I have a Fluval Edge 12 gallon aquarium, which comes with a hang-over-back (HOB) filter. While the HOB filter is okay, there are a couple of areas I'm hoping to improve on: (1) quiet water flow, (2) larger volume of filter media. With the HOB filter, if I adjust the water flow to more than half its maximum, the sound of the water return splashing onto the water surface was a bit loud (even with water level pretty close to the top), and it also has the added problem of creating too much water flow for the comfort of the fishes (a number of them would just hang out at the top corners and avoid the central "waterfall" area). With the Eheim Classic 150 (model number 2211), it creates gentle water flow with the included spray bar (which I submerge vertically due to the Fluval Edge's lack of top access) but enough circulation and I can literally see the fishes that used to hide from strong currents come into the center of the tank, and they look much more at ease.
The Classic 150 is also very effective: it has maybe 5 times the filter media volume compared to the HOB filter (the Eheim spec says 1 liter). This is important because it has much more volume for biological media that supports a much larger colony of beneficial bacteria which is essential for a stable, healthy tank. The kit comes with "Eheim Mech" which are ceramic rings that occupy the first 1/5th of the volume, then a coarse filter pad, then 3/5ths of the volume is occupied by "Eheim Substrat Pro" which is a good environment for beneficial bacterial, and then a carbon pad, and a fine pad. So far I have run the filter for 2 months without needing to clean out the media yet, as the water is crystal clear and water tests fine in a pretty highly stocked tank.
Before buying the Eheim Classic 150, I was considering the Fluval 107 and 207, but after reading some comments about uneven water flow pattern in the Fluval (and examining the design from Fluval's diagrams), I decided on the Eheim Classic 150. I also like Eheim in general for 2 reasons: (1) this is a brand I've been familiar since 30 years ago when I used to keep a 40 gallon and a 60 gallon tank and I know Eheims are reliable and very easy to maintain with parts from the manufacturer, and (2) I simply like the quieter look of the Eheim Classic more than the Fluval's "black everything" look (entirely subjective). (And if you don't like the green intake and spray bar, look into the clear glass or acrylic lily pipes).
A final note about setting it up: There are a bit of comments complaining about the instructions and/or the difficulty of setting it up (particularly priming). It's actually very easy (but not mentioned in the instructions): (1) fill the filter with treated water, up to the brim, then put on the motor housing (a bit of water may overflow; just put a towel under the filter or do this over the sink or bucket); (2) using a suction bulb, like the one that is used for vacuuming the gravel or changing water, detach the suction bulb from its siphoning tubes and put it onto the end of the intake tube -- pump a couple of times to get the water flowing from the tank into the tube. Once the intake tube is siphoning water, put it onto the intake/bottom bib of the filter. All this can be done with the filter and intake tube inside a bucket or a pan to prevent spilling water onto the floor. Once the hoses are secured (turning the collars actually tighten the collar against the tubing, creating a very secure and water tight connection), just turn on the pump and the previously empty return tube (which is smaller than the intake tube) at the top of the motor housing will start pumping water into the tank. My kit comes with the taps/valves that allow you to stop water flow (remember to turn off the filter motor before cutting off water flow with the taps), detach the hoses, and still keep water in the tubes and therefore avoid having to prime after you clean the filter. I cut the supplied hoses so that the taps are close to the inlet and outlet of the filter, for ease of detaching the filter for cleaning. These taps/valves are totally worth the money if it's not included in your particular version. Instructions do not tell you these tricks, but once you know it, it's dead simple.
Hope this helps people who might otherwise be put off by actually pretty simple procedures.
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Next level from internal filters? EHEIM Classic 2213/250
Thomas Anderson
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Amazing filter. Throw out your hang on back filters even if you have a smaller tank.
This is my first external filter and I already like it SO much more than the hang on back filters I've used for years.Pros:- Doesn't splash water up onto your lights if the water level drops- Lets you have the intake much lower into the tank- Easy to prime- Virtually inaudible- Much more thorough cleaning vs hang on back filter- Easy to clean/change filter mediaCons- Terrible instructions! I used this website to help explain some things. Also, there is a TON of material on what sort of filter media to use and everything else you can imagine related to a canister filter like this.http://www.vickisaquaticplace.com/EheimClassic.html- Expensive But you get what you pay for. Replacement filter media appears that it will cost around $150~175 per year assuming I replace everything in the canister 3 times a year. I have this unit on a 30 gallon tank so I am hoping that I can prolong the amount of time needed to clean/replace the media due to the tank being smaller than what this filter setup is actually rated for. Compare that to around $45 dollars a year for the whisper brand x-large filter bags that I used to replace once a month on my old hang on back filter unit (which also had far inferior filtration so apples to oranges there)- The unit took a while to get all the air pockets out. You can help it out by jiggling the canister, turning it to it's side back and fourth, etc. to help the trapped air escape up out the top exit port.That's pretty much it in terms of negative aspects. I haven't had to shut it off to change anything out but the shutoff valves seem like they would make it easy to just twist and stop the flow then unhook them (I suspect a little water will drip that was trapped between the 2 sets of quick release connectors) and then the lower inlet of the canister can rotate down to allow you to empty the water out of the canister into a drain.So far, so good. My tank was crystal clear within a matter of hours. I've NEVER seen a tank get that clean that fast after an initial filling.All that's left now is to give the tank a while to get the water and chemical levels settled and then populate with fish/plants.Tank is filled with ST international soil, rocks from when I used to have a reef tank setup and the Aquatic Life Light T5 HO 4-Lamp unit.
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Amazon Customer
The best filter out there
Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2022Size: 40 Us GalVerified Purchase
Martin Gruenanger
Wrong Voltage
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2023Size: 40 Us GalVerified Purchase
Kindle Customer
Very good performance filter. Eheim is best when it comes to Aquarium filters.
Reviewed in India on February 9, 2022Size: 92 US GalVerified Purchase
Kindle Customer
Reviewed in India on February 9, 2022
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Chris Kloetstra
Nice simple filter. Easy to setup. Quiet and efficient.
Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2018Size: 66 US GalVerified Purchase
