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UPDATED: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

Just to initially report that after 35 hours of working on my 180L I love my 2075 . I do not think i have ever had water this clear.. ever.
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

itstricky11 said:
Inspired by the "Gear Guide" section of PFK, I am pleased to finally have something which I can contribute to the UKAPS - my review of the Eheim 2075 External Filter.

The 2075 is the second largest of the "Pro 3" range of filters, with the 2080 being the largest and it also has two smaller siblings - the 2073 and the 2071. I bought the 2075 shortly after it was launched, and at the time it was not available from any UK suppliers, so mine was imported from Aquaristic in Germany.
I have had this filter running for about six months now, so I finally feel in a good position to be able to provide some sensible feedback on its performance. Lets get on with the unboxing!

The unit itself

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As you can see, the box is monsterous. The 500ml bottle of Seachem Prime is provided to give some scale to the box.

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Everything inside is packed with the normal level of German precision. All of the parts feel well built and exude quality, as I have come to expect from Eheim.

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This is the full contents of the box, with the normal green Eheim intake and spraybar outlets

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Here are the contents of the little plastic accessories bag - the intake strainer, "shepherds crook" outlet pipe, figure-of-eight hose clamp, spraybar end cap, intake/outlook hooks, rubber feet for the canister, and a bunch of suckers (heh!)

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This is the inlet-outlet attachment. It is a cartridge which captures both hoses, and is released by shutting the valve to the "off" position, and then pressing the red button on the front into the casing. The cartridge then just pops up for removal. Also visible at the back is the grey priming button which is great for using whole-palm pressure.

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The top of the canister and pump housing are held fast by one clip on each side, which lift up and out to disengage the pump housing for removal.

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Top of the canister removed, the prefilter tray is visible on top.

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The prefilter tray takes a single blue foam, and is designed to catch the larger bits before the water passes onto the lower media. In practise, this seems to work really well, as it seems to be the only part of the filter media that I have to clean - once a fortnight seems to be ample for my tank.

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Top tray, containing the floss pad, and Eheim SUBSTRATpro, biological media. the cover slots on over the top and hooks into the handles on either side of the tray, keeping the floss pad from being sucked up into the middle of the prefilter tray. Notice how the cover has an oval demarkation in the centre - this is where the prefilter tray slots into it, and the base of the pump housing then slots into the same shape in the prefilter tray.

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Tray two, containing Eheim BioMech

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Trays three and four, both containing Eheim Mechpro
Supplied media in more detail

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From top to bottom, Mechpro, Biomech and Substratpro. The supplied media is definitely the best media I have ever had supplied with a filter, and is in my opinion better than those shipped with the Tetratec EX 700 and Fluval 305, both of which I have previously used on other tanks. The only problem with the Mechpro is its tendancy to float when cleaning the canister....
The Biomech is an interesting shape - they are square and much fatter in the middle than the edges, however have a circular indentation on each side to improve their surface area. It is also very porous, providing lots of room for denitrifying bacteria.

The pump housing

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The underside of the pump housing slots into the centre of the prefilter tray, so water travels into the filter, through the prefilter tray, then goes down to the bottom of the canister via a triangular tube formed along the corners of all of the media trays. It is drawn up through the media, and then through a small trapdoor (around the size of a penny piece) in the middle of the prefilter tray. Above you can see the underside of the pump housing with the impeller cover removed.

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This is the top of the pump housing with the inlet-outlet cartridge ejected

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And this is the cartridge itself. You can clearly see the locking mechanism in the middle which rotates with the flow control valve as it is turned on to lock the cartridge into the canister.

The Eheim 2075 in use - a six-month view

When I initially purchased this external canister filter, I had intended to review it almost immediately, however I am glad that I have taken the time to experience it in use in order to be able to provide a users experience.

The good:

Overall, the Eheim 2075 has provided exceptional service. The water in the 120L planted tank it is attached to remains crystal clear and completely free of ammonia or nitrite as far as my test kits can tell. I have had no need to change from the media supplied with the unit itself, and I am still using the original floss pad as with careful cleaning it has lasted really well, however is now starting to loose it's shape. I was impressed to find that Eheim supply four floss pads and one blue prefilter pad in a media set (Eheim part #2616710) which has cost me less than £7 from an online retailer. Assuming that the floss pads continue to last as long as the first one, £7 for two years worth of floss pads is exceptional value for money.

Flow rates remain high even when the prefilter filter needs cleaning.

The bad:

Where Eheim haven't done quite so well is the design of the primer button location - it sits right behind/under the hoses, which being 16/22mm are quite stiff. Also, priming can prove a bit difficult at times, but I found that it makes a real difference to have the pump outlet above the water line when attempting to prime. With the outlet above water level, priming can often be done with two or three pushes of the primer.

The downright ugly:

The Eheim standard inlets and outlet are a bit like Marmite, in that either you love them or you hate them. I for one hate them, and have subsequently replaced them with Installation Sets 1 and 2 (Eheim parts #4005300 and #4005310). These have resulted in a much more flexible placement of components, and due to the relatively shallow depth of my tank at 12" and my desire to have my Rhinox diffuser under the intake, I only needed to use one of the three modular sections of the intake tube, allowing me to extend set two by an additional 10cm by utilising a spraybar, intake, spraybar, intake, spraybar layout. Also note that you can purchase additional modules to lengthen the intakes and spraybar with the installation sets - a 20cm extension (two 10cm lenths) costs about £5.

Conclusion

I will never, ever purchase another brand of external canister. The initial up-front cost was a little steep (about £180 inc. delivery) and having used Fluval and Tetratec canisters in the past I was skeptical about the benefits of an Eheim, however I am now a total Eheim convert.

If you have any questions I will be happy to field them, and I would also be grateful of any constructive criticism you may have of my review as this is the first product review I have ever written!

Disclaimer

This review is all my own hard work and copyright, and has been provided exclusively for the benefit of ukaps.org forum members, so please do not plagerise it or my photos by posting it, or portions thereov elsewhere on the internet without my express permission. I will happily provide un-watermarked and original size photographs if asked, however the decision to provide these will remain entirely mine.
Good write up. i have this model and tried to set it up last night but i cannot prime it using the grey button behind the hoses. You said lift the pump outlet pipe above the water level. are you referring to the spray bar with the holes in? If so my spraybar is already above the water level. I am wondering now if i have a faulty filter.
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

Hi Sheri,
Sorry to hear you are having problems priming - but be assured that you will not be the first, and surely not the last to have this problem either.

Is your 2075 directly under the tank, or off to one side? On the 2075's I have, the one directly under the tank is definitely easier to prime than the one next to it. Also, how short have you cut your hoses? I found that leaving excess hose between the tank fittings and the pump (on both inlet and outlet sides) often caused bubbles to form in the curves in the hose. The more direct "straight down" they are, the better.

With regard raising the outlet, it does sound that you have done as I suggested. Are you getting any water down the intake at all? If not, its worth checking that all of the joints on the intake side are sealing properly, both the connection between the intake and the hose, and the hose and the cannister connector. Is much of the intake above the waterline? I also found this to make priming more difficult, but less so with the installation set one.

That gives you a few pointers and things to try and I hope its helpful. Let me know if you would like any further details or photo's on how I have things set up.

Regards,

IT11
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

itstricky11 said:
Hi Sheri,
Sorry to hear you are having problems priming - but be assured that you will not be the first, and surely not the last to have this problem either.

Is your 2075 directly under the tank, or off to one side? On the 2075's I have, the one directly under the tank is definitely easier to prime than the one next to it. Also, how short have you cut your hoses? I found that leaving excess hose between the tank fittings and the pump (on both inlet and outlet sides) often caused bubbles to form in the curves in the hose. The more direct "straight down" they are, the better.

With regard raising the outlet, it does sound that you have done as I suggested. Are you getting any water down the intake at all? If not, its worth checking that all of the joints on the intake side are sealing properly, both the connection between the intake and the hose, and the hose and the cannister connector. Is much of the intake above the waterline? I also found this to make priming more difficult, but less so with the installation set one.

That gives you a few pointers and things to try and I hope its helpful. Let me know if you would like any further details or photo's on how I have things set up.

Regards,

IT11
thanks for responding. i finally managed to prime the filter after pressing the prime button several hundred times. my filter is under my tank and it was easier to prime standing behind the filter than it was standing in front. I am not too fond of the spraybar which is not breaking the whole of the water surface. It is also splashing my lights and i am not sure if this will eventually damage them. if i drill the wholes bigger should this create less of a splash? my tank is 200 litres and i have 190 litres in it. i suppose i could also drop the water level to prevent the splash hitting the lights?
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

As I said in my original post, I did away with the original fittings of the 2075, and replaced them with the Installation Sets 1+2 which are much more flexible in flow position and speed. You may find that much of your problem is solved if you point your spraybar down some more, or as you say you could drill the holes slightly larger in the bar. Some people drill additional holes into their spraybars 90 degrees around from and between the manufacturers holes to provide some direct downward flow below the spraybar to help eliminate dead spots.

Using Installation Set 2 and some additional extensions, my spraybar runs the whole length of the back of my tank (4 ft). I used a combination of spraybar extensions and non-spraybar extensions in order to keep the output pressure up. This has led to a very even flow through the length of the tank that I am very happy with, and seems to provide the nutrients where they are needed. My spraybar is below the waterline and points almost directly horizontally across the tank, rippling the surface to aid gaseous exchange. If you would like any additional details on the installation sets, I'll happily go into more detail or provide photo's. I would post links to them, but I am not sure on forum rules of "approved" suppliers, nor would I wish to step on the toes of any of the forum sponsors. I do think its fair to give the Eheim part numbers however:

Eheim Installation Set One: 4005300
Eheim Installation Set Two: 4005310

Details on the and other Eheim accessories can be found at: http://www.eheim.de/eheim/inhalte/index.jsp?key=liniendetail_27655_ehen

I can however say that the service you will get from Richard at AquaEssentials is outstanding :)

IT11
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

itstricky11 said:
As I said in my original post, I did away with the original fittings of the 2075, and replaced them with the Installation Sets 1+2 which are much more flexible in flow position and speed. You may find that much of your problem is solved if you point your spraybar down some more, or as you say you could drill the holes slightly larger in the bar. Some people drill additional holes into their spraybars 90 degrees around from and between the manufacturers holes to provide some direct downward flow below the spraybar to help eliminate dead spots.

Using Installation Set 2 and some additional extensions, my spraybar runs the whole length of the back of my tank (4 ft). I used a combination of spraybar extensions and non-spraybar extensions in order to keep the output pressure up. This has led to a very even flow through the length of the tank that I am very happy with, and seems to provide the nutrients where they are needed. My spraybar is below the waterline and points almost directly horizontally across the tank, rippling the surface to aid gaseous exchange. If you would like any additional details on the installation sets, I'll happily go into more detail or provide photo's. I would post links to them, but I am not sure on forum rules of "approved" suppliers, nor would I wish to step on the toes of any of the forum sponsors. I do think its fair to give the Eheim part numbers however:

Eheim Installation Set One: 4005300
Eheim Installation Set Two: 4005310

Details on the and other Eheim accessories can be found at: http://www.eheim.de/eheim/inhalte/index.jsp?key=liniendetail_27655_ehen

I can however say that the service you will get from Richard at AquaEssentials is outstanding :)

IT11
Hi i would like to see pictures. Also does it matter if the spray is splashing the lights?
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

I am working through this weekend, but I will try and get some shots in the evenings.

RE water on your lights: all aquarium electrics (and any electrics to be installed over or near water) have to be certified to a certain standard by law to be sold in the UK. Depending on your light fitting and the age of it, you should find that it has either been rated "IP65" or "IP67". These standards relate to the "International Protection" or "Ingress protection" rating of the product, and the higher the number is, the "better" the offered protection. Full details on the IP system of rating products can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code

While some may technically consider it safe for an IP67-rated light fitting to be regularly coming into contact with water, I always prefer to err on the side of caution with electricity and water. Getting zapped by mains voltage hurts a lot, and it would almost certainly be the end of your little aquatic friends! :(

You should be able to re-orient your spraybar to prevent splashing of your light fittings, or depending if your tank is set up to take them, you may wish to look at aquarium cover glasses - these act as a barrier between the aquarium and the lights, and have the added benefit of cutting down water loss through evaporation too. I have T5 bulbs which have been subjected to the mist caused by an airstone underneath, and due to my hard water I have limescale buildup on the tube, so that is also worth considering. Limescale = less light to your plants.

When it comes to water and electricity, always, always, always err on the side of caution, and consult a qualified electrician if you are unsure of anything.

Hope this helps - I'll try and get some shots of my Installation Set configurations this weekend for you.

IT11
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

I'm using a 2227 with installation sets 1 & 2. I have the spray bar about 1" below the water surface with the water jets angled slightly upwards. The jets hit the surface about 25% of the way across the tank & causes a nice ripple. I did it this way, because having the bar above the water & angled down, caused quite a bit of water noise - quite distracting in a living room environment. Plus, you also get the water splashing on the lighting tubes if you don't have a condensation tray.
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

Hi mfcphil,
Eheim themselves rate this for tanks up to 600l, however the "quoted" output is 1250lph. If you work on the basis that in a planted tank you want to aim for 10x turnover per hour, then you need to either be looking for a filter with an output of 2400 lph, or you want two of these.

If it was me, I would be considering a filter such as the FX5 for a tank of 240l. I have a colleague with a 500l non-planted community tank and he is very happy with his FX5, but others here would be better suited to comment on that canister than I.

Regards,

IT11
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

This filter can run a 240l tank, but as plants grow in this will not be enough. So for a joungle like tank a 2000lph needed.
will have problems with the flow and the co2 distribution otherwise. also the water quality is really measurable between 1200 and 2000lph on a tank like thiss. with 1200lph you will have more problems with brown algae, colored water etc.

the filter otherwise is a great one. :thumbup:
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

hi I just ordered a 2075 from aquaristic you review is great my probem is cant seem to get the picture .I get a x and the word image and when I press the x nothing shows great wording and alot of help thanks
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

just put Eheim Pro 3 2075 in google image search
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

thanks alot itsricky11 your reveiw is even better with the pictures how much higher then filter did you drill the holes in your cabinet to pass inlet outlet pipes.my cabinet is abount 60cm high thanks for your help
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

Hi McBrix,
Unfortunately the cabinets on one of my aquariums is too small to house the 2075 (48x12x12, 120l non-brand), and on the other (Rio 125) I do not want to remove (or raise) the shelf, so on each I have the filter sat off to one side of the cabinet.

The top of the primer button is 45cm from the ground, but you want a good 10cm clearance on top of that to remove the hose connector as it comes vertically out of the top of the housing. I would cut holes right at the top of the back of your cabinet.

IT11
 
Re: Eheim Pro 3 2075 Review

FWIW I've had a 2075 running since last summer. I've cleaned it once! I paid £144 including 10% off at Zooplus.

The spray bar is mounted on the left hand side wall, shooting water across the top of the tank left-to-right as you look at it. I can't hear it with the cabinet door closed. I am very happy with it - the media included is very good stuff too.

I'm about to take delivery of a JBL CristalProfi e1500 - I'll try and post a comparison photo of their sizes.
 
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