Equipment Review and Discussion :: Eheim 2080 Pro 3 Question

[Kansasslider]

I just got done reading a review on the pro 3 2080 vs fx5. The 2080 was the clear winner all around
However if you look at the reviews on Amazon most of them say they leak.Anyone want to chime in on this? I will buy one or the other I'm just not sure about Eheim now.

[steve]

If it's the seals that are leaking, they can be replaced and lubed up. It'll happen to most filters over a period of time. The FX5 is considered the best in it's price/performance category. There will always be a better, more expensive alternatives but the FX5 gets the job done. I think you'll find the Eheim 2262 is more similar to the FX5 if you're just comparing specs.

How big is your tank? What's the link to the review?

[VeipaCray]

The 2080 is a better filter... but it's $420. That's roughly 2x the price of the FX5 and it's not 2x better of a filter. For the same money you can have two FX5's running and 2 FX5's will destroy a single 2080 in filtration ability.

The 2262 that steve mentions is probably eheim's best filter. It's not the pro III series with the issues... it's the largest of the classic filter design. A design that's proven itself for the last 30+ years in terms of performance and dependability. I took a long hard look at the 2262 when I was buying my filtration. Again the problem I had was the price. I don't mind spending for quality, but the 2262 is about the same price as the 2080... and again twice the price of the FX5.

So the FX5 hasn't been around nearly as long as the Eheim classic series, but it probably came out around the same time of the Pro III series. Eheim has been around the longest. Heck Gunther Eheim was the guy who invented the aquarium canister filter. But Hagen / Fluval has been putting out quality canisters for some time. With each generation from Fluval, they've gotten better... well except for the G series junk. The G series is more aquarium bling to show your friends vs. actual filtration ability.

I've owned most every filter you can think of and most the ones I haven't owned, I've used. I can tell you the FX5 is by far Fluval's best filter and it's no slouch. Honestly comparing the 2262 to the FX5 is like comparing a Ferrari to a Lamborghini. You really can't go wrong with either.

I don't mean to talk you into the FX5 if your heart is set on Eheim. The eheim is awesome. I'd just rather put the extra $$ into other stuff for the turtle.

[Kansasslider]

Thank you for the input. I just Googled Eheim 2080 Pro 3 vs Fluval FX5 REVIEW. I just noticed the Guy that did the review had 6 FX5's and 5 of them stopped working! The review was in 2008 so maybe they fixed the problem. I don't like the fact the FX5 uses 51 Watts. The Eheim only uses 27 Watts. I'm going to use the filter on a 100 gal tank with 2 turtles.

[VeipaCray]

My guess is the reviewer is an idiot or he got refurbished units. There's TONs of people on this forum and elsewhere successfully using the FX5.

There's also this guy who is replacing his eheim's with FX5's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGIzOi32Lc8

So take any "review" with a grain of salt. If you search for FX5 on this forum, I think you'll find a bunch of FX5 users with nothing but glowing things to say about the filter.

I take it from your name you live in Kansas. From the US energy information administration, the average price per kilowatt hour for Kansas ranged from 7.61 to 8.5 cents. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/
27 watts for eheim, 51 watts for FX5. IF we use an average price for Kansas of 8 cents per kilowatt hour and plug it into an online power calculator http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/electric.cgi
The eheim takes 5 cents per day and the Fluval takes 10 cents per day. It's 5 cents more per day for the fluval. 365 days in a year x.05 = $18.25 more per year to run the FX5.

You can see where this is going...

The FX5 is $230 online and the Eheim is roughly $430. That's $200 more for the eheim. (ignoring tax and shipping)

$200 / 18.25 = 10.95. YOU NEED TO RUN THE EHEIM FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS BEFORE YOU BREAK EVEN AND RECOUP THE UPFRONT COST OF THE EHEIM.

[Fernando77]

Hello Kansasslider

I had the same doubt too. These leaks are not a problem for the 2080. 2075/2073/2071 models have some lots with a defect in the sealing of the filter head. As far as I know who had this problem got a new filter head.

I opted for 2080 Pro 3 because of electrical efficiency. I live in Brazil, high taxes here almost everything more expensive. and that includes energy . In my case the difference of electric consumption would make a difference in 3 years but as it is adjusted every year, I believe that in two and a half years the electric consumption already pay the price difference.

But I repeat it here in Brazil.
If energy costs was not a problem I would have chosen the FX5 at cost / benefit. However after a little over 1 year of use I say that money is not the problem Pro 3 2080 is the best choice.

If the cost of energy is not a problem for a little more money you buy two FX5 as VeipaCray said.

If the cost of energy is important and money is not an issue the 2080 is undoubtedly the best choice.

In the next filter cleaning I'll take some pictures and do a review. But I can say that with a little over 1 year of use that the 2080 is an excellent filter, I'm really pleased with his performance.