[Chubbs the Jellybean]

Okay, so I've been putting off the inevitable...

My 90 gallon stock is in my sig, I've been running it for about 2 months and my stock has hit its limit (once the oscar gets bigger one of the schools will be going back).

I'm currently running an AQ110 and an AQ50, and have wanted to get a canister filter to round out my filtration.

I'm torn between a few brands and models, mind telling me your experiences with them?

1. Eheim 2217/2215

2. Cascade 1000

3. Rena xp3/xp2

Ps - this canister would be in addition to the 2 HOBs that are running...

 

[Jmanolinsky]

I'd go with the XP3. I have an XP2 and love it. It is easy to set up and maintain. It also comes with enough elbos and stuff to set up the spray bar however you like. I have an Eheim Pro II 2026 and like it too, but the spra bar is all one piece, leaving fewer options.

 

[PfunMo]

Man, did you hit my hot button!
1. Ehiem 2217 -I use it for a pretty heavy stocked (at present) African cichlid 75 tank and love it. It lasts long and works good. Works a long time between filter cleanings. Should do a 90 with two HOB fine.
2. Cascade 1000-- Got one on a lightly stocked (4 angelfish) 55 gallon tank. I bought it new and it is a disaster!!!! It is the only filter I've ever had trouble priming. Some way the motor sets where water doesn't get to it by just filling the can and letting water run in. Their statement about the priming bulb is totally bogus. They must have known they had a bad design when they added a priming bulb! The filter has major bypass places. Look it over before buying and you can see the water enters at the bottom but there is space on each side of the media baskets big enough to stick a hand down. The water goes to the top to exit but can just go around the media rather than through. Even with this space, the water flow drops off quickly. Half price for half filtering and double maintenance. JUNK ALERT
3. No experience

I'll try to calm down now.

 

[Chubbs the Jellybean]

Man, did you hit my hot button!
1. Ehiem 2217 -I use it for a pretty heavy stocked (at present) African cichlid 75 tank and love it. It lasts long and works good. Works a long time between filter cleanings. Should do a 90 with two HOB fine.
2. Cascade 1000-- Got one on a lightly stocked (4 angelfish) 55 gallon tank. I bought it new and it is a disaster!!!! It is the only filter I've ever had trouble priming. Some way the motor sets where water doesn't get to it by just filling the can and letting water run in. Their statement about the priming bulb is totally bogus. They must have known they had a bad design when they added a priming bulb! The filter has major bypass places. Look it over before buying and you can see the water enters at the bottom but there is space on each side of the media baskets big enough to stick a hand down. The water goes to the top to exit but can just go around the media rather than through. Even with this space, the water flow drops off quickly. Half price for half filtering and double maintenance. JUNK ALERT
3. No experience

I'll try to calm down now.

Good to hear man, I was really skeptical of the Cascades anyways, I'm really just torn between the eheim and the rena. Though I'm leaning to the eheim classics because of their track record and how quiet they are...

Keep the experiences coming!

 

[nodima]

Okay, so I've been putting off the inevitable...

My 90 gallon stock is in my sig, I've been running it for about 2 months and my stock has hit its limit (once the oscar gets bigger one of the schools will be eaten).

Fixed it for you!!!

 

[Chubbs the Jellybean]

Hahaha - yeah the giant danios might be, we'll have to see when he gets bigger I guess. I've heard stories of oscars demolishing giant danios, and also ones of oscars living in harmony with them.

Time will tell =P

 

[gverde]

I like my Rena XP3 also. Easy to setup and clean. Never had a eheim though.

 

[nlui220]

Between the 2217 or 2215, go for the 2217. I have both models and the 2217 moves so much more water. I feel like I wasted money on the 2215 (shame on me for cheaping out).

 

[z400]

XP4 and an XP2

 

[Chubbs the Jellybean]

How's the noise on the renas?

I Might be getting a great deal on an eheim from the guy i bought my tank from,but im still weighing my options

 

[PfunMo]

For noise, I would expect either Eheim or Rena to be mcuh quieter than the HOB. Do you have a stand they will be under? That makes them even quieter but when I'm down working on my Ehiem 2217, I sometimes put my hand on it to tell if it is running. With the other stuff in the room, I can't always tell except by feeling the vibration. I still get noise from water but that is because I have the output turned upwards to make surface ripples.

 

[Chubbs the Jellybean]

Yeah I have a small cabinet I made in wood shop in 7th grade that I keep my stuff in and it has a spot waiting for a canister on the left side

 

[z400]

How's the noise on the renas?

I Might be getting a great deal on an eheim from the guy i bought my tank from,but im still weighing my options

*** got an XP4 on my 90, its inside my stand. I cannot even hear the filter running.

 

[bluedog800]

i have a cascade 1200 and i never have trouble priming it (press the big button 3x) and no problems thus far, so far it is only 3 moths old. I have no complaints thus far on my 90 Gal and it is the only filter on it....

 

[Chubbs the Jellybean]

How's the noise on the renas?

I Might be getting a great deal on an eheim from the guy i bought my tank from,but im still weighing my options

I've got an XP4 on my 90, its inside my stand. I cannot even hear the filter running.

Good to know :thumb:

 

[PfunMo]

Nice to be able to pick a few other people's experience and find what we can. I like reports that give me some real solid things to look or think about rather than just expressing a like/ dislike.
I wonder if the Cascade 1200 has the same space between the walls and the media as the 1000. I found that to be such a major thing that it alone would keep me from buying it, had I known. It's hard to notice things like that until you known to look at that specific point.

bluedog800- Can you tell us if there is a large space there? I won't ask you to pull it apart to look but it would be of interest to know. Maybe they have a standard size media tray they use for several size canisters so that it fits different on different sizes? I've been tempted to run a test for bypass on mine but have not.

 

[bluedog800]

I have never opened a 1000 before, but my 1200 trays are able to hold the thickness of a aquaclear 70 sponge and there are 4 trays that are all interchangeable/the same size

the spnges are 2"thck, and about 5 1/2 - 6" long, the one out of my HOB is a bit deformed...
so
about 5 1/2" - 6" square inside by 2" tall per tray

 

[cjacob316]

I own a marineland c series, i like them as a filter, but the outlet sucks. it sits too far below the water line to agitate the surface, and no spraybar option, otherwise I would say you should think about adding it to your list

of the canisters i've owned, my xp3 is my fav, the xp2 I don't really like
my cascade in constantly the dirtiest filter of them all when I change it, there is always more junk in it when I clean it, whether it's floating around in the canister or saturated in the floss, the plus is that all that **** isn't in the tank, i can tell that a lot of debris bypasses the media, but it doesn't appear to get back into the tank, which is the most important thing. but I will take the quick release of the xp's over single hose detachment anyday

I can't argue against eheims, except that the basket type filters are much easier to maintain than the classic eheims, and obviously flows are higher on other brands

 

[PfunMo]

I'm guessing my question about the size was not clear. What brought up the question of size was whether there is a large gap between the canister wall and the tray sides. That looks like it leaves a clear shot to bypass the media.

I have had the same complaint as cjacob on the Ehiem Classic's lack of trays. I did a small mod on mine that seems to help. Some use bags to put their loose media in and hold it but I didn't feel it totally filled the void and would cause some bypass. My mod depends on having the correct size small plastic bucket. I use a lot of drywall patch (mud) and the small buckets are handy. For this the bucket is just the correct diameter to do a snug fit with the plastic media plate of the 2217. I cut the bottom out of the bucket, pressed the plate down inside and made a tie-wrap handle. This gives me a quick, cheap media tray.

 

[bluedog800]

Ahh - there is a small gap on mine on the sides but, each tray clips to the one bellow and that makes a large tube for water to travel down. it is sealed to the pump at the top it a gasket.