Hesitating Between Xp3 And Eheim 2217

[yvez9]

Well we finally decide don the tank!
It will be a 90 gallon tank with an oscar and common pleco. Might add something else but doubtful...

anyway, we went to Big Al's and pretty much found all our hardware there but me and my girlfriend are hesitating between a Filstar XP3 or Eheim 2217 canister filter.

the XP3 is 179.99$ and the Eheim is 239.99$. That's 33% more.
I know Eheims are good, but is it worth it in this case? I know everyone has good experiences with Eheims but what about the Filstar filters?

Is it worth the extra 60 bucks to get the Eheim or is the Filstar just as good?

 

[sub.42]

Well,

IMHO, the Rena XP3 wins all day long on price. The Eheims make themselves look very expensive sometimes, with the need to get media kits for them, on top of the purchase price of the filter itself. The Rena is dead easy to service too, and I have never lost prime on my XP1. Just wish I had got an XP2 now, instead of the 'won't prime monster from hell' that is my Fluval. The Renas will be a little noisier than the Eheims however, so do bear that in mind.

sub.

 

[yvez9]

are they very noisy or is it just a little humming sound?

say, compared to an aquaclear filter?

 

[sub.42]

OOOPPPS!

Sorry for taking so long to reply )

Been out buying a new car, so have been a little way-laid.

Hmm, the noise. The Renas appear to have a little more impellor noise, ie, they 'rumble' a little more. Funny thing is, when they fur up really well, they get much quieter. The Rena is incredibly easy to clean, but then so is the Eheim. The Renas can be expensive for replacement foams, but at least you always get a complement of media and foams with the filter. The Rena also has a 100% foolproof self primer, I have never had an issue with it. However, and this is the biggest however, the Eheim has it on the filtration front.

It just performs better. If it is worth the extra $50, thats a little more difficult. I think that I would still be the owner of the Rena. Eheim will have to do a little more convincing here

sub.

 

[yvez9]

thanks for the info sub 42. I guess Rena it will be

Can't wait to get that tank up and running now! It'll free up loads of space for more fish in the 50 gallon and I'll finally have my oscar!!!

 

[zig]

I dont think the flow on a 2217 would be enough for a ninty gallon anyway, it would be good for a sixty gallon but not a ninty IMO.

You would probably need 2 of them or a bigger filter alltogether.

 

[yvez9]

interesting
i know pretty much nothing about canister filters so that's why I asked

weird though that the store will sell it with a 90 gallon tank but what do they know right? lol

I'll stick with the cheaper method and add an aquaclear if needed

 

[fryguy]

FWIW, I have an XP2 that I've had for a couple of months now. I switched when my Emperor 400 died. Compared to the Emperor, the filstar is blissfully silent. I have to keep checking the tank to be sure the thing is still running

They are certainly easy to clean, and I have been very happy with it. The only thing I did do was order some Eheim Ehfisubstrat to add to it for additional bio filtering. The XP2 came with sponges for mechanical, and I assume also bio, but I like having the additional bio capacity. The XP2 has plenty of room to hold both the sponges that came with it, and the ehfisubstrat.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I'ved never used or bought a Rena but I do like ehiems.

the 2217 would be plenty for a 90gallon tank being rated up to 160gallons.

Most of the ehiem classics out there now do come with all the media, it's usually only the bigger more expensive ones that don't include it.

If you can afford it I would go for the Ehiem. Make sure you can get spares like impellers and shafts easily for what ever 1 you choose in case of an emergency, it's no use bying an expensive filter you can't get spares for.

 

[freddyk]

Eheim is better for some tanks, but the low flow makes it less ideal for big-fish aquariums. The XP is a better choice for this one, and still might not be enough. My 90 gallon, which happens to be the same setup (oscar and royal pleco), is much better off with an AC500 added to it.

 

[apester]

I have 2 XP3s on my 125 gallon. The tank is 5 feet from my bed and I can hardly hear them run when I am sleeping. The XP3s are very easy to clean and keep my tank really clean.

Ape

 

[yvez9]

thanks
i thought about adding an ac500 to it down the line as the baby oscar will most likely not require it

i'll be monitoring the tank for the first months and then go from there