What Is The Best Canister Filter?

[GaLinemansWife]

How long do you want the filter/tank to run?

Fluvals have a nasty habit of breaking and leaking within 2 years, especially the x04 and x05 range (which are fundamentally the same range). Tetratec last better, but still have no patch on Eheim for proven longevity. There are a number of Eheims running past 20 years. If you don't believe the hype about Eheims, head over to the equipment section on MFK and see all the people looking at their oldest filters. Guess which brand gets the most mentions by a mile... Here's a clue: there's no "F" in the name of the manufacturer

There is a reason why everyone who is serious about keeping fish ends up with Eheims. Factor in the whole life costs and they are not so expensive.

Almost everyone who talks about how Eheims are overpriced and not worth their money is someone who has not owned them. Look at people like Lateral Line, CFC and Paul_MTS and others who have owned more than one brand of cannister and see what they say. I have had Fluval and Eheim, I wouldn't give my remaining Fluvals to my worst enemy, they are that shockingly poor. My lfs refuses to stock Fluval cannisters as selling such poor merchandise will hurt his reputation.

The Fluval FX-5 is a different filter which receives some good reviews and while it is a fair bit cheaper than the comparable Eheim filter, it is more costly to run and due to being mostly sponges is less efficient at processing biological waste (but conversely pulls mechanical a bit better)

Thank you for that! I am going to check out the Eheims, I do want them to run a long time, heck, my fish are suppose to last me 25-30 years, I dont want to buy a new filter every two-three years!

 

[GaLinemansWife]

Anybody reccomend the EHEIM 2217 ??

 

[DarkEntity]

Eheim Classics and any of the PRo series are solid filters that will last for ever if you look after them.

 

[PlecMama]

I have two wonderful Eheims on my 6ft, but read the instruction book when you go to use them the first time!
There's no feeling in the world quite like breaking the handle off a brand new filter because you tried to force it open under pressure.

*sigh*

 

[Tolak]

What Andy said.

The 2217 is a good filter, you get more conveniences with the Pro & ProII, series, but at a price. Functionally the classic series is as good as the Pro series.

 

[adam98150]

For the price you would expect Eheim filter's to last for a long time...

 

[andywg]

For the price you would expect Eheim filter's to last for a long time...

And they do, whereas Fluval are lucky if they get past 2 years. Now compare the cost of buying 5 Fluvals over a 10-15 year period compared to 1 Eheim, and tell me which is going to cost you more.

 

[adamgreen240]

Ok , i would go for the EX1200 then , really good filter

Hope i helped

Adam

Thanks Adam, I looked into it and saw a few things on it, Where are you located, Im in the US and Ive never heard or the tetratec before now?
eta: Is that a tetratec or fx5 on your aquarium in your signature?

Thats a FX5 , however the tank is a 100 gallon

 

[GaLinemansWife]

Okay, Im looking into the Eheim 2217-37 and the rating on it says up to 600gals This would be just as powerful if not more right? Is this also too big for my 46gal?
eta: Nevermind, saw it was in liters, that is what in gallons? 158?

 

[adamgreen240]

Ye , that sounds about right, Anyways, on most externals there is a valve for you to adjust the water flow.

Adam

 

[jgray152]

Okay, Im looking into the Eheim 2217-37 and the rating on it says up to 600gals This would be just as powerful if not more right? Is this also too big for my 46gal?
eta: Nevermind, saw it was in liters, that is what in gallons? 158?

The manufacturers gallon ratings are rediculous. I personally would like my water to get filtered atleast 2-3 times per hour. Like the Fx5, says it is good for up to 450 gallon tanks. WRONG. When actual flow is down to about 550GPH thats only cycling a little over 1 time. At 2.5 cycles per hour thats good enough for a 220 gallon aquarium. Keep that in mind. For an aquarium that big I would pipe the output to each corner of the tank for better water circulation.
With that said, my 55 gal tank is actually being filtered about 11 times per hour with perfect water circulation

Ofcourse the more area you have in the filter the less times the water would need to be run through the filter to get it filtered, but I wouldn't go any lower then 2 cycles per hour.

I wonder if 75% efficiency rating would be a good number to calculate what GPH most filter would actually put out with media. The fluval fx5 is only in the 60% range.

And they do, whereas Fluval are lucky if they get past 2 years

I have only run 1 fluval for years and that was a 304. 7+ years later its still running just fine.

 

[Maximumbob]

If you are buying any of the eheim classic range dont forget to buy the double tap disconnecter's.

I have the eheim 2211 and find it an excellent filter. Silent, reliable, and very good build quality. The only drawback is that its slightly more of a pain to change the media/clean the filter. Other than that its priceless!

I can also recommend the eheim 2324 thermofilter. Its an amazing piece of kit. Its run on my RIO 180 without a hitch since I installed it. The closest I've come to having a problem is having to clean the impeller.

 

[MojoDex]

i 100% agree with andywg if you go back through the preivious posts on this sort of topic it's always the same people bigging up the fluvals because they happen to have them and have never owned an eheim!

well i have an fx5 and many eheims and the fluval cannot even begin to compete with any of my eheims hell even the eheim ecco range beat fluval IMO!! and that says something.

i have an eheim 2217 (part of the classic range that all actually come with the taps despite what is stated above!) and it is rated at 600 lites not 600 gallons. 600 litres is roughtly 180 US gallons also the flow is full ajustable on it so if that to much simply turn it down. the 2217 will run forever even if it breaks parts are easy to get and it is still half the price and half the size of the fluval which looks like it was designed by a blind man!

in short buy an eheim

 

[jgray152]

i 100% agree with andywg if you go back through the preivious posts on this sort of topic it's always the same people bigging up the fluvals because they happen to have them and have never owned an eheim!

I bring up fluvals because I have owned them and used them with great success.

well i have an fx5 and many eheims and the fluval cannot even begin to compete with any of my eheims hell even the eheim ecco range beat fluval IMO!! and that says something.

A little bit os BS right there . The Fx5 has a TON of surface area unlike most little canistor filters, especially the ecco ehiem range. The Fx5 beats most canister filters in flow as well. The Ehiem 2080 ( I think it was) still did not have the flow of an Fx5. This was a proven flow test.

i have an eheim 2217 (part of the classic range that all actually come with the taps despite what is stated above!) and it is rated at 600 lites not 600 gallons. 600 litres is roughtly 180 US gallons also the flow is full ajustable on it so if that to much simply turn it down. the 2217 will run forever even if it breaks parts are easy to get and it is still half the price and half the size of the fluval which looks like it was designed by a blind man!

in short buy an eheim

180 GPH as SLOW! IF it was 600 GPH I would think otherwise and still, subtract 25% from the rated output and thats what you probubly will have as an actualy output. 600 GPH rate flow is now at 450 GPH.

Ehiems are probubly built to last longer but the only filter that could ever really compaire with the Fx5 is Ehiems monster, 2080.

 

[Sailor]

The eheim 2217 is rated at 264 gph. I have one on my 125g and I like it, It has given me no reason to buy anything different.