# More 17 gallon filtration choices to make :)



## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Thanks for all the advice for my previous threads, have gotten lots of great advice! .. came up with another option seeing what you guys think:

Ada tank, planted (hc cuba, some background plants) for nano/fish shrimp - a nice school of fish so decently stocked with nano fish eventually:

1. (latest brainstorm) - Get a smaller Eheim 150, and also use my current Aquaclear 20 at the same time ....

2. Get an aquaclear 50 (cheaper, I'm going to be less stressed about a canister leaking)

3. Fluval 206 (on sale for about $125 these days), I like being able to add media, but have read enough reviews about the o ring leaking that I'm a little wary, and people don't seem to like the black hosing

4. Eheim 250 - seem's bulletproof .... but I'm wary about leaking, I don't trust my own abilities to cut and set it up properly the first time .... (wonder why Eheim doesn't have all the hoses pre-cut etc).

Would love to hear advice! Thanks!


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

If the concerns of a canister leaking and overall look is not appealing. I'd combine the AC 20 or AC 50 with a corner Poret foam Matten Filter like SwissTropicals. The combination of these two filters are efficient, quiet and simple low maintenance. It's a winning combination in tanks I have of the that size.


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

I put my canister into a plastic tote below the tank. If you have room, that adds an extra level of safety.


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Has anyone here ever had a catastrophic failure of a canister filter? Like you come home and your tank has been emptied onto your floors? That is my worst nightmare from someone who has never used a cannister filter before ... just so many (from a guy who has never used one before) places where it could fail, with all those hose connections and seals that could fail .... or maybe I'm just being paranoid .... as I inch ever closer to an Aquaclear 50 :\


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Canister leaked from a seal, emptied a 1/3 of a 75 gallon tank. Worse was an AC70, it overflowed and dumped 60 gallons. Accidents will happen, just part of the hobby.


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

what brand of canister leaked on you?


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Although I like how much easier the fluval 206 seems to be with those easier to remove media baskets .... I think I’m going to go with the Eheim 2213 for a couple of reasons:

1 - fewer google search returns of leaking issues with the Eheim vs fluval 206
2 - amazon has way more negative comments of motors breaking or leaking with the fluval vs Eheim
3 - both have ugly hoses, but green is better than ribbed black ... IMO
4 - Eheim comes with a spray bar
5 - comes full of media, people with the fluval online or YouTube usually comment they are going to top off the media as it has some but not enough
6 - Eheim about $115 (2213) locally, fluval on sale at a big box store for $121

I’ll update once I get, may try to find some lily pipes at the same time


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

_noob said:


> what brand of canister leaked on you?


It was an Eheim Professional II series. That and with a host of other problems with 2 of them, made me swear off on Eheim Professional series of filters and I just stick with the Ehiem classics. Just a simple design that works.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

_noob said:


> Although I like how much easier the fluval 206 seems to be with those easier to remove media baskets .... I think I'm going to go with the Eheim 2213 for a couple of reasons:
> 
> 1 - fewer google search returns of leaking issues with the Eheim vs fluval 206
> 2 - amazon has way more negative comments of motors breaking or leaking with the fluval vs Eheim
> ...


My guess also that if you do decide to sell your eheim, resale value would probably be higher too.


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Picked up the Eheim 2213 ..... now to find some lily pipes.


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Just unboxed the Eheim 2213. Feels and looks like a good quality product. I like the media basket and media set up provided. May toss in a small amount of Seachem matrix and denitrate I have laying around, and maybe replace the carbon pad with some Purigen


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Definitely not silent  

Impeller isn't broken (watched video's) nothing rattling, air is purged, just a loud buzzing/hum. I hope the buzzing goes away as it's only been plugged in a day .... even in a cabinet you can hear the buzzing. I was really hoping it would be silent. After some google searches, seems like lots of people have the buzzing sound.


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

Unplugged the canister added some more water, quieter but definitely not silent .... oh well I’ll take a little noise over it leaking


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Never had any canister that made a buzzing sound, even the crappy ones I hated unless the impeller is wearing down. Maybe after it's built up some biofilm. I don't know how the 2213 is laid out, but my classic has the lattice screen up top, I can see that buzzing if the media isn't loaded full. Something I've always done with the eheim's and I read somewhere that the eheim engineers recommended too is to always lubricate the o-ring when servicing the canister. Use silicone lube - not vaseline. Vaseline or petro products will break down the o-ring. Silicone lube I buy online or your local dive shop.


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