# [Wet Thumb Forum]-120 Gal, which canister?



## The Gipper (Jun 3, 2004)

I have a 120 gal set up sicne May with DIY wet -dry, but can't keep CO2 levels up (just running CO2 output into submersible pump inlet, no reactor).

Would like to switch to Eheim canister, any comments?

Which one, 2026 or 2028, whats the difference?

Should I prefilter the Eheim, if so How?

What about a CO2 reactor, or just run into Eheim?

What about surface scum with canister (reason I went with wet-dry)?

Thanks in advance.


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## The Gipper (Jun 3, 2004)

I have a 120 gal set up sicne May with DIY wet -dry, but can't keep CO2 levels up (just running CO2 output into submersible pump inlet, no reactor).

Would like to switch to Eheim canister, any comments?

Which one, 2026 or 2028, whats the difference?

Should I prefilter the Eheim, if so How?

What about a CO2 reactor, or just run into Eheim?

What about surface scum with canister (reason I went with wet-dry)?

Thanks in advance.


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## BobAlston (Jan 23, 2004)

I would recommend the 2028 because I have a 2026 on my 55 gallon. I also like to use a prefilter foam "sock". I rinse it weekly in dechlorinated water. Helps allow the canister to go several months between cleanings.

Bob

High Pressure CO2 sources, needle valves, information:
http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/AquaticPlants.htm#High%20Pressure%20CO2


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## JLudwig (Feb 16, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Should I prefilter the Eheim, if so How?


It is my very personal opinion the the Eheim canister filters are extremely overated in terms of quality. No filter is really designed to dissolve gas, I am still having problems with occasional vapour lock on my Ecco (the smallest model they make). I've found the need to open the filter more often than most, and because of this, I managed to break the auto-siphoning system quite well. Overall, its probably on par with any other canister, but IMHO its not the "BMW" of aquarium products... infact, I've come to the somewhat pessimistic conclusion that aquarium hobby products are in general overpriced and poorly designed (I say this after quite a long battle with expensive salt-water equipment), and getting something good is almost a matter of luck... I would save the money, I'm switching to a Fluval when we move.

Jeff Ludwig
AquaticPlantWiki: www.rockytop.net


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

Jeff, I think you're taking a big step down if you're going from an Eheim to a Fluval, even if it's a model from Eheim's lowest line. Airlocking due to CO2 injection should not be the standard by which we judge canister filters: None of them were specifically designed for that application. Instead, if you're experience airlock problems with CO2 injected on the input side, it's wisest to reconfigure things onto the output side, adding a reactor if needed. Though it's a pain in the butt to do the switch initially, life gets much, much easier without the worry and all of the effectiveness.


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## JLudwig (Feb 16, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by 2la:
> Jeff, I think you're taking a big step down if you're going from an Eheim to a Fluval, even if it's a model from Eheim's lowest line.


Sorry if this sounds rude, but why does everyone say this? Because someone else said so? Specifically, what does an Eheim do for twice/three times the price that an equivalent product from Hagen not do? Do these other filters catch on fire or explode or something? I will admit, the Eheim is quiet, but this isn't really functionality... in terms of the success of my setup, how do you justify the added cost? I realize this is a bad attitude, but my Eheim is as broken as the other garabage from TetraTec I've bought... I bought it under the impression that I would buy this thing once and be able to forget out it... instead I wake up to find my tank siphoned out on the floor all night because an O ring didn't seal properly. I paid that extra money ('3x the American made crap') so precisely this sort of non-sense didn't happen...

Jeff Ludwig
AquaticPlantWiki: www.rockytop.net


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

Jeff, I'm not exalting the Ecco so much as I'm denigrating the Fluval. IME, it's a poorly designed piece of equipment that:

a) features a lot of bypass,
b) does not self-prime,
c) does not always restart after being reconnected or after the power comes back on following a blackout (I'm talking about lack of movement of the impeller in addition to the impeller running dry)
d) dirties easily and requires significantly more frequent cleaning than, say, the equivalent Filstar model,
e) is more of a hassle to clean than comparable models due to the less than user-friendly design (no handles on the media chambers), and
f) will probably give you the same airlocking issues if your injection setup remains the same.

You obviously don't have to follow my advice or validate my experience (though I've encountered a few local aquarists with similar ones, including my LFS), but let's not turn this into some kind of philosophical dispute. I'm offering advice from as practical and functional a viewpoint as I know how, and I'm actually trying to _save_ you money by telling you _not_ to buy a Fluval that will most likely disappoint you in the end. After all, if the Ecco is "probably on par with any other canister," then I don't see the logic of switching to a Fluval with its many particular faults (I'd sooner switch to a Filstar equivalent). Perhaps because you got such a poor deal on the Ecco ("3x the American made crap," though Hagen is a Canadian company) it's colored your view of all things Eheim? Whatever the case, my advice appears to have produced more consternation than appreciation, so I'll wiggle my way out of this thread right now.

My apologies,

2la


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## George Willms (Jul 28, 2004)

I run both an Eheim and a Fluval and my experiences have been the same as 2la's. The Fluval is much less user friendly, and much more of a pain to start up. Their self-priming feature works very poorly. Usually the strainer will pop off when trying to prime also. Even if I fill the filter with water before I plug it back in, it still has to plugged and unplugged several times to remove all the air from the top of the unit. If I weren't going to buy an eheim I would try a filstar before I ever bought another fluval. Just giving you my own personal experiences.

George

Tank specs in profile


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## Guest (Sep 9, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Sorry if this sounds rude, but why does everyone say this? Because someone else said so?


Well, this would be one of the reasons.

We do listen what everbody has to say, don't we ?. This topic is as old as this hobby and we are always going to have pros and cons. People reporting good/bad things about Fluvals (or other) and good/bad things about Eheim (where only bad thing is price).

I'm not going to cover detail as 2la did a good job listing some of the problems.

I have 2028 Eheim on african cichlid tank. Easy to prime, easy to clean, no noise, do maintenance every 6 months.

I have 2215 Eheim on planted tank. Not as easy to prime as 2028, easy to clean, no noise, do maintenance every 6 months.

Both great experience compare to other filters.


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## Momotaro (Feb 17, 2004)

It really stinks when you are disappointed by the equipment you painstakingly research and choose.
I am wondering if part of Jeff's problem was the selection of the "Ecco" itself over another Eheim model.
It seems the Ecco model just hasn't caught on. I never really see them in stores. I never really hear anything positive about them, or much at all for that matter. It isn't a great seller, and there has to be a reason. Jeff's experiences could be that reason. 
If I remember correctly, the Eccos are the only Eheim filter made in China. The others are made in Germany. Is this a possible reason for the Ecco's failures, I don't know.
I do know I run two Eheims, a 2126 and a 2215, and I couldn't be happier with the filter's quality and function. I agree with everything Jay has said about the Eheims. Jeff, I would not condemn Eheim's line of filters. Unfortunately, I believe you may have chosen the Edsel of the Eheim line.

Mike


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## Tenor1 (Mar 3, 2003)

The following response is copied from another forum and written by Efhi Dan, a very knowledgeable Eheim user.


· The Classics are virtual workhorses and run very long between maintenance and are the most flexible for tweakers (denitrators, slave filters...). They are definitely reserved for the experienced hobbyist who is confterble with canisters. Beginners stay away (unless you purchase it at a good old aquarium store that will take the 15 minutes to show you what its all about.

· The ecco line is the modern version of the Classic. It addresses the 4 major complaints the non experienced hobbyists had about the Classics. 1) It has no conventional clips like all other canisters that break if you do not line them up correctly, it has a handle that locks the head in place. 2) The handle also primes the filter in a single motion. 3) It has filter baskets that make using different media easier for some (I like the one chamber desing of the Classics for a lot of applications my self). 4) It has an intergraded self-lubricating (silicon based) o-ring. Having said all of that, the eccos are great, awesome, highly recommended for beginners... BUT experienced aquarists that had Classics for many years will be disappointed with the ecco. 

· Both the Ecco and the Classic lines use the same qualiy components that have given EHEIM it's quality name in our hobby (thermo-switches on larger models, carbon based bearings, ceramic shafts, 9 to 11 year life span on impellers...). And now for the Pro series. 

· The Pro series goes the extra step in quality, even for EHEIM. They have a higher flow rate and more filtering volume. Instead of the unparalleled carbon based bearings, they use even better CERAMIC bearings in the impeller, yeilding over a 15 year life span. simply put, the Pro series combine the die hard work horse of the Classics with the up to date ease of use of the ecco all while adding even better components than EHEIMs industry standards.

==============================
I try to keep the tank plain and simple but it never stays that way!


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## Cody (Jun 26, 2004)

Hi Gipper,

I think the 2026 would be too small for your tank -- it's recommended for up to a 92 gallon, while the 2028 is 158 gallons. I believe that is the only difference between the two.

I've been extremely happy with my Eheim (2213). Easy to set-up, works great, very quiet. The only thing I don't like about the Eheim is the green color stands out too much on my tanks black background. Filstar uses a grey color which blends in great. And Eheim also prints their name is bright white on the tubing (multiple times I might add)which needs to be scraped off unless you want your tank to look like some cheesy advertisment. Minor problems, I know. Just irritating!


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