eheim the best?

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michael

Large Fish
#1
Nov 24, 2002
172
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St. Louis, Missouri
ikemeyer.homelinux.org
#1
How are eheim's basic features any different than other canister filters? (excluding built in heater and wet/dry canister models)

Why don't most chain LFS sell them? They aren't that expensive, at least online. And if you do find one at a LFS chances are you paid too much for it.

I almost bought one but couldn't justify its cost compared to the other leading canister filters with the same gph and features at 1/3 the cost.
 

Purple

Purple

Superstar Fish
#2
Oct 31, 2003
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#2
The build and design quality on the Eheim is superior to that of the Fluvals, and the mechanical filtration is slightly better too because of this. However, the Fluvals are considerably cheaper, and do almost as good a job, so they tend to be more popular. Even if I could afford to set my next tank up with an Eheim, I wouldn't change my running Fluvals, as they are doing such a good job where they are.

LFS may not stock Eheims because of lower profit margins and scarce sales, preffering to go with the more popular Fluvals.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
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#3
They don't break. You almost never find a dissatisfied user. Once your cannisters dumped 50 gallons on a wooden floor you won't think bargain brands are a bargain.
I often buy stuff at an lfs as without trade they tend to go bust. And a good lfs is a nice thing to have. All my local lfs's sell eheim rather than cheap brands as customers for canisters tend to buy on quality of product, plus once you've got 50 % returned it's a pain for the shop.
 

T

TaffyFish

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#4
Jan 30, 2003
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#4
Most chain lfs over here do sell them, however they mark them up a fair bit, sometimes Eheim cans are twice as much as some online stores.

Wayne makes a good point about reliability and cost - I have wooden floors at home and know how much they cost. The difference between Fluval and Eheim is insignificant in comparison.

There are quite a few fish stores within a 30 mile radius of me, but none of them is so good that it's indispensable (sadly). If the store agree to match online prices, they get my business.

As for features, well how do you value reliability? The Eheim Pro II's are simple to set up, the self priming is a doddle, the flow control is superb. The key thing for a can is to have minimal bypass, where the water can flow through the can without passing through the media. The Eheim sets the standard on this, not surprising that other manufacturers copy the Eheim design.

I cleaned out both my Eheim cans this weekend as they hadn't been attended to for 4 and 5 months respectively. It was a quick job, neither can had any reduced flow and both could have gone unattended for a while longer. On that evidence I won't touch either can again until November or December. Now that kind of low maintenance and reliability should be greatly valued!
 

Avalon

Avalon

Superstar Fish
#6
Oct 22, 2002
2,846
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Ft. Worth, TX
www.davidressel.com
#6
Eheim used to be a plastic manufacturer, particularly of childrens toys. They've got a lot of practice making plastic things, and it shows. I don't think I could break the plastic baskets in their Pro II cannisters if I tried. They are solid cannisters. There isn't one cheap component in them.

The reason they cost so much is some sort of import thing, or so I've read. I'm sure they're fairly expensive to begin with (relatively speaking), but by the time they get over to the USA, the price gets jacked up considerably. Add another 40-50% profit from the LFS, and you've got an expensive filter. I've been running mine for over 2 years now and I've not had one issue with it. It's like it's not even there.
 

dial

dial

Large Fish
#7
Jun 8, 2003
337
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Australia
dialmedia.com.au
#7
i live in Queensland australia and untill i joined this forum i never heard of a Fluval : we have sarcham <== like the meds/chem they are pretty cheep but mostly we have Eheim. I got mine from malaysia was 1/3rd the price (exchange rate 1 aus = 3 rm malaysian and the pump is the same price over ther as it is here.)

cheers aron
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#8
No I've dumped 20 once and 5 a few times. It's a mess, and having just been quoted about 2000 USD for a new wooden floor in part of my house I'm a bit anal about it. I really can't imagine the effects of 50 gallons of saltwater, or the other horror show, a 5 gallon bucket of salt water in the trunk of my car.
I don't think I'd ever ask an lfs to match an ontime retailer for price taffy, it ain't possible. Do you know what retailer list for an lfs looks like?, how much eheims can cost a retailer. On the other hand if you asked an online retailer 'I want that fish, yes that one, but I'm going on holiday in a week but can I collect in 3 weeks', do you think they'd do it. Or do they show you their import lists and let you pick? Can you take back and trade live rock pieces that don't work?I know I pay over the odds at the lfs, but I know where the money goes too.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#10
Oct 22, 2002
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#10
No, just give it time. You can quick start 'the nitrogen cycle' if you want with some plants, or gravel from another or something like biospira, there are other threads ad nauseum on this subject in the beginner and general columns
 

T

TaffyFish

Superstar Fish
#11
Jan 30, 2003
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#11
I don't think I'd ever ask an lfs to match an ontime retailer for price taffy, it ain't possible.
Click to expand...
of course it's possible, a few stores over here will match online prices - but only if you ask them too, otherwise you pay the price on the sticker. Some of the small independents won't and I can understand that but some of the national chain outlets will.
 

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