# New filters ... Eheims? Opinions please



## INJAF (Nov 12, 2011)

Evening RFUK,

I'm looking for opinions on new filters for my two goldfish tanks. Tanks are Rena 600s (600 litres) and I currently have XP4 filters on them. But ... the XP4s are not as quiet as they could be and quite frankly one was on the verge of a drop kick down the garden last night. I've got an Eheim Pro 22 something or other (was second hand!) external on a smaller tank and it's so quiet I have to put my hand over the outlet to convince myself it's doing anything. So, am now looking at Eheims for the other two. Does anyone have experience of the bigger Eheims? I'm currently considering the P3 2080 although the thermofilters are quite tempting. Or there's the P3e 700 but that sounds a bit technologically OTT for my needs.

Or else there's the Fluval FX5.

I want as near silent as it's possible to get (I know, I don't want much!). I don't want to be reduced to the verge of a nervous breakdown by the maintenance and I want it suitably robust for a herd of big, grotty fish who make a right mess with plants and general 'output'. And these are big fish, biggest one weighs over 1lb. So they are capable of making a big mess 

Any thoughts much appreciated, thanks


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

I dont know much about the bigger filters, i always sumped the tanks at that size 

But I had the biggest Eheim Classic and it was a PITA to clean or rather, put back together and get started, though if i'd just put taps on it, it would have been fine, hindsights a wonderful thing!

I have to admit to hating filters with gadgets, especially Fluvals G3 and G4, the more technology there is, the more there is to go wrong... and it will... if not in the first year then down the line... i think they encourage lazy fishkeepers too, nothing wrong with testing your water and if you cant work out when your tank needs a waterchange without your filter flashing at you.... bah humbug!!

The only thing I do know about the FX5s is that i shouldnt be allowed anywhere near them!! I have only ever sold 10 in the last 3-4 years... but all of them got returned! No one else had quite the same return rate... but had loads of problems with th pump part of it not working, stopping working, springing leaks and once out of warrantee, costing about £150 to replace. Though it is a massive filter and my housemate had one running on her tank with the young arrowana in it and god was it noisy! It kept clicking and clunking.

I think i'd be a bit tempted to have two filters on each tank and get second hand ones, if you shop about, you might end up with two for the price of one new filter.

I really liked the AquaManta EFX 600, but I really like the TetraTec filters too and they are basically the same in design. But th EFX has been altered in parts, just to correct the few issues the TetraTec had. 

I found the filters like the TetraTecs and the EFX filters with the big flat trays and lots of sponges coped a lot better with the high levels of waste from big fish than the smaller fiddly filters like JBL and Fluval.

Dont know if I actually answered anything there... just my thoughts!


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## Christie_ZXR (May 14, 2011)

Moogloo said:


> I have to admit to hating filters with gadgets, especially Fluvals G3 and G4, the more technology there is, the more there is to go wrong... and it will... if not in the first year then down the line... i think they encourage lazy fishkeepers too, nothing wrong with testing your water and if you cant work out when your tank needs a waterchange without your filter flashing at you.... bah humbug!!



Nooo!! I love the G series! It has a screen! and buttons!

If I had one, I'd be forever pointing it out to people and explaining that I'm monitoring the fishes heart rate..... :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## cappie49 (Jan 27, 2008)

I have an aqua one 1500r tank and substituted 1 of the 1050 externals you get with the tank for an eheim 2180 thermofilter.The tank is in the main living room and noise is never a problem.The eheim is slightly louder than the 1050 but both are super quiet. And the eheim is huge with a massive media capacity.
This is the only eheim I have experience with but I think its the biggest so probably the loudest and if that's the case then they are all super quiet.


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## INJAF (Nov 12, 2011)

Thanks for the comments  The XP4s are good, but the noise levels seem to randomly vary between 'gentle hum' and 'lunatic with pneumatic drill trapped inside'. Maybe I've just struck unlucky with mine. Am definitely leaning towards the Eheims, quiet is very high on my wish list at the moment! Almost went for the Fluval FX5s when I bought the XP4s but couldn't fit them in the cabinets I had at the time. They do sound good but if they're not quiet ... I have enough conflict between fish and OH's hifi as it is 

Cheers


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

INJAF said:


> Thanks for the comments  The XP4s are good, but the noise levels seem to randomly vary between 'gentle hum' and 'lunatic with pneumatic drill trapped inside'. Maybe I've just struck unlucky with mine. Am definitely leaning towards the Eheims, quiet is very high on my wish list at the moment! Almost went for the Fluval FX5s when I bought the XP4s but couldn't fit them in the cabinets I had at the time. They do sound good but if they're not quiet ... I have enough conflict between fish and OH's hifi as it is
> 
> Cheers


Eheim externals are like the Mercedes Benz of the power filter world. They're very reliable, well built etc. I think once you've used them for a while you'd npt want to go back to another brand.

Eheim media is also very good. Let me know what model you want and I'll get it you at trade.


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## Velcro (May 18, 2010)

INJAF said:


> Am definitely leaning towards the Eheims


You won't be disappointed, they're fantastic filters x


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

I've always found Eheims a pain in the arse, annoying to clean and ugly as sin green. Maybe it's because I'm only using the middle range externals and not top end?

I prefer Fluvals tbh.

For 600L I'd be thinking sump, sump, sump.


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## INJAF (Nov 12, 2011)

Mynki said:


> Let me know what model you want and I'll get it you at trade.


You are a prince among men 



Morgan Freeman said:


> I've always found Eheims a pain in the arse, annoying to clean and ugly as sin green. Maybe it's because I'm only using the middle range externals and not top end?
> 
> I prefer Fluvals tbh.


Hmm, seems you're the exception to the rule Mr Freeman  Have posted on a couple of other forums for maximum 'consumer survey' and Eheims seem to come out top. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder though, lol, and if it's quiet then it could be purple and clad in faux fur, I would love it! But thanks for the comment on the Fluval, appreciated.



> For 600L I'd be thinking sump, sump, sump.


I've thought about this before but sadly the cabinets don't lend themselves to a sump (this isn't mine, just a pic from the internet), they have an upright and some shelving in the middle, just where you'd want to put a sump. And there's no room to have anything separate, or off to one side. Would be a good idea though, could easily do something similar to a veg filter or reedbed on a pond. I did do quite a bit of research at one point when I had less fish and was thinking of putting them all in one tank, planting up the other and using two identical filters with the inlets and outlets in different tanks (with a siphon between them to keep the water levels) so the water went through both tanks - one fishy, one heavily planted. But I ended up rehoming a few waifs and strays ...


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