Joe Posted September 6, 2010 Report Share Posted September 6, 2010 Sup peoplez, I was thinking of getting a tank 115x60x55cm (but I'm not sure now after the ChCh earthquake), and I was looking at Eheim thermofilters. I like the Eheim Pro. 3 1200XLT (2180). Yes I know that sounds overkill for a tank that size, but I'd prefer to have a bigger filter, because sometimes fish spawn and there is all of a sudden lots of fry, and I'd like to have super-clear water. The reason for a thermofilter is so it eliminates having an unsightly thermostat in the aquarium. I also like the Eheim Pro. 3e 700, because of all the cool settings it has, but it doesn't come as a thermofilter I'm also getting two nano aquariums, one 30x20x25cm (or maybe a bit bigger ), and the other 50x25x30cm. I want an Eheim Classic 150 (2211) for the first, but you can't get it as a thermofilter version, and the smallest Eheim thermofilter has a high flow rate (500l/h) that is far too much for a tank that small. For the second tank, I was thinking of an Eheim Pro 150T (2322), but I would prefer an Eheim Classic 250 (2213), but you can't get a thermofilter version either. So basically my point is, I don't want to clutter up my tanks with heaters, are Eheim thermofilters any good (are they known to be faulty? I know Eheim's a good brand, but I have heard of some Eheim products - heaters and filters - to be faulty sometimes, or not last long), and I think some of the thermofilters are too big for the nanos, but I don't want heaters taking up space. Could I get a heatpad to go underneath the nanos, and then I can use the smaller Eheim filters? Please help me out! I'm rather confuzzled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_elmo Posted September 6, 2010 Report Share Posted September 6, 2010 eheim thermo are not that great, my 2180 had to be replaced just after 1 year and i know someone else that had the same problem pro 2 thermo like 2128 are even worst, the external probe needs to be replaced often 2180 are not cheap either, about $1500 i think with media Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 Ok. Thanks for the info I'll just have to put up with annoying thermostats then! Are the other Eheim filters without the integrated heating good, like the Classics and Pro. 3 1200? Or do they have similar problems like the thermofilters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_elmo Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 normal eheim filters are the best on the market and i highly recommend them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 for 1 eheim high output filter (not thermo) just a big capacity eheim youc an get 2 fluval fx5 i guarantee you 2 fluval fx5 will crank up your filtration like something cronic you can probably poo and pee in that tank! in my 2x 1200 system, sharing the same filtration, i have 3 fx5 plus 2 sumps. the fx5 clear the water so well! eheim is good...but really, value for money they are bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 for 1 eheim high output filter (not thermo) just a big capacity eheim youc an get 2 fluval fx5 i guarantee you 2 fluval fx5 will crank up your filtration like something cronic you can probably poo and pee in that tank! in my 2x 1200 system, sharing the same filtration, i have 3 fx5 plus 2 sumps. the fx5 clear the water so well! eheim is good...but really, value for money they are bad 2 fluval FX5s or 6 CF1200s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Thanks for the help guys. Those Fluvals sound good. Plus I have my Aqua One CF1000. I'm not sure if mum would be happy with all the cables though... (3 for filters, 2 for thermostats, 1 for lighting, and 1 for pressurised CO2, to turn it on in the morning and off at night). As you can see, I'll be saving my money for quite a while to purchase all that stuff! It's going to be a really cool high-tech nature aquarium. Will electronic heat pads be sufficient for the nanos (especially the smaller one)? If not, is there any reliable way of heating them without thermostats? I can live with thermostats in the big tank (I'll probably get 2 Fluval 300 heaters), but they are so obvious in the nanos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Hide the heaters with stem plants Joe. Or order a really small heater off Ebay or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcculloch Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 "2 fluval fx5 will crank up your filtration like something cronic you can probably poo and pee in that tank!" That sentence is awesome The fluvals are definitely the way to go value for money wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_elmo Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 only the best will do for my fish....my life stock is worth more than all my equipment put together my 2080/2180 crew http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/e ... C02299.jpg :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 :lol: Good one :lol: They are really good use them on a castle tank at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 only the best will do for my fish....my life stock is worth more than all my equipment put together my 2080/2180 crew http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/e ... C02299.jpg :lol: Wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 EVIL ELMO YOU SHOW OFF! :lol: agreed, if you knew what he kept then you would probably spend that much on equipment too but in my opinion - eheim bio filtration is not DOUBLE the effectiveness of a fluval, yet double in price, and its reliability is not double reliable either. so, if you buy 2 fluval fx5 - and you get 1 eheim for it....then you are effectively doing more filtration. My opinion i guess, if i had deep pockets, i would probably go eheim cos i like the colour:) but, generallyspeaking - fluval is best VALUE FOR MONEY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 I think the FX5 has the same styling as the veyron gransport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 fair enough. i actually think the eheim looks awesome! looks spaceship lke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Best piece of kit on the market. http://www.fluval-g.com/features_e.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 That. Is. AMAZING! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Wow that looks cool! It's WWWAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY beyong my budget though. How many liters of water does the Fluval FX5 hold? The Eheim Pro. 3 1200 holds 25 liters. Eheim Pro. 3 1200 flow output is 1700 lph. The Fluval does 3420 lph. That seems quite strong. I had a talk to mum about getting two Fluvals. Just like I imagined, she said no, because of all the power cables and stuff, and she wants me to try and keep that to an absolute minimum. normal eheim filters are the best on the market and i highly recommend them only the best will do for my fish....my life stock is worth more than all my equipment put together my 2080/2180 crew http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/e ... C02299.jpg only the best will do for my fish....my life stock is worth more than all my equipment put together my 2080/2180 crew http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/e ... C02299.jpg :lol: fair enough. i actually think the eheim looks awesome! looks spaceship lke I have to say, I REALLY like Eheims too. They look much nicer than the Fluval. But I've also heard a lot of good things about Fluvals too. WHICH ONE DO I CHOOSE :lol: Also, what is up with that box-like thing at the botton of the FX5 canister that I saw in a photo when I has on the HFF website? That sort of puts me off getting one. I think the Eheim has a really nice, neat-looking design. The Fluvals all bulky-looking. But they're both VERY good, exept the Fluval is cheaper and uglier. Oh one more question. I was looking at the Eheim Pro. 3e 700. Are these really good and reliable, or are normal Eheims more reliable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Am I the only one reading this that is wondering where young Joe is getting the $$'s from Yeah the eheims and FX5's are awesome (I love my FX5) but you are running a 300L planted tank why not just get something reliable and cheap and effective like a CF1200? Yeah they don't have the massive reviews and bling factor but they are cheap and they work really well and believe it or not just keep on going for years and years with no problems.. If you have the money then pour it into the things you cannot get really cheap like a descent CO2 rig and good lighting and you will be all good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 I make the money myself. I used to keep and race pigeons, but I gave them to my dad (he really likes them), who works in Nelson during the week, and comes home in the weekends. I get $10 a week for looking after them, plus I can't say to kids at school that I have pigeons, cause I don't now, and so now I don't get teased about having them anymore (kid seemed to think there was something wrong with me keeping pigeons, and that it's abnormal, and I should do sports instead. I HATE sport! I find it boring). I also have aviary birds that I breed and sell. My Turquoisine hen is sitting on 7 eggs! Hopefully most of them hatch and I get baby Turks. I'll then sell the offspring for $20 each. I also always have Ringneck Doves for sale - $10 each. I NEVER ask my parents for presents for my birthday or Xmas - they just give me money, because they know I'll just spend it on my hobbies, and they wouldn't know what presents to get me. My grandparents always give me money more my birthday and Xmas too. I'm putting the big high-tech tank project on hold, and I'm going to deal with the nanos first. They will be cheaper, easier to set up, plus I won't need CO2 on the small one, and on the bigger one I can have a small DIY system rigged up with a Pollen Glass diffuser. It will also be quicker to get all the bits for them. I really like nanos. The other reason I'm putting the other project off is because I'm scared about earthquakes, and a 350liter rimless tank in an earthquake is not a good look. For the 350liter, I really want to get a filter of superior quality, that has a large filter volume. I'm big on Bio filtration (not undergravel though), and I'll probably fill the big filter (either an Eheim or Fluval; still can't decide!) with Eheim Substrat Pro. I'm going to make surface skimmers (hopefully I can get custom-made glass ones) for the big filter, so I don't have gunk on the surface (cause it's going to be an open-top tank, so without skimmers the surface will be choked with gunk). I will use my CF1000 to do mechanical filtration, so that won't need a surface skimmer attached to the inlet. By the way, I'm still saving money for the projects. I don't have it all yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 If you want to drool over a real live FX5 Joe I have one here. I bought it ages ago when it was on sale for half price but it is still in the box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 i guess, im a value for money kinda guy. eheim is great, but too expensive.... and its the best...why? because its made well, sure...... it focuses more on bio filtration sure. but the end of the day..... like isaid, 2fx5 will far outfilter 1 eheim filter of the same rank. because its 2 vs 1. 2 eheims or 4 fx5. guarantee - you WILL NEVER have amonia problems with that monster filtration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 If you want to drool over a real live FX5 Joe I have one here. I bought it ages ago when it was on sale for half price but it is still in the box Thanks Caryl. I'll come and have a look at it. How long has it been in the box like that for? I remember you posted something else somewhere about an Eheim Wet/Dry filter that was in its box for ages, and then when used lasted only six months. Will the Fluval be perfectly fine? How many liters of water does the Fluval FX5 hold? The Eheim Pro. 3 1200 holds 25 liters. ????? Could I also just get the Eheim Substrat Pro and put it in the Fluval? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 FX5 box says filtration volume 20L so I assume it means how much water it holds. It will also tale 5.9L of media. The time my wet/dry stayed boxed had nothing to do with why it broke 6 months after use. It just meant we could not claim a replacement under warranty. I guess I will have the same problem with this filter as I have no proof I bought it a long time before it was actually used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 i use eheim bio media in my fx5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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