# fx5 or 2078



## alzak (7 Mar 2010)

Which one of this two is better for planted tank I know fx5 is good with mechanical filtering and 2078 is good for biological at the moment I run xp3 which will be replaced and second one is ex1200 

2078 is bit more expensive but if is worth why not to spend a bit more also some new technical thing eheim out in it 
fx5 is just a a canister with good pump 

anyone can say good or bad things about this filters


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## ceg4048 (8 Mar 2010)

Hi,
   As a hardliner I'm fundamentaly opposed to filters that think for you. Listen to how one website describes the 2078;

"New touch pad interface for electronic micro-processor controlled filter. Just set your required out-put and the electronics will do the rest..."

This is exactly how Kyle Reese described The Terminator to Sarah Conner. Why not consider the manual shift 2080? If you like spending money then consider the 2081 Thermofilter. I mean at least that's a useful technological feature as it eliminates the need for a heater in the tank. People really need to think about the application of the so-called technology being marketed to us. Does it really serve us? Or is it another excuse to charge higher prices?

Lets do a reality check; In fact, both the FX5 and the Eheim are good for planted tanks. The Fluval actually has a significantly higher flowrate - and that's better for planted tanks than any microprocessor controlled "wave- function", which is useless. The Fluval is noisier and is less well built. The 2080 is a better biological filter (only because it holds more biological media - not because of anything inherent) which is better for plants. I believe the 2078 and the Fluval have comparable media capacity. The Fluval is also less expensive. The Fluvals output pipe is awkward if you intend to use spraybars so some minor modification might be required.

So you should think about what items are more important to you. Flow is very important and if your tank is much larger than say 170L then you might want to lean in the direction of the Fluval. If noise and quality are issues then the either of the Eheims get the nod. If your stocking will be high the 2080 should be considered. If price is an issue then the Fluval is hard to beat. You should definitely not consider technology in this decision though. No matter what, a filter is a bucket with a pump, and that's all it can ever be, despite vendor claims to the contrary.

Cheers,


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## dw1305 (8 Mar 2010)

Hi all,


> No matter what, a filter is a bucket with a pump, and that's all it can ever be, despite vendor claims to the contrary.


 Very true, I'd buy an appropriately sized "Eheim Classic", they've made them for over 30 years, and there is little that can go wrong with them, you can also get spare seals, impellers etc., which can be difficult when manufacturer are constantly changing models etc. 

I wouldn't use the Eheim media, not because there is anything wrong with it, but you can get suitable media a lot cheaper elsewhere. In fact even if it was a huge filter (2260) you could fill it with some ppI10 sponge and 15kg of "Alfagrog"for about Â£15.
cheers Darrel


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## alzak (8 Mar 2010)

I was thinking thank all electronic equipment in  2078 will help  keep good biological filtration as I want some filter to fill it with sera spirolax 

I just think that all electronic things in 2078 is to help as maintaining our tanks and make life much easier but do not know anyone who use 2078 

any ideas for filter up to 200 

there is one seller on ebay which sell fx5 for 145 but I'm just not sure about fluval and want eheim 

2080 is bit to expensive for me at this time


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## dw1305 (8 Mar 2010)

Hi all, 





> I was thinking thank all electronic equipment in 2078 will help keep good biological filtration as I want some filter to fill it with sera spirolax


 That is partially what I don't like - the electronic equipment, it is the thing that is most likely to fail (particularly the LCD units). Sera make good media, I like the siporax, but the media is nothing like as important as various manufacturers will tell you. 

I've worked a lot on the biological remediation of landfill leachate (with a huge BOD) and there really is no secret to biological filtration, you only need 3 things, a substrate for the nitrifying bacteria to feed on, sites for them to inhabit and a supply of oxygen. In a planted tank, if the water is flowing *through* your filter media freely, you will have all 3 of these factors. 

cheers Darrel


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## alzak (8 Mar 2010)

nobody likes electronic equipment but we all use it everyday and just because is electronic equipment do not mean  is not good and will broke soon

 is new thing in aquatic industry most of people do not like it but that is the future 

eheim is one of the best company and if they make something they put a lot of all kind of tests just to makes sure product which left a development step is fully finish and remember all of their products are still covered by 3 years warranty dosn't matter how full of electronic is it


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## ceg4048 (8 Mar 2010)

Hi,
    The issue is not whether electronic items are good or not good, but rather does it serve a purpose on this product? Biological filtration has nothing to do with electronics. None of the electronic features of this pump do anything at all to enhance the ability of the 2078 to process NH4 into NO3. This is why hardliners are vehemently opposed to this feature. As Darrel quite rightly points out, nitrifying bacteria do not care about microprocessor control. They live on the surface of the biomedia and process the chemicals in their local environment. As I mentioned before, the one improvement that would have made this 2078 worthwhile would be to have a more powerful pump or some other way to improve the overall flowrate through the filter.

Eheim's integrity is not in question, however just because something is new, and just because Eheim makes it, it does not mean that it's more useful or will necessarily result in an improvement/ease in your life. 

Novelty is used by Eheim and by all product manufactures in order to market products. Our responsibility is to understand the fundamental principles of how our tanks function so that we make the right purchasing decisions. In this way, vendors will be encouraged to make the proper enhancements to their product lines instead of making superficial, or otherwise useless cosmetic changes. I'm hoping, that one reason you don't know anyone with a 2078 is because folks perhaps have come to this realization and have chosen to get better bang for buck by purchasing alternative filters.

I know this sounds harsh (and I'm an Eheim fanboy, believe it or not) but this is the wrong direction. In a high tech planted tank, and even in a non-planted heavily stocked tank, flowrate is of paramount importance. Anything else is trivial pursuit. One reason the FX5 is noisy is specifically because of it's higher flowrate. It's difficult to design a quiet, high capacity filter. I understand that, but when I see this electronic trickery on the new filters it tells me they have decided that it's easier to turn the filter into a gadget showcase instead of spending resources on solving the more difficult problem of filter throughput.

Cheers,


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## alzak (9 Mar 2010)

So looks like for most of you fluval is much better idea I do not know yet which one to pick 
price for fx5 is very good but i don't know how noisy it is as my tank is in living room and my GF will not be happy to watch telly with noisy filter on back


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## JAS (9 Mar 2010)

This is of no real help to you, alzak, but I wouldn't personally go for the 2078 or FX5. The 2078 for all the reasons already mentioned: just because you can do something, and just because it will likely work just fine, it doesn't mean you should or that you need to. We pay a lot more money for an electronic processor when the standard Eheims work just as well with less to go wrong. The FX5 also has electronic circuitry, and I've seen a lot of horror stories about the motors simply dying after about a year - easy to believe, considering I used to use Fluval 04 series canisters and some of them stopped working after only six months.

Now I use Eheim. I've had Professionel I and II's (unfortunately no longer available) for almost ten years, and apart from a thermofilter which nearly boiled the tank, they've been faultless. The thermostat on the thermofilter, which is what caused the heater failure, is also electronic... doesn't put my mind at ease.

Having used both the Eheim Professionels and the Classics, I'd now opt for the Classic almost every time. Much better value for money - I just wish Eheim would make a "2219" with flow around the 1500lph mark. I currently use multiple 2217's because I have a bad back and can't lug a huge filter around, otherwise I'd get the 2260.


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## Steve Smith (9 Mar 2010)

On the classic theme, I have a 2213, and while it's not a bad filter, I find it a bit awkward.  There's no carry handle to speak of, so when it's full of water it's difficult to get out of my cabinet (mind, the cabinet is pretty tightly packed).  Also, priming them is a bit of an art form, though I managed quite well when I set it up at the weekend


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## alzak (9 Mar 2010)

the problem is I need a BIG filter with big outflow for my 370l tank s


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## JAS (9 Mar 2010)

I use two 2028's and two 2217's on my 450 litre, but I understand that's not what you're looking for.

If you want one big filter (or at the most two) with big flow, I'd go for the 2080 or 2260.


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## alzak (9 Mar 2010)

how about the 2078 do you happy with them ?? I will go for 2078 or fx5 not sure yet as 2080 is just bit to expensive for me


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## JAS (10 Mar 2010)

I've never used the 2078 or the other electronic filters so all I can give you is an opinion based on what I look for in a filter myself. Like some of the posts earlier in the thread, I'm not a fan of the electronics simply because they serve no purpose and there's no way they can be bulletproof like the standard models - though I'm sure they work fine and that you'd be happy with it if you choose to buy one. You can change the way in which the water is drawn through the bucket, and you can change the pump that's used to draw the water through the bucket, but when all is said and done an external canister filter will always be a bucket with a pump on it, as ceg4048 said earlier. I'm concerned with a filter that simply does its job well and works no matter what I throw at it.

That's why I definitely can't recommend the FX5. I've been turned off Fluval externals by my own experience of motors repeatedly burning out, and by the number of stories about it still happening. But there are also a lot of people who are completely happy with Fluvals, so it's luck of the draw.

What's perfect for one person is a nightmare for someone else, so it's hard to say what would be the best option for you. I don't think you would go far wrong with any of the Eheim Classics or standard (not electronic) Professionels, and I've also heard nothing but good things about the JBL e1500 which has flow rate of 1500lph, if you'd like to consider one or two of those. If you shop around it's also likely you could find the 2080 for a very similar price to the 2078, especially if you're not planning to use Eheim's expensive media. The FX5 will always get you the biggest bang for your buck, but it's false economy if the build quality lets you down.


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## alzak (10 Mar 2010)

I use one of fluval in my small tank and to be honest works fine no probs at all but for big tank I think I will go with eheim not sure which one still considering few as i only have space for one as second one is tetratec which I bought about 2 months ago so there is no need to replace it 

I will definitely do not recommended a fx3 as looks like flow rate is really small but maybe is just my filter 

about jbl I do not know much


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## JAS (10 Mar 2010)

What kind of tank and cabinet do you have? Unless I've missed it, I realise none of us have asked that question. Some of the filters are very big and might not physically fit if your cabinet is small.

Apart from the Tetratec EX2400, which has a reputation for being very noisy, the big brand filters that have the highest flow rate without being too enormous in physical size probably are the 2078 or the JBL e1500. This is a review of the JBL if you're interested:

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2592

You might also be interested in this comparison of the 2080 and FX5, if you haven't already seen it:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... hp?t=68458


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## dw1305 (10 Mar 2010)

Hi all,


> the problem is I need a BIG filter with big outflow for my 370l tank s.


 I think I see now, and I'd approach this from a different angle, and think about what you actually want and need. Because of that I'll split the answer into 2 bits.

*Filtration*
If you have an un-planted tank, with a large fish load that produces a lot of highly polluting waste (say Malawi mbuna community, Oscar's, Datnoids etc), or fish that produce an even larger amount of less polluting waste (wood eating Panaque community etc) you need a large biological filtration capacity, quick flow speed through the filter media and a way of ensuring that the water remains highly oxygenated. These parameters are needed to deal with the large BOD and/or bulky organic matter, in this case I'd suggest a planted wet and dry trickle filter, rather than a canister.  However if you did want a canister it would indeed need to be a very powerful one, with fast flow and  a big media capacity, to ensure that the water in the filter is not de-oxygenated within the filter, and there are sufficient bacteria present to deal with the large volume of organic matter and ammonia produced.

*Flow*
However if you don't keep that sort of fish?, you will almost certainly all ready have adequate biological filtration, and what you are after is *greater flow speed *to distribute ferts. and CO2, remove mulm from moss etc , in which case you can do this with a  *pump or powerhead*, (Koralia or similar) very much more cheaply than buying a new bigger filter.

cheers Darrel


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## alzak (10 Mar 2010)

The ting is I need big filter to support a biological filtration as my XP3 flow is not the best also need a filter to improve my water flow for better co2 diffusing as I have planted duch style tank 

My cabinet is enough big to hide 2080 or fx5 as this is 4ft rena cabinet


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## sanj (10 Mar 2010)

I have both 2080 and FX5 on the same tank.

Both are good had not probs for nearly two years.

Fx5 higher flow, cheaper to buy, but with uglier black 1" ripped pipes, which might not be an issue depending on visibility.
2080 well its an Eheim, great reputation, it has twice the media capacity, but significantly more expensive.


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## alzak (10 Mar 2010)

I will hide pipes on back of my tank so I do not see anything I will go for fx5 not 100% sure yet will see how good deal I find on both the best price for fx5 is 145 on ebay and for 2078 is 199 on zooplus anyone got better prices??


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## Robert1979b (17 Mar 2010)

Alzak, 
Which Rena 4ft cabinet? I have the Aqualife 350 tank and cabinet, I think there are two versions of the cabinet, one has 2 doors, mine has 3 doors. This may decide for you. 

I have measured my cabinet door to be approx 35cm wide. I would want a few cm space for fingers so call it 33cm wide. 

The FX5 is 53x37x39 (hxwxd) the Classic 2260 is 50x37x37, the Eheim 2280 58x33x33 and the Eheim 2078 is 54x27x27. 
This would limit you to just the 2078. 

Rob


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## jcastell (3 Apr 2010)

as a dedicated Eheim user I would never touch an fx5, heard too many horror stories about them.

I only trust what works. I don't like the newer Eheims with their pointless electronics etc. .

A canister filter should be designed like the following:

1) inlet at the bottom
2) outlet at the top
3) high quality pump to run it

any other fancy stuff or silly buckets/chambers would put me off.

I would recommend Eheim 2260 without hesitation if you want a large fast filter. I don't care for the 2078 or 2080, just extraneous rubbish that they put on to go with the times.

If you want more flow out of a 2260 you can always change the pump and/or make a remote hose connection arrangement, you have to take it apart to do this, but it can be done and that's one of the nice things about them. I'm in the process of moving a 2260 to filter a 270 litre tank, will make a vast improvement from the 2 x 2217 that were running.

The other thing when talking about flow rate is that Eheim judge what they see fit as regards flow rate/canister volume ratio. They probably could make faster flows for the canisters but it's a change that they're unwilling to do since it would have manufacturing implications.

As far as value for money and reliability goes the 2260 is it. Period.



> One reason the FX5 is noisy is specifically because of it's higher flowrate. It's difficult to design a quiet, high capacity filter. I understand that, but when I see this electronic trickery on the new filters it tells me they have decided that it's easier to turn the filter into a gadget showcase instead of spending resources on solving the more difficult problem of filter throughput.



The fx5 is not noisy because of high flow rate. It's noisy because it uses a lower quality motor, coupled with the demands to run at a higher flow rate.

Flow rate is not a difficult problem at all. Deltec HLP pumps are monsters when it comes to flow rate, you can attach one to a 2260 canister and you'll have something very fast and dead quiet, the only problem is cost.

From the looks of it Eheim does not feel the need to increase their filter's output to keep up with user's expectation and/or what our practices are now (remember these filters have been around for a long time, and hence we're made to spec according to old fashioned ways of thinking). "filter throughput" is not a difficult problem, convincing Eheim to address it IS.


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## alzak (6 Apr 2010)

Hi

I have to buy a big filter this week help me to choose which one 

eheim 2078
eheim 2260
fluval fx5

the best will be a 2260 I know that is small problem with cleaning it want to buy good filter which last me for long with big outflow to help me with poor circulation in my tank 
at the moment I use xp3 but the outflow is very poor as i do not know how old is it

From the other hand nobody have any problems with a new range eheim 2078 there is few more parts which can broke on some part of they lives but by end of a day is a eheim so quality 

2260 best price on web is 179 and 2078 189 not big difference 

how about outflow from 2260 when is full of media ?


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## jcastell (6 Apr 2010)

the question here is maintenance, the 2078 is easier to maintain, but it only has 8 litre filter capacity (with 0.6 litres for the prefilter)

I won't be running my 2260 like most people, I will feed it via its own prefilter arrangement which means that the whole canister is NEVER touched at all, so will be filled with biological media only. If I had to continually open up my canister every week it would drive me up the wall!!!

The 2260 has stronger flow, and has 18 litres filter capacity. The latter alone should seal the deal for you.

You CANNOT ask for flow rate with media since that is an absurd question. All pump performance are measured with no resistance and at zero head. Over time things clog in the canister resulting in increased resistance. What you can say is that the 2260 has a stronger pump so it can maintain it's flow rate better than the 2078 (assuming of course same pump/impeller design etc. . ).

PM me if you want to know about my prefilter arrangements, I just don't want to give it out publicly.


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