Damo Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hi, I have been looking into buying an Eheim filter from overseas. Can anyone tell me if they've had experience with that and if there are any pitfalls to watch out for. I have found a good price from a German website. I'd rather support a local shop but it seems to me I can save a lot of money importing it. Also, I wonder how the fresh and saltwater models vary. Just in case I wanted to use it for salt later on, can they be altered to do either? Damo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxy Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 Not sure sorry Damo but was thinking about doing the same thing for an eheim 2324 so any info you get will be excellent! What site have you found? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 Keep in mind an imported filter will have no warranty... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 All of the overseas suppliers I have delt with state that the warrenties apply when used correctly for all sales including internationl. The problem is the return freight. They all have sections on this in there sites regarding warrnties for local and international sales. Read them first before you deal with them. Be carefull with voltages. Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Canister (or biological filter) arn't much use for salt water accept for holding media like phos-sorb etc, I wouldn't woory about making this a consideration when purchasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 from newzealand discus man.. sounds like i must be old in my thinking or somethings wrong with my fish room.. 124 tanks from 180 to 300 liters..av about 250 not a power point or heaters.. only big air con unit and all tanks have under gravel filters air opperated.. just discus and use pumis river sand.. using stresszyem bactrica and have new tank ready in 3 days for new tenants.. rearly nitrite .rain ..used mostly.. u/g filters will have billions on bactrica ..need huge power filter to equal.. power bill..av $300 to heat and run pumps.. room some will have 150 tanks and actually the heat will be cheeper.. water dont get cold...AIR is the problem.. hope views held..remeber advise is free..we just charge for good discus.. cheers phill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 The thing i don't like about under gravel filters is that any waste, excess food & in my GBA tank courgette stays in the tank, i much prefer to get unwanted gunk out of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 Importing sounds like a great a idea to save some cash, many of us do it without problem. The money you save your could probably buy 2.5 for the same price 1 would cost here. I would reccomend canister filters over ANY other type of filter for most applications. Pielon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 from new zealand discus man.. to under gravel filters..i said river sand..sand averages 1 to 3mm..nylon pad is on top of filter.. just use stick to move around and ensure no caking, very few months. no food enters sand nor dropings..just net off surface.. ok power filters ok for 1 or 2 tanks.. but also food fines will get drawn in an stay till rot..not good.. even flake floats and get sucked in.. also to the more power cords the more likely you get electric shock.. nz fish keepers have died in fish rooms..lights,heaters, filters..all dont mix well with water.. we have a power point runs air con.and one runs pressure pump..thats it.. cheers phill..good fish keeping.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 also to the more power cords the more likely you get electric shock.. nz fish keepers have died in fish rooms..lights,heaters, filters..all dont mix well with water.. we have a power point runs air con.and one runs pressure pump..thats it.. An RCD will resolve the death issue. Thats it? What about light? pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 from new zealand discus fish room is 3/4 of total span shed 108 sq meters.. air con set at 30 c heats room top tanks 32c bottom 28c..even with 1.2 m roof fan heat still goes up.. we have 4 huge sky lights..all natural light..multi layers of glass house film under fibreglass roofing..even layers of bubble wrap to help with heat loss. all have gaps between so like 6 layers... dont use heat in day and actually doors open all day except for the really cold ones..so far in 12 months only kept shut 3 or 4 times..and sun will increase temp even with door open but very high humity if we dont open up.. to power cords..i have a customer who fell over cord crashed into tank.. yes very badly cut.. simple is my key word cheers phill ya all come come visit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damo Posted May 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Thanks for all your input. Having not had fish for a few years and even then only a little experience with them really, it's quite daunting trying to figure out the best things to buy. There are 3 Eheim models that interest me. The 2028, 2229 and 2329. The 2329 being a wet/dry filter with a heater. I was going to use 2 heaters in my tank, one as a back up but with this filter it would mean I'd only need one other heater (less clutter in the tank). What I'd really like to know is , am I better of with the wet/dry trickle filter? Can anyone tell me? It's for a 420 litre community tank. Bolivian rams, kribs, Rainbows, gouramies etc... Maybe some tetras, corydoras cats, pleco's. Cheers, Damo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo1 Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Hey Damo, aren't you going to tell us the website where you can obtain these filters? Maybe we could all get together and import. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 We have an Eheim wet/dry filter and wouldn't touch another with a 10ft barge pole. It ran well for 6 months then stopped. Since it previously sat in a friend's wardrobe for several years, claiming warranty was not an option. Have tried ever since to fix it but no luck. No answers from Eheim either. Have found plenty of others around the world with the same problem and they haven't been able to fix theirs either. It still works as an ordinary canister filter but the wet/dry feature doesn't work. I recommend you avoid them. I gather many people make their own wet/dry systems which work very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 from new zealand discus man.. re filters..work out the base size of tank X 45mm gravel or sand = billions of area for bactrica to live..take huge external filter to equal. activate with stresszyme. tank size 1100x500widex450 high. crc cap full of bactrica and in go fish. 2 days later 1/2 cap full and rearly do we get nitrite.. good idea to save loot on power filters and buy more fish.. what happened before they were imported or invented ..cheers phill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 No filter system is perfect for all situations, I can understand why in your situation UGF's work will, for me they dont because... I dont like the look of the tubes, bubbles They are noisy They splash a lot of water causing algae on my glass tops They are no good for growing anything other than basic plants They drive the CO2 out of the water They can crash after long periods of time They require lots of careful vacuming so they don't get dead spots It isn't possible to ever completely clean them properly You cant use substrate fertilizers Aquascaping is difficult because of dead spots Regarding what you said about media volume, while it is true you dont mention that filter media is porous (sp.) so by volume is far better for bacteria than gravel/sand, and also that the amount of water flowing in a canister filter is far higher, resulting in more oxygen to media and more water contact with media. So comparing volume for volume isn't really relivent. I not trying to have a go Phill, I can see why in your situation UGF is far better but for average joe setting up a tank or two in his sitting room a canister is a better way to go (IMHO of course) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Hi Damo, Where you are getting these filters from, I would be interested in a couple of 2026's or maybe a 2026+2028 (or 2x2028 ) depends on $$ Could probably help out with the importation side of things through work. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted May 26, 2005 Report Share Posted May 26, 2005 Suphew said: Regarding what you said about media volume, while it is true you dont mention that filter media is porous (sp.) so by volume is far better for bacteria than gravel/sand, and also that the amount of water flowing in a canister filter is far higher, resulting in more oxygen to media and more water contact with media. So comparing volume for volume isn't really relivent. Very controversial subject this, and another kick in the guts for the poor old UGF's that have served the fish keeping hobby for over fifty years. As regards beneficial area for bacteria storage.. the UGF would have several hundred times more area than "any" filter of the canister type, and under the "right conditions".. can be set up and forgotten for many years. Cost for cost.. both initial price and ongoing cost.. there is little to beat it, and as far as "tubes looking obtrusive and noisy".. this is up to the individual, as tubes can be hidden far easier than a hunking great canister sat at the back of your tank... or elsewhere. There "is" a place for the UGF.. and there always "will" be.. as time has well proved.. otherwise they would not be still for sale. Most top line filters today are bought because of the name.. or because of some recommendation, but it would be true to say that half the world's users of power filtration would not really need those expensive ornaments if they learned how to balance their tank conditions correctly. To put it simply.. many of this type of filter are bought to rectify the mess that the fishkeeper is creating.. not what the fish are creating. (Overstocking.. overfeeding.. lack of water changes.. bad management.. etc) About time someone stuck up for the UGF.. good one Phil Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Very controversial subject this, and another kick in the guts for the poor old UGF's that have served the fish keeping hobby for over fifty years. The UGF is a tool of the 'past'. No doubt they were good, but time has moved on. Leeches used to be the ultimate in medicine, however technolgy advances have replaced them with far better alternitives. Should be confused with them not working, becaue they do. However their is little doubt that their are much better alternitives. I could never image going back. R.I.P UGF Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Just a thought.... http://www.eheim.com/technik_zubehoer.htm !/2 way down the page, flow through or suction model. To be use with another type of filter, so I would have thought it cant be all that bad if these guys make it :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Pies said: Leeches used to be the ultimate in medicine, however technolgy advances have replaced them with far better alternitives. Don't know if you are aware Mark.. but they "still" use leeches "and" maggots in methods of repairing un-healable wounds... even today.. with all the technology. There was a doco on tv recently about this very thing, as the infection is eaten away by the critters and new cells begin to grow. As to the filters.. As I said.. "Under the right conditions".. and there are many thousands of aquarists throughout the world that don't use "any" form of mechanical filtration.. but rely on the balance of the tank to control their situation... Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 from new zealand discus man some where back about base materal..im sure i said punus river sand..1 to 3mm size. its that light and porous that parts it will actually float.. draw back for some is PH will go down..not a problem for discus..but can add sea shell.. or quick fix baking soda.. actually stocking is true factor..we too have had show tanks planted and had no filters at all just simple air stone, very small air pump.. one was in house for near 10 years and bottom never touched.. i have looked at link above and find the filters to be huge and bulky,, be hard to hide.. another factor is to much current for many fish.. but its correct that this could go on forever..ok for 1 or 2 tanks but why bother when proven not really required..that to is a mater of choise. even flow threw systems are not cheep to set up or maintain and if UV lights and filters have major power cuts all bactrica can and has died caused fish deaths.. ill stay old fasioned and old at a young 63 running at present 112 tanks and 6 more just arrived so im off before thay dig a hole and chuck me in.. cheers phill collis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Don't know if you are aware Mark.. but they "still" use leeches "and" maggots in methods of repairing un-healable wounds... even today.. with all the technology. No doubt, but its far from the norm. I never said they were bad, just said they are old technology, and I would never go back. I suspect this is typical for most of us. I've used both, little doubt that UGF have little use to me and to be honest if I never use another one again it will be too soon. As I said.. "Under the right conditions".. and there are many thousands of aquarists throughout the world that don't use "any" form of mechanical filtration.. but rely on the balance of the tank to control their situation... Couldn't agree more, infact visit the saltwater section to see my tank that runs without any mechnical filteration as one of many examples. People were using UGfs before man was on the moon. Its time to move with the times and realise that they have been superceeded with better tools. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 Leeches and Maggots are not old technology, infact there used in modern day medicine alot more than you think. Leeches premote blood circulation in limbs that might otherwise have to be amputated. They also have a Anti-Clotting factor in there saliva that is know being used commonly in modern day medicine. Maggots are ussed to clean out wounds and premote cell regeneration as Bill has already mentioned. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 27, 2005 Report Share Posted May 27, 2005 And they are not use "alot" or more correctly "a lot" more than I think. I would say they are used VERY RARELY, and that would be kind. Ive never had maggots or leeches used on me, be surprised if you can find anyone who has or even knows anyone who has. Leeches and Maggots are not old technology ? They used them in the middle ages so I guess it depends on your defination of old, I guess 800years may not be old to you, but that being said that would make electricity new technology... Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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