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I wonder how this comparison would now look given the 3-4 price increases (exceeding 20%) on the FX5 over the past year compared to a less than 5% increase on the Pro III (this is based on wholesale prices, which down the track get passed on to the customer).
Makes the Eheim look even better doesn't it?
That's only because it is :wink:
Did somebody say Eheim Sale?? ;)
Glad I am not the only one that thinks that...Quote:
Originally Posted by taksan
I guess another huge plus for the Pro 3 is the addition of the 2180 Thermo.
To have a big filter with an equally impressive 500w heater built in is a huge bonus. And for those worried about too many gadgets attached to the one product, the heater is on its own switch, so if it is not needed, just turn it off and the filter is not affected.
I bought this pump ten days ago and it is a piece of junk. The first five days it was great, although it was very loud. However, after the fifth day, once it shut down for the “2” minute internal cleaning, it never started back up. I called Hagen, and they told me to take out the polishing pad, which I did, and the pump then worked another 24 hours. The representative from Hagen said that the polishing pad restricted water flow. The pump has a shut-down every 24 hours for a 2 minute internal cleaning. However, this time when the pump shut-down, it never started back up. Regardless of what I tried, the pump is dead. This morning I will call Hagen again, but really don’t expect them to do anything. Don’t waste your money on this pump.
I have been using the fluval FX5 for 2 and a half years on a heavily stocked 125 gallon tank and I just wanted to give people a little bit of an idea of what they are in for.
Basically, I have had many problems with this filter though I was able to fix it each time. I have never had the filter just stop working on its own... the only time it would not turn back on was after I would shut it down during a water change. When turned back on (surge protecter switch flipped back to on) it would just hum and not circulate any water. Over the years this has happened to me at least 5 times. Whenever it happens, the filter requires a full tare down, dismantling of the motor, and cleaning of all crevices. And even then, when plugged back in, it might be unresponsive, but a little rap onto the motor casing gets it going.
Basically, the motor got jammed by sludge and debris 3 out of the 5 times it stalled. The other two times I had a snail shell lodged in the impeller (my tank is loaded with malaysian trumpet snails, half of the population living in the filter itself.)
This filter does keep my tank crystal clear, even with an 18" pleco, 7 full grown silver dollars, and about 10 cory cats, though the bioload requires that I clean out the sludge at least once every 3 months or the filters flow significantly decreases. Speaking of the flow, it seems to have diminished over the years as the last two times I cleaned out the sponge pads ( I mean completely ringed out, dont worry, I have two extra hang on back filters running to maintain biologial growth) the flow just seems as if its half of what it was. I am not sure if this is the motor getting old or blockages in the intake and output tubes, but it is much weaker than it used to be.
That said, I have never had any leaks and it always starts up again (with enough dismantling and thorough, yet careful cleaning). Though I have never owned an Eheim, I would suggest purchasing it instead of the fluval as performance drops sharply at the two year point.
I Would like a much better test then tetra bits. Through in some dead aquatic plant leaves with flake food,tetra bits. Remove some junk from what other filters have caught and put it in the tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluval Fx5 vs Eheim 2080
Seems pretty automatic to me don't you think? Fill the canister half way with water, put it together and turn it on. It will prime its self. Seems automated to me. No Manual labor needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluval Fx5 vs Eheim 2080
Both filters seem to take the aggravation out of purging and priming. Eheim uses a pump system which you should only have to do once but it seems you may have to do it three times. Possibly depending on the height of the water in the aquarium before the tubing bends over the edge. So some manual labor is needed.
I would like to see how everything is setup. Not one complaint on any forums even myself about the priming capabilites of the filter. Always purged 100%. After the initial setup, you can hook up the valves and turn them on without the canister full of water and you will see the canister fill up before your eyes. After this, if the canister has not purge 100%, the filter will shut off after 2-3 minutes to allow more air to escape. After that, its all done.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluval Fx5 vs Eheim 2080
This could be the fact that the pump is on the bottom causing vibrations in the floor, stand, tank, enclosure which we hear as noise. Eheim has the pump on top which will reduce this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluval Fx5 vs Eheim 2080
The fluval would have nearly twice the filtration as well. This is not the best statement. The Fluval requires more power because its a more powerful pump in regards to flow volume. The Eheim is not as powerful so it doesn't need as much power.Quote:
Filters are used 24/7 365 days of the year so power is important. The Eheim is the clear winner here averaging 27w against the Fluvals 51w so the fluval would cost nearly twice as much a year to run as the Eheim.
There are a few other areas to look into when considering power consumption.
- Flow rate per Watt of power used
- Aquarium cycles per hour.
- Mechanical filtration. A higher flow rate will clear the tank faster than a slower rate.
- Biological filtration doesn't fall into the power consumption category considering all the variables taking place.
Fluval Fx5
10.30 GPH per Watt
3.24 Cycles per hour
Eheim 2080
11.77 GPH per Watt
1.71 Cycles per Hour
There is more to nitrification than just the amount of bio media. The more bio media, the more of a large bio load the filter can handle. Obevesouly both filter can handle the 4ppm of ammonia with the media they have. This was a test of cycle time, but there really needs to be a test of the bio load capability. After filters have cycled, add another premeasured amount of ammonia and see how quickly the filters remove it. The initial cycle happends once, this has more variables than when a continued cycle through out the aquariums life.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluval Fx5 vs Eheim 2080
The extra bio capacity is doubtfuly the reason why the Eheim cycled 2 days faster. Not all of the 12L of bio media in the Eheim will be used for this test. Also not all of the 6L of bio media in the Fx5 will be used for this cycle test.
The cycle time is most likley the substaintial decrease in velocity and the increase in contact time. Now I did some rough calculations of the Eheims velocity, though I have no on hand experience with the 2080 nor do I have actual measurments of the inner trays. So I did a very rough calculation of the velocity when using a 11x11" sized basket. (If anyone can give me actual dimentions that would be great.)
Ehiem 2080 Velocity = .168" per second @ 318 GPH through 11x11 sq. (12.42" dia cylinder)
Fluval Fx5 velocity = 1.36" per second @ 600 GPH through 6" dia. cylinder
Now obveously the contact time is VERY high in the Eheim 2080 and the velocity is VERY low. Here is a question, if you took the same contact time as the Eheim, made the diameter of the baskets smaller but made them deeper to increase velocity but have the same contact time, would this hurt performance?
More on this topic HERE
Starting from the top;Quote:
While the Eheim is the clear winner in the performance stakes the decision is not clear cut. The Eheim is the better biological performer and has a better % flowrate when full. Its a lot quieter and holds a lot more media and uses less power then the Fluval. So its a no brainer to the Eheim on most areas right? Well no ... The fluval still does a excellent job its a bit easier to set up and it does a slightly better job at mechanical filtration and and here is the big kicker .... IT IS ABOUT HALF THE PRICE OF THE EHEIM So while the Eheim is clearly the better filter here I cannot honestly say its twice as good as the Fluval... issues of reliability and longevity not withstanding. If moneys not a issue its got to be the Eheim but the Fluval is a very good filter and its attractive price is going to win it a lot of fans. As for me personaly I like the Eheim better but I also have 6 FX5's for tanks where I can't justify the cost.
The only real winner here is us ...we have 2 great filters to choose from that both do a great job.
...and has a better % flowrate when full.
Was there a test of the actual flow rate without media? I don't see any! Here he is simply going by the manufacture specifications and not actual testing. So much for a comparison eh?
...and uses less power then the Fluval
The fx5 uses just under twice as much power because it has just under twice the flow rate. Doh.
Im sorry but this is such a self centered stab at Hagen. Obveously your an Eheim Fan.Quote:
EDIT : MARCH 2008
I've had no less then 5 ...yep 5 out of 6 FX5's exhibit problems with simply stopping all together or clogging after only a couple of weeks resulting in very slow flowrates.
I now have only 1 FX5 in operation out of the original 6.
I have had zero problems or issues with the Eheims.
I must conclude that the Fluvals are not nearly the same quality as the Eheims.
Tell us how many failed and how many clogged. Please? Truthfully.
The fact that the filters clogged doesn't make the filter a bad filter.
I hear about this all the time. "My fx5 clogged in 10 days after setting it up...why?". Only come to find out they used a polishing pad or small particle filtration pad and it clogged up. GREAT! this tells us how bypass free the filter is and also, how quickly its filtering the tank compaired to the Eheim 2080.
Another thing to think about is the circulation that filter will create in the tank. The Fx5 will create more circulation than the Eheim. In large tanks, you may want a power head to move the water around. The Fx5 yo may not need one. Especially after swapping the dual output nozzle with a CPVC 1" 90* bend.
I doubt it will work. really.Quote:
ok, can someone PLEASE help me?! (and my first post here)
so, i have to get an external filter eheim 2080 or FX5.
i want get the eheim, only that an email from eheim support service told me that the maximum allowed distance between the water level and the top edge of the intaking pipe shouldn't be more than 10 cm.(for fx5 is 20cm)
my problem is that i will have turtles in the aquarium (180x60x60) and i just cannot have the water level less than 15 cm.
they've told me that the selfprimig system will not work correctly. I was wondering, ‘cause when the water is already in the fuse, by a simple fluids’ dynamic it will continue flowing, with absolutelly no effort from the filter.
does anyone have any ideas what risks exactlely might I face if I will increse the distance to 15-16 cm?
thanks alot for your help,
dorin
Here is another positive with the Fx5. Hagen used a completly different impeller type which is MUCH MORE efficient then the 2080's impeller.
Hagen used an enclosed impeller while Eheim used a open impeller.
Enclosed impellers can create more negitive pressures then open impellers and can have a higher flow rate than open impellers. Open impellers are more for pumps that will see large waste particles while enclosed impellers are more for pumps that won't see large waste particles. Hagen had a vision here.
Hagen spent more money on the impeller than Eheim did. Since enclosed impellers and pump designs require more money.
I just had to add some reality views to this thread which pushes the Eheim out further than the Fx5.
The Fx5 can handle 4.76 PSI of head pressure while the Eheim can handle 3.67 PSI.