Canisters AGAIN!

[Raydee]

I am looking to get a new canister filter fr my 90 galom brackish tank and really I have narrowed it down to a Eheim pro 2 2028 or a Filstar XP3. Yesterday I was looking around and saw the ViaAqua 750 and it looked really good for the money...under $80. Does anybody use one of these? I know that the Eheim is a great filter but there are some things about them i don't like and if I spend over $200 on a filter it better be the last one I buy! Another bad thing with me buying the Eheim is that nobody around here sells paarts or media for them.

[Heady]

The Eheim 2028 costs $199 at BigAl's and includes media.

[125gJoe]

http://gordon.sourcecod.com/images/flagicons/american_flag.gif
The Filstar XP-3 is $95.00 and rated at 300 gph...

* Guaranteed self-priming system (unique " anti-airlock " system).
* Adaptable to all types of aquariums (spraybar and powerhead included).
* Extremely quiet.
* Efficient 3-step filtration guaranteed in a by pass-free construction.

Here's a link :
Rena Filstar Canisters (http://www.rena.net/us/rena_filtres_xp.html)

(I think Eheim is from our good ole German friends... ;) )

[Tyler718]

I would go with the Filstar. I have one and I'm really happy with it. A friend of mine is part owner of a lfs here in town. He told me once that a lot of people return the Aqua Via for problems, but I have no personal experience with them or the Ehiem.

Dave

[JSchmidt]

You will find very few people who have any experience with Eheims who will recommend anything else.

If you plan to be in the hobby for some time, Eheims are very cost efficient. They are durable, reliable, and terribly well constructed.

A perusal of fish boards will find a number of Fluval owners who love their filters and a lot who have had problems. A similar investigation of Eheim filters will find overwhelmingly positive experiences. ViaAqua hasn't been around long enough for anyone to know their track record. If you'd like to be one of the guinea pigs and report back to us, that would be helpful.... :)

Jim

[elgecko]

Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in seeing the above post about Fluvals. I own a Fluval and love it. :D Not 1 problem with this filter and I've had it over 2 years. Gets taken apart and new fiber filter added every month.

[aquatic-store]

ehiems are so simple to use, clean, start, prime, My best seller and very few questions ever regarding its use. It is also great as a co2 reactor where as the onther ones cannot work as one effectivly
marc
Http://www.Aquatic-store.com

Co2, Plants, Substrate, Filters, Heaters, UV and more

[Tightdog1]

well from my experience i think that the ehiems are the best money can buy, but you get what you pay for with them. which is a lot. i have never used a filstar or viaqua. i have a fluval 304 and i have never had any problems with it.

[RTR]

Well, I have one Eheim (air cooled) which makes noise, but it is well over 30 years old (maybe 34-35?). I quite have a number of Classics ranging from well over 20-25years old down to less than a year old - I replace the hoses at least ever 10 years, and have broken 4-5 impellers dropping them in the sink. I have a few of the new models, no issues to date.

Naturally, I would not consider buying any other brand. I've tested a few and given them away. They just are not Eheims. By life cycle costs, the cheapest units I've had.

[famman]

Ditto de Eeeeeee-HEIM!
I also think the classics are the best.
good luck
:)

[skeletalmachine]

Another vote for the classics. Cheeper that the pros, available in a wider range of sizes, no possibility of water bypassing the media and the same quality of any other eheim filter. I own both a Eheim 2215 and a fluval 304 and I can say hands down that the eheim is the superior filter.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by aquatic-store
ehiems are so simple to use, clean, start, prime, My best seller and very few questions ever regarding its use. ... ...Http://www.Aquatic-store.com

Co2, Plants, Substrate, Filters, Heaters, UV and more
http://gordon.sourcecod.com/images/flagicons/american_flag.gif
What are your store hours? I'd like to stop by and actually see an Eheim up close - and maybe even touch one! LOL... I've never seen them in a LFS. :D

[beviking]

I have handled an eheim (2028) and must say they seem to be very well made (whispers under his breath..."for that kind of $ they out to be...) and from accounts by users they seem to be the way to go.
I have an XP3 and love it. It's the only filter on my 90g tank. In my opinion (that sounds haughty!) rather, my 2cents is for the $, the filstar is hard to beat!

...he sees an opening...RTR wrote it...he takes a shot...

...let's hope the old adage "they don't make 'em like they use to" isn't true for Eheims;)


sheepishly edits post as he realizes he handled the pro II, not classic...

[skeletalmachine]

I find the Eheim classics are competitively priced with the filstar and fluval filters, especially considering the quality of the filters. At my LFS they convinced me to buy an Eheim instead of a Fluval. The manager claimed that he was no longer going to carry the fluval filters as he was getting so many complaints about them breaking and was constantly selling replacement parts for them. When I was reluctant to spend the extra 40 dollars for the Eheim he offered to sell it to me at the same price as the Fluval as he just didn't want to sell a Fluval to anyone. I've noticed that on the american big als site the price difference is even smaller between the classics and the filstar/fluvals.

[CJhearsu]

I noticed Aquatic-Store's post concerning Eheims as a good CO2 reactor, and hope I can get an answer to my question. I just bought an Eheim 2213 Classic and set up a DIY yeast-based CO2 generator. I fed the CO2 airline to the basket on the Eheim's intake tube. My generator is producing LOTS of CO2 (1 bubble every two seconds, but that may slow down, of course). What is happening is that the CO2 gas is being trapped in the filter media that came with the Eheim, then every few minutes, the CO2 builds up enough that the canister has to release it, causing a rush of CO2 bubbles into the output tube/spray bar. I'm not sure that any of the CO2 is actually being dissolved, and I'm also concerned that this all-at-once release of the gas is going to damage the impeller. It certainly causes the Eheim to produce some noise.

Any and all input will be greatly appreciated, as this is my first aquarium in many years, and I'm trying to do this right the first time (but on a budget!)

Thank you,

CJ

[jeffro426]

The eheims are great but for the money i dont think you can beat the XP3...their SUPER simple to clean and everything comes out in nice, neat baskets...their quiet, and so far have been extremely reliable. I have no doubt in my mind that the eheims work great, but i would much rather pay less than half the price for something that does the job just as well...and if mine is broken in 20-30 years, then maybe ill consider an eheim.