should I get eheim 2217? Confused...

AC110's

FastFly67 said:
Here's my 2 cents to add in the mix. I've had just about every type of filter from in tank, HOB, canisters. I currently have an eheim 2217, a mag 350, a hot mag, multiple penn plax cascades and a marineland C-series.
eheim pros
-widely used and therefor great customer service and replacement parts readily available.
-larger size canister so you can stack lots of media in there depending on what you need.
-quiet
-seems to have good flow although i've only used a spray bar.
-intake is loooong out of the box so (if you have a sandy botoom) fish poop isn't there for long
-basically no bypass since water is in thru the bottom, out thru the top so it needs to travel thru ALL your media
-has quick disconnects
eheims cons
-no media baskets with makes it a pain in the butt to pull out/seperate/clean and/or refresh media and then load in back in
-it's a pain in the butt to prime as there is no "prime" buttom to start the water flow/vacuum
-no type of handle so you do have to bear hug it out from underneath the stand to clean it
mag 350 pro
-you can have the micron cartidge for water polishing or the media "basket" for regular filtration
-GREAT flow
-very easy to clean
-easily replaceable parts (and relatively inexpensive)
-it has a handle!
-unlike a lot of canister filters, it can be turned on/off without having to unplug it
-quick disconnects
mag350 cons
-very small media "basket" basically no room for bio balls, ceramic rings, purigen or zeocarb or anything else. to me it's like you can really only run 1 type of media (and of course you have the outer sleeve)
-need 1 if not 2 tube extenders to get the intake down close to the bottom
-if you're not careful and get some grits of sand in the bottom by the impeller, you can "drill" a hole thru the impellar well
-no "prime" button
marineland c series pros
-between 3-6? different baskets for customizable media (# depends on model)
-there's a prime button!
-very quiet
-quick disconnects
-handle for easy transport (except on the 5** iirc)
-GREAT flow
-easy replacement parts/great customer service
marineland cons
-no on/off switch
-possibility of bypass (although not much because the baskets seem incredibly snug)
cascade pros
-relatively same design as the marineland c-series although not as high grade materials
-large multiple baskets for customizable media)
-handle
-prime button
-good flow
-comes with spray bar and nozzle
-deep intake tube
cascade cons
-poor customer service (I had a housing crack on me and could never get ahold of anyone or find anywhere to purchase a new one. it was my fault, i accidentally dropped it)
-possibility of bypass (same as the c-series)

i recently got some fluvals with a tank i purchsed. just looking at them and putting them together with the media, they seem incredible efficient although i'm not really enjoying the way the hoses connect to the canister itself. seem somewhat flimy and VERY highly breakable for the amount of pressure you need to get it to "lock"

for a tank your size, i would recommend going with two filters. if one goes bust, you have a backup. plus you can switch off cleaning them so you never have a mini-cycle if you clean one "too well" also offers better flow as you could position them on different sides of the tank. IMHO you can never have TOO much filtration. Everyone has their own favorite or thinks they're gurus on the subject when it all comes down to personal experience. What might be a con for me wouldn't matter to anyone else. I hope I've helped a little bit. I was just as confused when I started with canisters but now I know what *I* look for in a canister. If there's any questions about any of the ones I've used, please ask!
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If I may add my 2cents (or with inflation my 50cents!), I recommend using 2 AC110's one on each side but one DIY by extending the intake tube with pvc to the bottom ending in a tee for more efficient powerful bottom filtration. plus you can't beat the performance/water flow & ease of maintenance for the value/price point of AC's vs. other HOB's & canisters. plus add a sponge filter & you would be all set.

www.kensfish.com

you save money in the short & long run (which I am sure you can spend on other stuff - fish/meds/equipment, etc!!).

oh also run out to walmart & buy a large bag of wally polly for just a few bucks!

I run a 72g BF with 14 discus & they seem to be all happy with my set up (but of course I have to maintain my w/c's). I alternately clean each unit every 3weeks. & I have hi bio load with them eating lots of frozen brine & blood worms & beef heart.

good luck.

(p.s. I despise canisters - had a fluval - hated the maintenance & also worst, the crud that gets caught in the coiled part of the tubes that gets back washed when you start up again & hi-cost to buy)
 
Indeed fastfly I agree wholeheartedly. From what I have seen/read many of the parts used in the sunsun canisters are interchangeable with the Marienland C-series. There has even been some speculation as to weather or not Marineland has sold sunsun all the rights to their design to produce for a cheaper market. I have even heard that sunsun actually owns marineland or vice/versa. They seem to have a pretty well put together website but it looks like replacment parts are ordered through individual distributors.

The website looks well put together. http://www.sunsun-china.com/en/Company/Company_Browse.aspx?id=1. In their "sample room" are the links to the different typse of products they produce.

From everything I've read they are a popular, well established company in China. As far as long term testimonials, I'm afraid up to a year is about all I've heard. I don't know how much longer they've been on the market, but I have heard very few, if any, negative reviews of the product. The worst I've heard was a handle on a media basket breaking due to how tight they fit. Also happens on the higher priced models. Also a few times there has been issues of faulty products when recieved before ever operating. However, these issues seem to have been resolved very quickly by the individual distributors. Gonna be a learning expierience.
 
katana1200 said:
I have actually decided to go with the sunsun route. I will refer to gunners excelent posts and reviews here.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214525&highlight=sunsun

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2

For the price I don't think they can be beat. That being said, I have yet to actually order mine, but as a first time cannister user I am going to take a small gamble with a lesser known company. All the research I have done outside this website has been positive. They are a legit. company that is producing a quality product for less money.
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Good choice for those wanting a inline basket filtration. You just cant beat the value and at $43 the cost of a new impeller on an Eheim you get a filter that performs every bit as well and actually much better then the old Fluval 404 design, king of the bypass filters, I know cause I own 2.
As most of you know I'm partial to circumference technology when it come to filtration and its superior design is unquestionable as evident in every industrial and commercial application, but if you must chose a shuttle over a Star-ship the SunSun 302 at $43 is your very best overall buy.

However the Enterprise beckons (FX5) as she is the fastest ship in the circumference fleet followed by Ocean Clear, Magnum 350, and Magnum 250, these are like the formula race cars of the canister world, everything else ( basket canisters) is simply out classed IMO.

But I also own a SunSun 302 and for the price I love its looks, its large format baskets, its none bypass design, and it's very good performance for keeping a 50-60 tank clean, as basket technology goes. Again how can you beat that price and as far as parts, they are readily available becasue this line has been around now for 6 years.
 
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Cory Keeper said:
Just cause they are good doesn't mean I'd trust just to a 150g tank.
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Where do you keep coming up with a 150 gallon tank?

Not having baskets is not an issue with a 2217.The pads do not need baskets.The efimech sits in the bottom,and if it needs to be cleaned,it can easily be cleaned out in the bottom of the filter.And the efisubstrate goes in a meida bag.So,no reason for baskets.And no bypass.Having baskets is overated.I have Eheims with baskets and ones without.Not having them is better IMO.
 
my say... choose your price range then choose your filter.
consider amperage as your first point on price followed by purchase then parts prices and availability. chances are that's what's going to cost you in order of most to least investment. if you plan on using the original filter media that cost should be considered also and will fall into either first or second place in your cost assessment.

if you are impaired in one way or another take that into consideration. for instance dragging a large canister out from under a cabinet might be a challenge for a small woman. one without a handle would be even more so. separating the lines on a canister might be a challenge for someone with smaller delicate hands.

someone without a little understanding and some ingenuity should not own a sump. same goes for someone who's looking to put a tank in their room who might be a very light sleeper. with the exception of splashing water possibly being soothing.

for ease of use an hob can't be beat but unless you want to take measures to hide them they'll be visible on the back of your tank. imo that takes away from total looks but some may disagree. they should be a lot easier to maintain and fix also since you shouldn't have to disassemble much to get to parts too.

if you are living on a budget and are clever and good with your hands you can make a much smaller filter do a job it's far from made for. for instance i have a fluval 1 plus filtering a 30 gallon tank with nothing other than an air pump assisting and it's doing a great job. i cut a piece of micron pad and flapped it over the intake holes in a strip and cut 2 pieces of filter blocks to fit just over that and my water stays surprisingly clear and within target ranges.

to keep your electric bill down you can do a couple things and by doing so you can use a smaller filter provided the intake and output are placed accordingly for proper circulation. adding ways to increase bio and mechanical area can go a long way. for instance plumbing in a fluidized bed will increase filtering capacity tremendously without adding onto your electric bill.

in short why buy an acura nsx when your budget will provide a great life in a honda civic that you can afford to customize and make your very own.

i've said it before and will probably say it again... why buy one high dollar filter for +/- $200 when you can buy 5 sunsun's for the same price? i don't know but i'm pretty sure 5 filters will usually outlast 1 almost regardless of manufacturer.
 
Are the canister filters really that heavy? I need to use that gym membership!! Thank you sooo much everyone for your input. I keep going back and forth in my mind... Would 2 Aqua Clear 110 and circulation pumps do the job on a 75 gallons? (I changed my mind on the size after I went and saw them in person today....)

Still unsure of what to do, but luckily, time is on my side!
 
Go test lift a few different canisters next time you're at a pet shop. And then remember 1g of water weights 8 lbs. The smallest canisters will hold probably 2 gallons if not more. The bigger the canister, the more water it holds. ;)
 
I've got that same filter (Eheim 2217) on my 75 gal and it does a great job. I do have a backup HOB filter on there too, but that was more for my peace of mind in the event that something goes wrong with the 2217 than anything else. The 2217 has a LOT of power - it can whip things around the tank like crazy, so I've done some modifications to help the fish keep their balance in there. I'm not sure I'd want anything more powerful in a smaller setup. If the C360 is that powerful, you're going to have a whirlpool.

The no basket thing doesn't bug me in the slightest. I bought mesh media bags and threw all the ceramic rings into that. No mess. You take them out, rinse them off and put them back. The baskets are probably more convenient, but IMO not worth the added $100 or so that it costs for that model.

I'm perfectly happy with my 2217. But you have to get whatever makes you happy. :)

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Oh - and there is a thread somewhere around here about filters from a company called Catalina, that has a clone of the Eheims at a fraction of the cost. One of our members uses them and says they're great. I didn't try it, but am considering it for future filtration needs.

Here's that thread: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184894&highlight=canister
 
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Well believe it or not, I made a decision! LOL. I went to my lfs and decided to buy a 60 gallon acrylic rectangular aquarium! I purchased the stand, the canopy, the heater, so the owner gave me a really good deal on the filters they carry... It was almost free, I couldn't say no. Only problem is it's not one that is recommended at all... It is the Cascade 1000..... I figured I can always upgrade to a magnum in the near future if I see that it has too much bypass. Right now I have everything set up, water is in, 80 degrees, I decided on some crushed lava rock for the substrate, it looks awsome. I decided to make it look like a reef even though it is freshwater... I have to figure out how to post a pic. When can I add 2 little fish? I was thinking of adding my 2 black mollies from my 10 gallon tank to cycle the tank. Is that enough or will it take forever to cycle with only 2 little fish?

See next post for photo!
 
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