Why Are Eheim Filters Rated So High Capacity-wise?

[Homeslice]

I'm researching canister filters, generally trying to figure out what is the most power efficient. I noticed something. Eheim filters are rated way higher as far as maximum aquarium gallons per gallon-per-hour of pump than all the other brands I've looked at so far. Not, their PUMPS are not the most energy efficient, they are less so than several other pumps. But those pumps, even though less energy efficient on a gallon-per-hour-per-watt ratio, if you believe their rating as far as how many gallons it can handle, they come out more efficient.

Why is this? Are they just rated different somehow? Or do they have a ton more room for biomedia and what not so that even with a smaller, less efficient pump they can filter better?

And yes, I know the manufacturers ratings are generally taken with a huge grain of salt, so no need to get into that fact hahaha.

THanks!

 

[JayH]

Because Eheim has a more... creative... marketing department? Allegedly, if you poke around on the Eheim site they do have "recommended" tank sizes that are far more realistic than what's on the boxes or in the ads.

 

[aussieJJDude]

In their classic range, the input/output is located pretty much as opposite as one can get - top and bottom - which forces water to flow through the entire canister before being returned into the tank. While water does find the path of least resistance, it still forces water to travel through the media.


And I so far haven't seen anything on the market bet the wattage/flowrate of the ecco pro series, so if there is something out there that's better, I want to hear it!

 

[DoubleDutch]

I love Eheim canisters (running 4) butnover the years noticed one should choose one with "overcapacity".

To me the test were all run without media in the filters. After putting in decent media (as mentioned in the manual) the flowrate gets lower very quick.

So I don't believe anything aquabrands tell me.

 

[Cichlidude]

I love Eheim canisters (running 4) butnover the years noticed one should choose one with "overcapacity".

To me the test were all run without media in the filters. After putting in decent media (as mentioned in the manual) the flowrate gets lower very quick.

So I don't believe anything aquabrands tell me.

Just turning on a canister with no media, level with the aquarium, you are down 34% of the flow on average.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Just turning on a canister with no media, level with the aquarium, you are down 34% of the flow on average.

Whay exactly do you mean ?

 

[Cichlidude]

Whay exactly do you mean ?

Canister Head Pressure information:

Click below and select the first search item for a good explanation Head Pressure and read the entire article here "Real World" Canister Filter Flow Rates:

Head Pressure in Aquarium and Pond Water Pumps/Filters

Here is an actual test using the Filstar S (manufactures rated at 250 gph) and timing its flow to fill a container. Note: -34% just plugging the unit in with NO media!

• Level with the aquarium - 164.53 gph
• 24" below the aquarium - 153.00 gph (-7%)
• 52" below the aquarium - 142.87 gph (-13%)

These results were with a filter with NO resistance in the filter (all media was removed). The tubing was not cut, shortened or lengthened (as tubing length can also change results by adding more water resistance).

 

[Homeslice]

Thanks everyone! So, like I said I understand those manufacturer ratings are, let's just call it, optimistic. But I am still wondering why the Eheims are rated at such high gallon capacities relative to their rated pump gallon-per-hour outputs. It gets even weirder, look at these numbers, these are Eheim pump numbers, rated gallons per hour, max rated aquarium gallons capacity, watts, then the derived GPH/watts and GPH/rated capacity numbers:



Eheim
2211 79 40 5 15.80 8.00
2213 116 65 8 14.50 8.13
2215 164 95 15 10.93 6.33
2217 264 159 20 13.20 7.95
Pro 4+ 250 250 66 12 20.83 5.50
Pro 4+ 350 277 92 16 17.31 5.75
Pro 4+ 600 330 158 16 20.63 9.88

The rated gallon capacity/watts for the Eheim classics (2211 through 2217) are off the charts, compared not only to Eheims more advanced (I think) Pro+ series, which you can see above, as well as other manufacturers numbers, which I have not cut and pasted). Why would they be in general so much more efficient than the more advanced filters? Note that this is so even though the gallons per hour/watts is HIGHER on the more advanced filters, as it should be given advancements in technology. So for whatever reason Eheim classic canisters are rated way above other filters, not just those of other manufacturers but even newer ones from Eheim, as far as rated gallon capacity per pump GPH. Anyone know why this is?

 

[JayH]

So, like I said I understand those manufacturer ratings are, let's just call it, optimistic.
...
So for whatever reason Eheim classic canisters are rated way above other filters, not just those of other manufacturers but even newer ones from Eheim, as far as rated gallon capacity per pump GPH. Anyone know why this is?

You've essentially answered your own question. Manufacturers are... optimistic... when they create their ratings. Some are more optimistic than others. The reality of the situation is you can't trust the numbers provided by the manufacturers. Given this fact, there's little point in agonizing over the reason for one line of product having more optimistic ratings than another. They're all gross exaggerations. Or as Chi-chI Rodriguez says, "I don't exaggerate. I just remember big."

On a slightly different note, before you make assumptions about the Eheim Pro+ series, I'd suggest watching this video.

 

[Homeslice]

You've essentially answered your own question. Manufacturers are... optimistic... when they create their ratings. Some are more optimistic than others. The reality of the situation is you can't trust the numbers provided by the manufacturers. Given this fact, there's little point in agonizing over the reason for one line of product having more optimistic ratings than another. They're all gross exaggerations. Or as Chi-chI Rodriguez says, "I don't exaggerate. I just remember big."

On a slightly different note, before you make assumptions about the Eheim Pro+ series, I'd suggest watching this video.

Thanks JayH. I understand they are all optimistic, but I am asking is there a particular reason why one manufacturer would be PARTICULARLY optimistic as to one class of its filters, not only more so than other manufactures, but even more so than it is with respect to another class of its filters. I'm asking if there might be some physical reason for this. For example, I think maybe the Eheim classics are by their design non-bypass, so all the water HAS to go through the bio media, whereas some other designs that have a bypass, presumably to prevent the thing from grenading, have a bypass so that some water can maybe go around the bio media in certain circumstances.

Will check out that video. Thanks!

 

[JayH]

I don't see how a bypass intended for use when the filter media is completely clogged would impact the capacity rating of the filter.

What I was trying to say was you're looking for consistent, even if flawed, logic in something known to be nothing more than very rough and extremely optimistic estimates based on who knows what kind of ideas as to what constitutes adequate filtering. If I were to try to find reasoning in it at all I'd imagine that the classic filters has estimates created back when there was less of an understanding of what's needed to properly filter an aquarium and they've simply stuck with those numbers because they look better.

Regardless of the reason, I would put no stock in anything the manufacturers say about capacity. There is nothing magical about the Eheim classic design.

 

[Homeslice]

Yes JayH, you are saying just what I was wondering. It makes sense that it is just some *overly* optimistic ratings from long ago. I first I started thinking it would be nuts to leave them elevated, they could get sued, but when you look at it from a different perspective they might be more likely to be sued IF they actually were to revise them down. Nice to know there is nothing special about their design! I had thought maybe ones with an overflow might underperform if the the water tended to go into the overflow and around the media even before the media was truly in an overflow-needed status, but no clue.

That video is hilarious! Won't be getting an Eheim Pro 4+ anytime soon! I wonder if any other makes use their pumps, that 600 that pumps 330 GPH at only 16 watts seems too good to be true (but I've checked a few places and they all list that).

 

[johnbirg]

In their classic range, the input/output is located pretty much as opposite as one can get - top and bottom - which forces water to flow through the entire canister before being returned into the tank. While water does find the path of least resistance, it still forces water to travel through the media.


And I so far haven't seen anything on the market bet the wattage/flowrate of the ecco pro series, so if there is something out there that's better, I want to hear it!

I had Eheim Professional $ 630 which ended up in the bin! I now have a Biopro 2200 litre per hour with UV $100. Works better than the Eheim, easier to service, self priming and quieter. You do the math!

 

[Homeslice]

In their classic range, the input/output is located pretty much as opposite as one can get - top and bottom - which forces water to flow through the entire canister before being returned into the tank. While water does find the path of least resistance, it still forces water to travel through the media.


And I so far haven't seen anything on the market bet the wattage/flowrate of the ecco pro series, so if there is something out there that's better, I want to hear it!

Oh wow, I totally missed aussieJJDude! That I think was what I was getting at as to why they MIGHT have a much higher aquarium gallon max size rating than any other canister filter for a given level of pump GPH. Do not other pumps not force water through the media? Is the bypass thing the reason they don't, or is it something else? I will check out this ecco pro series, thanks so much!

Dang, those ecco pro series get GREAT GPH/watts! Best of all I have seen thus far. Any drawbacks to them? Thanks!!!

Well shoot, one drawback appears to be that Eheim has basically pulled out of the U.S. market, so I would guess getting replacement parts for them my be tough to come by in the future!

 

[aussieJJDude]

I had Eheim Professional $ 630 which ended up in the bin! I now have a Biopro 2200 litre per hour with UV $100. Works better than the Eheim, easier to service, self priming and quieter. You do the math!

I've never really heard many talk highly with the professional line.... but the classic (and sometimes the ecco) series, everyone loves raving about them!

Oh wow, I totally missed aussieJJDude! That I think was what I was getting at as to why they MIGHT have a much higher aquarium gallon max size rating than any other canister filter for a given level of pump GPH. Do not other pumps not force water through the media? Is the bypass thing the reason they don't, or is it something else? I will check out this ecco pro series, thanks so much!

With some designs - such as baskets - once the media clogs, the water is often bypassed by traveling outside of the baskets to the pump (or the design of the filter, does not have a tight seal and the water easily travels from outtake/intake). So far, the only two filters I've seen that have a system where there's no baskets, the input/output are opposite of eachother are the eheim classic range and ADA canisters. Both of these filters tend to operate tanks with larger volumes (or bioload) without much strain.