Eheim vs FX5

[inkslinger]

I have a Blue line 55 HD pump 1100gph,180w
Nu-Clear 533,547 filters , My wife is mad that our electric bill went up!! to $100.
a month instead of $50. I have a feeling that it's the pump being 180w's
I use to have a Eheim Pro II 2028 and 3 pairs of t5 54w and our electric bill was never been that high. Even if I get the next size pump down 40 HD it's 120w, I was told that a good High Pressure pump was needed to push water threw the Nu-Clear 533 and 547 filters?

IMO:
I like the Eheim but the one I had for a couple of years was not strong enough flow for my 60x18x24 110g tank {not enough flow} My plants grew great on one side of my tank. I would like to get the biggest on that Eheim Pro 3 or Pro 3 e has to offer even with a built in heater.
I like the strong flow that the FX5 has but don't know how good they are.

Any one have any of these? and do you like them? Would like to here if you use any of these filters an get your Opinion.

 

[Crispino Ramos]

I have a couple of friends who use the FX5 and they like it because it does a good job in their big tanks with heavy bioload.

 

[inkslinger]

I am leaning to the FX 5 filter for price and flow power.
I do wish others would have gave me there OP. on both of these filters
so I could gather the info on both filters of dislike an likes.

 

[Cyclesafe]

I'm an Eheim man myself, having only tried lesser filters for a short while. I wouldn't use anything else because although you pay more you get more in terms of filter integrity / quality, fit and finish. For most of us, plastic is plastic, green or not, but in this case better plastic means better impact resistance, better wear / strength with closures, longer lasting pumps etc. I think the BMW analogy works well here. A Honda is all you need, but one might be happier driving a BMW into the ground. You'll only regret buying an Eheim when you need to buy spare parts, again just like a Beemer.

 

[aakks]

I use an FX5 on my 265g. I am very happy with it. I have used eheims in the past (eccos and a 2026 iirc). The eheims were probably better quality, but the FX5 is still pretty good. You can pick up an FX5 for $200 on ebay, which was cheap enough to sway me to the FX5. I don't regret it one bit. As to the flow, I think the FX5 was measured with no media and the eheims are measured with media. Might be apples and oranges to compare their ratings. I find the FX5 has decent flow for filtration, but I use additional powerheads for circulation. I'd do the same with an eheim though.

 

[Jim Miller]

The Eheim manual for the 2078 lists the flow with a full media pack at 1100lph or about 275gph. I'm very pleased with mine. I really like the very well constructed plumbing connections which are easy and drip free. Servicing is very easy since the lines disconnect, the top snaps off and the coarse media pad is the first item on top and easy to lift out for cleaning. The fine media pad is also immediately below that for easy access. Those are really the only two items that need servicing. I also like the fact that it is almost silent; completely masked by the refridgerator 20ft away.

To increase the flow for my 90g I added a parallel circuit with an Eheim 1048 for another 160gph and it is even quieter than the 2078 which is great. Flow now is very nice at 350-400gph depending on the flow setting of the 2078.

The acid test for noise is my daughter who has some severe sensory issues and she is perfectly happy with the setup even though it is right next to the couch and not yet enclosed by a stand.

Jim

 

[inkslinger]

I first started with a Eheim Pro 2 2028 and a close loop with a Mag 5 , AM 1000 co2 reactor, UV Light {only use when needed} and a Hydro Heater 300w. But over all it was not enough flow and plants would grow best on one end of the tank, Then I switch over to the Nu-Clear Filters then wife complaints about the electric bill gone up. So now looking for new filter that runs less watts . but have good flow .
I know how good the Eheims are I had mine for a couple of years , I never own a FX5 but like the price and flow even with media it should still be up around 600gph. Or could try a Blue Line 30 HD 590gph pump? My 55 HD is a 1100gph 180w

 

[Jim Miller]

I know what it's like to try to find a balance between power consumption, noise and flow. My setup works for me. If you're not sensitive to noise issues then a lot more choices are available to you. I think the main thing is to find a configuration which works at the desired flow and no more. Throttling wastes power and in my limited experience increases noise.

How big is your tank? Do you really think the Nu-Clear setup is required? I'm finding my 90g is staying nice and clear with just a single 2078 augmented with a parallel path driven by a 1048. The 2078 has a Hydor 300w and a RG reactor inline with the output. The 1048 is running directly with nothing in its path. I've moved from the Nu-Clear approach to the two parallel line approach after realizing that the filter doesn't need to be the prime mover. It just needs enough flow through it to process a reasonable amount of the tank capacity and keep the biomedia from going sour.

I chose to run the heater and reactor at the output of the filter to minimize crud buildup inside them. So far all is working well.

I've recently posted some details of my final plumbing configuration on my blog. Perhaps it might help.

Good luck

Jim

 

[shoggoth43]

Did the Eheim handle the bioload? If so, why not look into adding a Koralia for the additional flow? Easier than adding a closed loop for flow. However, you may not want to see the stuff in your tank.

The MonsterFishKeepers site often has these kinds of debates. Right or wrong, the general responses I see are that Eheim has the better bio filtering ( probably due to the media ) but much lower flow rates. Most people who want the absolutely crystal clear water and nothing floating around choose the FX5 due to the flow rate which make it a better mechanical filter. Again, just the arguments I usually see thrown around.

If the tank is the same, and the Eheim could do the job, I'd look into just using the existing unit and adding the Koralia for extra flow in the tank. The Koralia would only be 15Watts max and probably closer to 10. So you'd be looking at

 

[inkslinger]

My tank is 60x18x24 110g tank , I should be able to use Eheim media in the 3 baskets that the FX5 has and still have good flow. shoggoth43 like you said it's 50w vs 180w

 

[pat w]

What are your electric rates? Even at twice the US National avg. 180w for 24hr./day shouldn't cost more than $31.00 a month. Should be more like $15 to $20. {US Nat avg. $129.19/1000 KWH as of Jan, 2011}

Pat

 

[aakks]

For flow, you might want to take a look at the propeller pumps (tunze, koralia, etc..). They produce a ton of flow at a very low wattage. I don't depend on my canister for flow.

 

[inkslinger]

Will it just gives me the OK from my wife to get a new filter .
Since she things that it's my pump that raise our electric bill.
Good thing she doesn't know! So ether the Eheim pro 3 2080 or the FX5

:gw

Hey she wants t save !

 

[inkslinger]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68458

 

[skerzfan]

If you like the Eheims but are concerned with lack of flow you could look at the 2260 or 2262. Loads of bio and plenty of flow. I know Jim had issues with his 2260, but mine is really quiet. Ken's Fish has pretty decent prices on them.

 

[Biollante]

For What It May Be Worth

What are your electric rates? Even at twice the US National avg. 180w for 24hr./day shouldn't cost more than $31.00 a month. Should be more like $15 to $20. {US Nat avg. $129.19/1000 KWH as of Jan, 2011}

Pat

Hi,

For what it is worth my BL 55 HD running about 12 feet of head costs me a little under US$16.00 a month at our insanely high electric rates.

Biollante

 

[Jim Miller]

For $20 or so you can buy something called a Kill-a-Watt (amazon.com). You plug whatever you want to measure into it and the device into the wall. It gives a variety of useful measures of draw. Plug all your aquarium equipment (lights, pumps, heaters) into a single plug strip and plug the strip into the Kill-a-Watt and it will tell you what the whole thing is drawing. Then you can plug the individual pieces in to see which are the big ticket items.

Very useful. If your aquarium really is the problem it will help determine whether it is the pump or something else.

If it isn't the aquarium it will help you track the offender down as well.

jim

 

[inkslinger]

Hi,

For what it is worth my BL 55 HD running about 12 feet of head costs me a little under US$16.00 a month at our insanely high electric rates.

Biollante

What is your setup and are you getting any heat issues with the pump? I have 3 pairs of t5 54w I run my first bank {front for 4hr} and last bank {rear pair for 4hr} the centers are on for 2hr and I have a glass top.
With my Eheim pump my water temp had always stayed at *78
With this new set-up my water stays at *85. I'm planning on changing my intake size from 1in to 1-1/2 line with two 6in screens at the end {look like this |____|} elows over the rim and 1-1/2in hose down to the pump. I hope the flooding the pump will bring the temp down to *80 .

can you post a pic of your pump setup? thanks
Maybe my tank is not the coast of our electric bill as I thought but I have been battling this heat issue since last year some time when I change my filter system over .
When I first started it was up to *90 when I had a bottle neck.

 

[Gerryd]

Ink,

When I had my panworld it really increased my water temps.....

When I replaced it with the blackfin the temp was better but I didn't change any of the plumbing.

The temp went back to normal after I removed all plumbing bottlenecks.. I know you still have one or two..

Please post some pics of ALL your current setup and angles for better viewing??

I really think it is your plumbing more than the pump itself, although they do run hotter than other mfgs.

 

[inkslinger]

Ink,

When I had my panworld it really increased my water temps.....

When I replaced it with the blackfin the temp was better but I didn't change any of the plumbing.

The temp went back to normal after I removed all plumbing bottlenecks.. I know you still have one or two..

Please post some pics of ALL your current setup and angles for better viewing??

I really think it is your plumbing more than the pump itself, although they do run hotter than other mfgs.

What other type of pump should work only for the Nu-Clelar 533 an 547 filters