Canister Filter Opinions

[Jeff1192]

I am looking to get a new canister filter for my 90 gallon Cichlid tank. I am currently running an Eheim Pro II and a Marineland canister. The Marineland was free with a tank a picked up a while back and the gasket is leaking. I'm using this as an excuse to look around for a new canister.

I really like my Eheim and may purchase a Pro 3 but I'm open to hearing any other opinions.

Thanks

Jeff

[Mike L]

 Big fan of the Eheim classics. Comes with everything you need right in the box so affordable, few parts to brake and tried and true

[Brine]

I had a couple of Rena Filstars running on my 125G when I had it. One XP 4 and one XP3 as I recall. I never had trouble with them. I think they were cheaper than the Ehiem equivalent at the time or I would have gone with the Ehiem just because they have such a good reputation.

[Al]

+1 on Mike's post.
The Classic series, IMO, is the most dependable of the Eheims (and that is saying a lot) as it has the least amount of breakable parts. I have used pretty much every Eheim there is, except for the Ecco's - Classics, Pro 2, Pro 3 - and now for the most part use Classics.
For example, in the new Pro 3 line, you have an adapter that snaps in place in the top of the motor head. This has been problematic for some people as a potential breakpoint if you're not careful. You can search the net for substantiation of this. Your Pro 2 that you have is a lot sturdier than the new Pro 3, less parts to break in the adapter mechanism, like plastic wheels and spring locks. I don't know why they didn't keep the old lever?
The classic has no baskets, which might be a deal breaker for some, however, it keeps it simple and you can use a media bag. The head gasket on the classics is also very beefy and lasts forever with attention to keeping it lubed. Being a round canister, the classics are also very easy to use DIY filter floss and foam - buy it in lengths/sheets at BA and it is very easy to use the foam insert and just cut around it while using it as a template. This is much cheaper than buying Eheim floss for the Pro series as it has a weird shape and for the foam, it is even more tricky although that is not a frequent replacement.
A Classic 2217 versus the similar output/capacity Pro3 2075 runs about $100 less - if you need to know where you can get this pricing, pm me as it's not fair to promote anyone on here.
Good luck.

[FishBuddy]

I had a couple of Rena Filstars running on my 125G when I had it. One XP 4 and one XP3 as I recall. I never had trouble with them. I think they were cheaper than the Ehiem equivalent at the time or I would have gone with the Ehiem just because they have such a good reputation.

I had a Rena XP3 running in my 72G cichlid tank as well and it is a very durable machine!  Kudos to them for making the impeller shaft out of stainless steel; not ceramics like the Fluval canisters!  I've broken many ceramic shafts on the Fluval whenever I take the impeller out for cleaning.  The shaft gets very brittle after a while.  Why they are making it out of ceramics is beyond me...

[Al]

Sorry but stainless steel wears more quickly than ceramic and doesn't handle heat as well and you can imagine the rpm of an impeller.
Eheim uses all ceramic impellers for these reasons.
But, hey there are Chevy owners and Hyundai owners and merc owners.

The space shuttle uses ceramic tiles for a reason rather than stainless steel.

[sniggir]

2nd mike and al

I have only ever bought ehiem for canister... I have adopted many others but found that they are realy not built well in comparison... old analogy you get what you pay for.... and seeing that your filter is the main support for the health and well being of your tanks inhabitants. ..

[exv152]

I prefer the eheim classic series myself. There's a good reason why they haven't changed the design of the classic in decades, and (like Al said) you can't argue with the price. The pro II and pro3 are a bit more problematic. If I had to choose from those two I'd go with the pro II, because it has less bells and whistles. I find the ecco series a bit under powered and flimsy, but overall not bad if you're looking for energy efficiency.

[101DalmatianMollies]

For my boyfriends shrimo tank we are using an eheim classic and from a beginners standpoint I'm very impressed with it. It's quiet and efficient. When I get around to updating (ie: have the $$$ to update) my two tanks, I will strongly consider an eheim.

[ajm1961]

I have both an Eheim 2217 Classic, and some Rena XP3/XP4s. No problems in general with each. The Eheim is a bit more of a pain to clean due to a lack of baskets as Al said. I have tried using media bags but they tend to get messy and cluttered in a hurry. For some reason I find the Rena's lose output quicker so I tend to have to clean them more often. Other than that, both brand filters have run fine for me over the course of the last 5-6 years.

Haven't tried the Fluvals canisters though - especially the pool filter-like FX6. Looks like a beast! (925 US gallons/hour)

[sas]

I like the Eheims on my smaller tanks but use the FX5 on the larger tanks. Lots of room for different media, and cleaning is a breeze.

[Jeff1192]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a small eheim classic that I use as a backup. I found that without the trays it was a pain to clean. I ended up getting a used Pro3. It was a great deal and the filter looks brand new. Pretty happy with my find.

Thanks again

Jeff