I got my 2028 with a tank purchase and it was used so I can't complain, but...
So far I haven't been impressed with it. I don't like the intake tube or spray bar because they're really inflexible compared to other brands - I'm ultimately going to doctor the extra pieces from my Filstars because the big green plastic U shaped tube keeps trying to pull itself off the wall, it's tough to unhook the hoses without getting on my hands and knees and crawling into the cabinet (whereas the filstars are a piece of cake), it leaks if not placed exactly in the right spot (to be fair, this is likely just an old O ring I can replace).
But most of all it doesn't suck hard. I'm not asking it to have the suction power of the AC110 HOB filter (which is by far my most powerful intake - I can really feel it if I put my hands near it - I'm honestly surprised it doesn't suck up tetras. It's probably too powerful for my planted tank because it collects so much plant debris it clogs itself every few days) but this thing will let debris settle on the substrate just an inch or two below the intake. I can't feel the suction on my other canisters the way I do on the AC110 but they do seem to pick everything up eventually. The Eheim, even when freshly cleaned, simply doesn't seem to do the job as well.
It should be noted that I'm speaking only of the mechanical stuff. I don't really know enough to say whether it's any better or worse at biological filtration. It handles a very heavy bioload with only the help of an Emperor 400 (which is mostly useless) and the fish seem happy and the levels are OK, so it must be pretty good. And it's still moving plenty of water, despite me never seeing a noticeable suction, so maybe I'm just expecting too much. Still, for the price tag I guess I would expect it to just dominate the others, yet my overstocked African tank, which has an XP2 and XP3, is by far my cleanest and lowest-maintenance tank, and I got those filters for less new than most Eheims cost used.
So far I haven't been impressed with it. I don't like the intake tube or spray bar because they're really inflexible compared to other brands - I'm ultimately going to doctor the extra pieces from my Filstars because the big green plastic U shaped tube keeps trying to pull itself off the wall, it's tough to unhook the hoses without getting on my hands and knees and crawling into the cabinet (whereas the filstars are a piece of cake), it leaks if not placed exactly in the right spot (to be fair, this is likely just an old O ring I can replace).
But most of all it doesn't suck hard. I'm not asking it to have the suction power of the AC110 HOB filter (which is by far my most powerful intake - I can really feel it if I put my hands near it - I'm honestly surprised it doesn't suck up tetras. It's probably too powerful for my planted tank because it collects so much plant debris it clogs itself every few days) but this thing will let debris settle on the substrate just an inch or two below the intake. I can't feel the suction on my other canisters the way I do on the AC110 but they do seem to pick everything up eventually. The Eheim, even when freshly cleaned, simply doesn't seem to do the job as well.
It should be noted that I'm speaking only of the mechanical stuff. I don't really know enough to say whether it's any better or worse at biological filtration. It handles a very heavy bioload with only the help of an Emperor 400 (which is mostly useless) and the fish seem happy and the levels are OK, so it must be pretty good. And it's still moving plenty of water, despite me never seeing a noticeable suction, so maybe I'm just expecting too much. Still, for the price tag I guess I would expect it to just dominate the others, yet my overstocked African tank, which has an XP2 and XP3, is by far my cleanest and lowest-maintenance tank, and I got those filters for less new than most Eheims cost used.
ever heard of warranty coverage? No manufacturer is safe from material defects. But good manufacturers cover them with years of warranty.
