cannisters??? eheim vs others??

[bostonjon]

currently have aquaclear 300 on 30gal and aquaclear 500 on new cycling 90 gallon..worry about aquaclears and the fact that they need priming when power goes out and comes back on...i can see the day when 15 hours will go by with aquaclear running dry if they dont self prime(sometime they do but..).. know nothing about cannisters and brands etc...advice??

[RTR]

Eheims are the best engineered, best made, quietest canisters, and the most long-lasting. If you know that you are in the hobby indefinitely and not just for a year or two before you lose interest, then Eheims are likely to be the best long-term investment even though the initial purchase price is higher than the other brands. The operating costs are quite low.

I have many Eheims and would not consider any other external canister, as I have units which have been in daily use for well over 20 years without problems. The older units (Classics) are not as user-friendly as the newer ones (Pro), but are still my choice units. If I were starting over I'd be more likely to select the newer designs from the Pro series, but I have used the older ones long enough that I'm accustomed to them. Totally silent, very effective, and usable indefinitely - that is the kind of equipment I don't mind paying a bit more to get.

[Kagh't]

i've got the smaller eheim ecco and eheim pro 2 filters, and all i can say is wow.
if you looking for a self priming filter, the eccos and pro 2's are the best, both contain a priming mechanism that requires the most basic of effort (either pull a leaver or push a really big button). the filtration is also top knotch, but can put you back a bit.
eheim are generally more expensive that most other filters, but the price is definatly worth it.

[125gJoe]

For your size tank, the Filstar xP-3 would be nice. This is an excellent filter and the price is right! There are many options on setting up the "spray bar" and lots of room for different filter media. It's very quiet and easy to clean - and has handles which helps when you need to move it..


Link:
Rena Filstar (http://www.rena.net/cgi-bin/trans.pl/en/products/rena_range/rena_filstar_xp.shtml)

[jeffro426]

Cant really speak for eheim, but my Rena XP3 so far has been awesome! Setup is incredably easy and only took maybe 20 mins to get up and completly running. It was a little noisy the first day of opperation, maybe it was a break in period or maybe i had ait in the lines or something but it was gone pretty much silent now. Cleaning is a breeze and only takes a matter of minutes. I was going to get an Eheim but Forstersmith has a deal on the XP3s right now(89.00 bucks) so i couldnt resist and i couldnt be happier! Alot of people on here say if you dont want to spend the money for the eheim, the XP3 is the next best thing.

[JSchmidt]

Eheims are unmatched for quality and craftsmanship. Their price reflects it. Lots of folks have had Eheims running for decades...

The Professionel II line is nice, but I still get the Eheim Classics. They don't have the convenience features the Pro II's do, but they are excellent filters.

Jim

[anonapersona]

Originally posted by RTR
Eheims are the best engineered, best made, quietest canisters, and the most long-lasting. If you know that you are in the hobby indefinitely and not just for a year or two before you lose interest, then Eheims are likely to be the best long-term investment even though the initial purchase price is higher than the other brands. The operating costs are quite low.

I have many Eheims and would not consider any other external canister, as I have units which have been in daily use for well over 20 years without problems. The older units (Classics) are not as user-friendly as the newer ones (Pro), but are still my choice units. ..... Totally silent, very effective, and usable indefinitely - that is the kind of equipment I don't mind paying a bit more to get.

Yeah, what he said! But, owning some of each, Classic, Pro, Pro2, Ecco, I'd get the Classic next time -- I love simplicity and think it is the simplicity that will give you that 20 or 30 year life.

[RTR]

anonapersona - I suspect that you are correct, but we won't know that for sure for another decade + (I have forgotten when the first Pro came out).

For my routine use, the Classics are ideal - single medium and rarely opened. But that is not common usage. For more conventional all-in-one use, the Pro/Pro2 lines are far more user-friendly.

[JayCreek]

I used to use Aquaclears, and even Penguin (for the biowheel) but recently switched to Ehiem for my 48 gal tank. And I honestly wouldnt go back. The filtration is superb, and the simplicity of the Classic series has got to be a major selling point. Its also silent, and even has a warranty on noise. No other filter i've researched has that feature.
The origianl purchase price is a little bit more expensive than some of the others but the cost to maintain it is far less than most.
I've tried the rest, but Ehiems the best!

[NJ Devils Fan]

Can't speak for eheims, but the xP3 is terrific, very easy to use and works great.

[fuddmain]

Does anyone have any experience with Eheim Pros with the internal heating unit? Given Eheim's reputation I would expect it works like a champ, but I'd like confirmation. I would really like to get the heater out of my tank.

Also, the Eccos and Pros have an adjustable flow rate. Can somebody give me an estimate of the range of adjustment? Say, %30 - %100? I would like to get the largest canister I can for my 20H with the idea of using the same canister when I get a larger tank or waterbridge several tanks together.

Thanks.

~Brian

[Kagh't]

as long as you don't have large bits of debris going through the filter (like bits of plant e.t.c) constantly, then the pro heaters are great. the only problem i've ever heard of is that the lead isn't long enough.

as for the flow rates on the filters, you can adjust from p-100% flow rates, but to avoid undue strain on the motor, your range is usually 20-100%.

[fuddmain]

Thanks. As cool as it sounds I don't think I can bring myself to spend $200+ just to get the heater out of the tank. I keep having visions of my wife whacking me over the head with a frying pan when she sees the bill :D

I do have another question or two for the Eheim owners. It's my understanding that the Classic, Pro, and ProII all come with a spraybar, but the Ecco does not. Can someone confirm that? I also read somewhere that Eheim does not recommend a spraybar to be used with the Ecco. That seems strange. True?

I'm starting to suffer from analysis paralysis, but I think one of the Eheim Classics may work best for me. Time-tested simple design at a reasonable price. I also like RTR's technique of using the canister for bio only and putting the mechanical filtration in an easier to access place, so "user-friendliness" is less of an issue.

Thanks for the info.

~Brian

[JazzyB]

As I've said before, Eheims are the Mercedes Benz of filters. I had a slight problem with my new Eheim but it was quickly replaced with a new one by the technical service team.... at no cost!

They have A-1 customer service... both before and after purchase!