# Eheim Pro3 or Pro3E



## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

I'm looking at replacing my current filters and am looking for some advice/user reviews and would really appreciate any help I can get. I have a standard 75g, heavily planted, medium light, pressurized CO2. My current filters include a fluval 304 and 404 along with a 425gph koralia. What I would like is to be able to use one filter with a set of lily pipes and get all of the spraybars and powerheads out of the tank while still maintaining good flow and filtration. I have to admit I have read Niko's thread on flow in the DFWAPC forum and feel like my eyes have been opened a bit. I'm leaning towards Eheim, more specifically a Pro3 2075 which is rated at 330 gph and a Pro3 2080 which is rated at 450 gph, holds a ton of media and may not fit under my stand. I have no prior experience with Eheim so all of your help is most welcome. Thanks!


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I've had my ProII 2028 on my 75 for over 10 yrs now. I replaced the media to the Substrate Pro and the head gasket a couple of times. Runs quiet, no other issues.

My thoughts on the electronic unit is that solid state stuff can be problematic and breakdown. Keep it simple. I wanted the 2080 but it was too tall to get in over the tub I keep the filter sitting in.


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

How does actual flow of Eheims compare with stated flow? I know on my fluvals they claim one thing but actual peformance seems much lower.


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## Jim Miller (Feb 3, 2003)

The manual for the 2078 series has pump flow, filter flow (media installed) max and min numbers. I am doing some testing today to verify and will post results. 

Jim


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Per TexGal Eheim is the only filter company that states flow in a media filled filter; others stated gpm are empty filters.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

If you stay away from the pathetic Eheim wet/dry contraption all the other filters are very good, quiet and spare parts can be found anywhere and cheap.

Actual flow - it certainly depends on the distance to the tank. But without mechanical filtration the flow is very good - I want to say about 70% of what is stated by Eheim. Quiet - yes, absolutely.

The built in heaters are a great thing. Except you must make sure you do not plug the heater cable in before the heater probe is in the tank or before the filter is actually running. The heater is basically a kitchen oven hot coil. It looks like one and it heats up in seconds. You can easily melt the housing if you plug the heater cable in with a non-running filter.

I don't know if Pro3 and 3E have a priming pump. The Eheims that have the big knob to prime the filter have an aditional gasket around that pump piston. It has proven somewhat flimsy on the models that have it. Stay away from it.

Right now, for a big filter, for the money a Fluval FX5 is a better deal - cheaper, more flow, sturdy construction.

--Nikolay


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Yeah, That Fluval looks like a nice design.

Any idea what the dimensions are Niko?


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

niko said:


> Right now, for a big filter, for the money a Fluval FX5 is a better deal - cheaper, more flow, sturdy construction.
> 
> --Nikolay


The FX5 was one of my first thoughts but its 16 inch diameter leaves me only an inch to spare in my cabinet so wasn't sure how easy it would be to wrestle out come cleaning time even though it can be drained before removing.

I finally measured the height I have underneath and the 2080 is too tall which isn't such a bad thing. I knew there was a reason not to spend $475 on a filter, lol.


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## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

This may help....

http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedAquariumreviews_eheim_pro3.aspx

jB


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

Jason Baliban said:


> This may help....
> 
> http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedAquariumreviews_eheim_pro3.aspx
> 
> jB


Thanks, that was a good review. After doing a bit more measuring and trying to be more realistic on what I can fit inside my cabinet and remove with relative ease for cleaning, etc., I'm going to go with the 2074. It's rated at near 400gph and of course doesn't hold nearly the amount of media as the 2080 but will fit inside my stand.


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## Jim Miller (Feb 3, 2003)

From my Eheim manual 2074 is 1500l/h empty, no number given for media max, 585l/h factory default with media. 

The 2076 and 2078 are rated at 60% of max at factory default setting so if the 2074 is similar then 800-900l/h flat out with media or about 200g/h.

YMMV

Jim


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

Jim Miller said:


> From my Eheim manual 2074 is 1500l/h empty, no number given for media max, 585l/h factory default with media.
> 
> The 2076 and 2078 are rated at 60% of max at factory default setting so if the 2074 is similar then 800-900l/h flat out with media or about 200g/h.
> 
> ...


Interesting, thanks. That's probably as much as I get combined from the two fluvals I'm using now. Still not as much as I was hoping for. I think they need to design filters more like the FX5, shorter and wider, to fit them in tighter spaces.


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## Jim Miller (Feb 3, 2003)

I've had some folks recommend that removing the filter pads and just leaving the biomedia (perhaps less loosely packed) helps the Eheims quite a bit. I may try that on mine.

Jim


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

That is a thought. Seems like I've read that a lot of people don't use the fine pad because it clogs too quickly. Trying it without either as you suggest is probably worth a try.


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## AquaBarren (Nov 6, 2009)

I had a pro 3e, 2076. Loved it. It was a great filter. With the fine filter pad in place it took 3 months for flow to diminish significantly. The 3e has a lot of features that sounded great when i bought it, but I wound up not using. The one feature that was useful though was the flow meter. That's how I could monitor flow. It wasn't always obvious in the tank, but a check of the indicator was all it took.

One feature that I really appreciated was the detachable power cord. Hated fishing power cords through the stand so this was a great feature. Like wheels on luggage, what took so long to figure that out!

I think the pro3s are the best design in filters. The "e" features of the 3e aren't necessary. Not sure I'd pay for them again, but the flow meter was nice.

Never gave me any trouble and was easy to maintain. Only nuisance with it was that the gasket was hard to seat sometimes. had to pay very close attention to that or it would leak. Once sealed it stayed sealed though.

Get the eheim accessory kit. Far superior to the stock inflow/outflow and NOT green. Some stores have a full setup, filter, media and accessory kit together at a very good price.

My favorite filter until the fluval G came out.


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