like i said has owned fluvals and not eheims! point proven really.
My experience with fluvals means nothing to you? Well it does to others.
the fx5 may have all this surface area but it still only holds half the media that the 2080 does this was also PROVEN in the exact same test! and ffurther to that test the tetratec 1200 has the same saurface area as the fluval and it is half the size and less than half the price! also the eheim was proven quiter and more efficent in the same afformentioned test as well! eheims are better and the people who have many many many tanks on this forum all agree.
the 2080 does hold more media and I was mainly telling you about the flow since you were saying that 600 liters was suppose to be better then the 550 GPH the Fx5 puts out.
Notice I have said "most" canister filters in my above post knowing there are other canister filters that may have better flow or have better properties then the Fx5. Bring up the Tetratec to try and prove a point is nonsence.
I don't disagree Ehiems are better nor would anyone else. The fx5 is near silent in my experience. I can't hear the damn thing unless i put my head right next to it. How much quieter do you want to get? My air pump which is extremely quiet is louder then the filter.
my fx5 has clogged up a grand total of 6 times in the last 7 months, in that time non of my eheims have or more notably non of my 2080/2180's(i have 3) have argue against that if you will. these sponges that the fluval have dont actualy seem to do anything as far as i can tell there never really filthy as you would exspect from all this supposed "power" that it has!
With all the surface area for the spunges in the fx5, I would certainly hope they wouldn't look filthy. If your fx5 clogged up 6 times in 7 months, something is wrong the way you have it set up.
Whats with the "supposed power" comment? Puts out 500-550 GPH +/- depending on media, I don't find that to have all this "supposed power".
i got a bit confused on auto pilot earier and Sailor has pointed this out the ehim 2217 is actually rated at 1000 litres an hour or the 264gph as stated, it marked up as suitable for a tank of 600 litres.
And the fluval is rated for 400 gallons. Point being? Infact, the "rated" tank gallons is rediculous. No way in hell would I put ONE fx5 or ONE filter of ANY kind unless it was a wet/dry setup on a tank over 200 gallons. This is how I look at it, 550 GPH on the fx5 on a 400 gallon tank. has less than 1.5 cylces per hour. Thats a little to low for my taste. 2217 at 264 GPH on a 158 gallon (600 liter) tank is only 1.6 cylces per hour. I would like my filter to cylce the tank atleast 3 times which would put the 2217 on an 80 gallon tank and the Fx5 on a 180 gallon tank. Not trying to be a jerk but compairing a 2217 with a fx5 is kinda non sence don't ya think?
I also look to see how much current the filter can make in the tank. Still water is bad for filtration. 1.5 cycles per hour on a 400 gallon tank is REALLLY bad. you would need a few power heads to get the water moving and that is just a bigger electric bill and more money spent in the short run.
in summary your post proves one thing you are as i stated earlier one of the ones who beleives fluvals are good because they are all you have ever had. the simple truth is fluval are a budget brand and that is why they are cheaper than eheims, much the same way a ford is cheaper than a BMW same principle! try an eheim classic just once and i garantee you that you will never go back to fluval ever again
I believe fluvals are good because I have NEVER had an issue with them and have had good success with them. If I had issues with fluvals and if they were the only filters Ihave ever used I would not say they are good. I have used AquaClear HOB filters as well and like them alot, I use the 110 which is rated at 500 GPH. If I used a Ehiem of the proper size, I wouldn't say fluvals are bad just because I used a ehiem because that would be incorrect. The fx5 is not a budget filter for sure. $250 is not in most peoples "budget". The 04 and o5 series is a budget filter. My 304 work like a charm on my 30 gallon and couldn't keep up on my 55 which is why I went with fx5 and the reason I went with another fluval is because I had great success with my old 304. I was also look for surface area so I wouldn't have to clean the filter as often.
I would have to use ehiem for 7+ years in order for me to never go back to fluval and to see how the ehiem would hold up. Thats how long my 304 has run and still runs. I will say this again, I will never and have never and would never like others, say that ehiem is not a good filter or say that its not the best considering the huge amount of great review from it.
Also, some that have had the ehiem, have never tried other filters as well. So the story goes both ways.
