramic balls. Because, I pimped out both of my Thermo 250s from start. I am using the original black fine pads for the prefilter, because they work the best for trapping muck and not letting it through to the main filter. No matter what type of filter you get whether it's this one or another model or brand, I highly highly recommend that you go on YouTube and type "pimpmy(filter name here)filter" ie pimpmyoasethermofilter, pimpmyfluvalfilter, pimpmywhateverfilter. I promise you that that will be the most helpful thing you ever did when it comes to searching for and aquarium filter. No-one on the internet that I've seen is doing anything remotely close to what that guy does to aquarium fliters. He didn't pay me or ask me to promote his channel. He'll probably never know that I'm promoting his work. I'm just giving him mad props because he deserves it. Watch and see, and I bet you'll come back looking for this review to say that it really helped you.

The Oase Thermo Biomaster 250 canister filter has truly impressed me with its performance and features. Here are the key points I found noteworthy: Design and Build Quality: The filter is well-constructed, featuring a sturdy design that feels durable. The compact size makes it easy to fit in tight spaces, especially in my cabinet. The integrated heater is a game-changer, eliminating the need for an additional heater in the aquarium. Ease of Installation: Setting up the Thermo Biomaster was straightforward. The user manual was clear, and all necessary parts were included. The quick-release valves make it easy to detach the filter for maintenance without creating a mess. Performance: This filter provides excellent water clarity and quality. The three-stage filtration system (mechanical, biological, and chemical) works effectively to keep my tank pristine. The adjustable flow rate allows for customization based on the needs of my aquarium, which is a nice touch. Though I keep the flow rate fully open. Heater Integration: Having a built-in heater is incredibly convenient. It maintains stable temperatures, which is essential for aquatic life. The heater is reliable and adjusts quickly to changes, ensuring a comfortable environment. Maintenance: Maintenance is a breeze with the easy-access filter media trays. I appreciate the reminder for maintenance intervals, which helps me stay on top of cleaning without guesswork. Noise Level: I found the noise level to be minimal, especially compared to some other filters I've used. Conclusion: Overall, the Oase Thermo Biomaster 250 is an outstanding canister filter that combines effective filtration with convenient heating. It’s perfect for aquarists looking for a reliable solution for their tanks. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their aquarium setup!

Let's get the negative out of the way first. When I received this, one of the rubber gaskets internally was torn, so I emailed Oase support with photos asking for a replacement gasket as I didn't want to return the entire product and hold up my aquarium build. I received the automatic confirmation email back, but never received an reply. After 2 weeks, I emailed again. They then promptly replied and said that the gasket was on back order and would not be available for another 4 months. They suggested I return it and get a new filter. I looked at it and didn't think it would cause any leakage, but thought it may lower the throughput of the filter. I chose to go with it and replace it at a later time at my own expense. Hopefully they won't make me purchase a new pre-filter assembly. The filter is working just fine. This made it a 4 star. If the gasket was good, I 100% would have given 5 stars... The only other thing I don't really like about the filter is the intake/output design. There are a few other cannister manufacturers out there that make the transition from hose to tank a bit nicer. The squarish fittings over the top of the tank are kind of floppy, only to have 1 suction cup on the output and 2 suction cups on the intake barely helping to hold it in place. This is compounded by the fairly stiff hose makes for a bit of a twisting bending moving activity to get everything to sit right on the tank. Don't get me wrong, it works, but I'm just saying it could be designed a little better. Now for the good. I pretty much like everything about the cannister. The pre-filter and ease of access. The integrated heater. The build quality and design. I did cut up one of the blue coarse filters to use on the pre-filter instead of using the finer sponge that came with it, but that's personal preference. Internally, I used the coarse filter on the bottom (1st media. Flow is bottom to top in the main part of the filter) the fine filter at the top and biomedia between them. Overall, I am extremely happy with this purchase and unless something catastrophic occurs, I will probably be using these exclusively in the future. I whole heartedly recommend this filter.

I purchased this OASE BioMaster Thermo 350 canister filter on Amazon Prime about a month ago for use with my new 32-gallon fresh water planted aquarium. This canister filter is beautifully designed and engineered in Germany, and built in Italy. This is a VERY high-quality piece of aquarium equipment with several excellent built-in features. I’ve owned aquariums for over 40 years and this is hands-down the BEST canister filter I’ve owned. The pump primer feature is powerful and effective, easy to use, and gets the filter up and operating almost immediately after applying power. The ability to shutoff and remove the 5/8” ID inlet and outlet hoses without spilling any water is an EXCELLENT FEATURE, as is the ability to remove and clean only the pre-filter. The stacking media trays are VERY easy to remove and clean, and allow the use of several different types of filter media. This unit was clearly designed by people familiar with aquarium equipment for people who use aquarium equipment! The built-in heater works great and keeps my aquarium rock-steady at the selected temperature. The pump motor is almost silent with virtually NO irritating vibration. The 5/8” ID hose supplied with the unit is tinted to hide algae and of excellent quality. I give this OASE BioMaster Thermo 350 canister filter my strongest recommendation. While not inexpensive, it works beautifully and is well worth the cost. Please see my photos.

Had this barely over a year and already looking to replace. I’ve had more issues with leaking with this thing than anything else I’ve ever owned that’s aquarium related and I’ve been in this hobby for 15+ years. The hose that comes with this thing is too stiff and literally pops off during maintenance - spraying water. I used a hair dryer to heat the hose and had to work its way on my inflow/outflow and I mean it was on there good. I could not pull it off. A few months later it’s like the hose stretched because it literally fell off during maintenance. It’s detached from the canister itself and the inflow/outflow. I contacted Oase support about it and they asked for photos and more details and then I heard nothing else from them. It has known issues with the seal and you have to be sure to apply silicone grease at every filter change/clean. The prefilter is nice but can also be a mess if you don’t detach the whole canister and put it in a bucket - and like what’s the point of a convenient prefilter if that’s the case? My last filter was a fluval that lasted 10 years until the seal started to wear out and I never put silicone on it. I’m already looking at going back because the constant anxiety of worrying about leaks with this thing is not worth it. Oh also! Do yourself and favor and look up replacement media. I had to order directly from Oase in a bundle because it was the only thing available and it was not cheap. I’m sure there’s alternatives but replacement media should be readily available.

This is the greatest aquarium filter ever! I’ve tried other styles and brands. I now own (3) of these. 1) the integrated heater is great and eliminates having it the tank 2) the pre-filter makes routine maintenance a dream to complete 3) the flow rate is fantastic 4) the ability to customize the media trays is a huge plus I run heavy planted and stocked tanks. The OASE filter exceeds my expectations!

This filter is fantastic! I own a fluval FX4 and it's a power house of a filter, but cleaning it is a major job. This filter with it's pre-filter clean out makes the maintenance so easy. The filter is made of real quality parts and materials. It was easy to setup and it is extremely quiet. There are other people who have said they are having problems with air bubbles. This is not the case here. Yes you do get some air purge after you do maintenance but it's all gone after a short period. If you follow the setup exactly, this filter will perform wonderfully. My FX4 purges more air bubbles than my Oase. Great product, highly recommended....