HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THE EXTRA COST?

[hawkerw]

With the recent posts about the off brands (Aquatop, Sun Sun, Etc.) I've read all the posts and reviews and they seem to have good responces. The output seems good they have hugh media capacity like the brand name filters you can run the exact same media and they seem well engineered for the most part. I know all the Fluval, Eheim folks are saying yes but they are made in China and they are cheap. I run a Marineland C530 (which is just about the same as the same as the Aquatop) and have some Fluvals and I'll be honest the Marineland seems to be built just about as well as the Fluval. If a person had the time to research the parts in the Eheim, Fluval I'll bet a large percent of those parts are made in China or one of the countries close by, even though they are assembled in Germany or Europe? So, my first question?, is what it comes down to is are those Eheim or Fluvals realy filtering your aquarium that much better then say the Aquatop?

OK, So I have a decision to make. Recently, I shipped back a FX5 due to a failure and I have to decide do I want a replacement or a refund. I also have a 406 which has been a OK filter but next to my Marineland its not all that as far as quality. I recently had a horrible experience with Hagen support so yes at this time I am a little bias but not to a point where I can't compare apples for apples? In my case it's two fold I'm not sure I will trust another filter and lack of support. The next point will be, yes but for every one bad case there are many I'm sure work out just fine. But, I can only come to a conclusion with my experience. I have read time and again about poor support from Hagen and Eheim, have had vendors tell me the same all you have to do is read the reviews. I tell you what my support from Marineland has been assume. So what would you in in this case?

Please do not get me wrong everyone has a right to run whatever brand or model they can afford or prefer but are those high cost brand names in the end realy going to filter your aquarium that much better?

OK, let me get into my foxhole and put on my helmet for this one!!!!

 

[joe jaskot]

Eheim, Hagen (Fluval), and Marineland are brands that have been around the hobby for years. These companies are constantly improving their products. If you ever need replacement parts for these products, they are readily available. As far as your "cheap" filters are concerned, you get what you pay for. Let me know if you still have one that runs with no problems after 30+ years. Many of my filters are more than twenty years old, and have run trouble free. Finding replacement parts for cheap filters is nearly impossible.

 

[MTBjake]

OK, let me get into my foxhole and put on my helmet for this one!!!!

lol you just about have to!

I have an Aquatop and I have a Fluval FX5, and they both do great but there seems to be a huge difference in quality. The Aquatop seems much cheaper. But it does it's job and I haven't had any problems. I've also had zero complaints about the FX5. If I had to deal with garbage customer service I'd be a bit upset also. If Hagens customer service has proven to be crap, get a refund and buy an Eheim. They have a great reputation so that's what I'd be doing if i was in your shoes. Good luck.


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[strollo22]

It comes down to buying short term or long term. If you need a filter on a budget asap, the aquatop is the way to go. They run great, buy for how long no one knows. If you want tried and true that's going to last you a proven 10+ years, get an Eheim or a reputable equivalent.


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[petspoiler]

I thought your fx5 "leak" was just caused by a sharp edge inside a hose clamp. or did u find another larger problem subsequent to that?
Waiting for a refund or entire replacement seems like alot of hassle if all you need is a smooth clamp & maybe some hose-if that... I don't know how much of that hose got wrecked.

I understand that you're dissatisfied about the "fine print" & customer service.. and I'd be really aggravated about a leak.

but in the end, everybody's product opinions are subjective. it's kind of like 'whatever floats your boat', and how lucky people get with various name brands.
something can go wrong with almost anything... & customer service Reps' attitudes, at the moment you call, are just a crap shoot.
I don't have any huge biases. I'm a relative noob to Lg tanks & still learning about the pros & cons of brands.
I also have decisions to make for my new 180G. was gonna get fx5. now kind of debating other eheims.
Money does play into it, but ease of use & reliability is bigger to me. because if I can't operate something & have to trouble-shoot, I'll usually have to figure it out when my husband is gone. and, as he says: "you bang on things, and wrench them too hard".
Duh.
EQUIPMENT RAGE. LOl. I am not mechanical.

 

[probassfisher010]

If you need something cheap, get the knock off. If you want something that is pure quality, easily fixable with replacement parts, and even has a warranty, go with the eheim.

Everything else falls in between these two ends of the spectrum, I have an eheim, fluval, and marineland. Least happy with the marineland, but my eheim is seemingly bullet proof.

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[hawkerw]

You know in this case the Marineland C-Series and the Aquatop are made by the same company I think?. With my FX5 the vendor offered to let me return it and check it out futher after my major mess I've been a bit afriad of it, then offered me a refund or a replacement the vendor has also like Marineland been beyond excellent. Aquatop seems to have good reviews on there service thus far? So let me ask you Eheim folks have had good support from Eheim? I've read iffy things about there support in the US this could just be a rumor but I rad somewhere that Eheim has no major repair facility in the US.

Now I'm realy going to need that Helmet!!!!!

 

[Inglorious]

I have a sunsun that I picked up about a year and a half ago as an extra filter on my tank(I now have 3), and for under $70 for something that has 4 baskets it's a good deal and holds a ton of media. That being said the baskets are made of a lower quality plastic that is brittle and cracks easily, and after 18 months of use the flow is noticeably lower despite regular cleanings. I still like it, and it makes for a good secondary filter but I don't know if I would trust it as a primary.

 

[Mount_Prion]

I've had both eheim and now one aquatop filter, and I can say without a doubt that the eheim is a much more solid product. Better designed, better functionally, and physically just more solid and heavier, less rickety. Seems less likely to leak.

 

[johnnytaboo]

I also own 2 FX5's as well as 2 Aquatop Filters (400UV and 500UV). I have no problems with the performance of the aquatops or the FX5's. I have had a bad experience with the aquatop in regards to the build quality and the way the parts fit together. The elbow joint that connects to the spray bar is very loose fitting and came loose on my 90 gallon tank. Since the flow is pretty strong, the filter pumped/splashed almost 30 gallons of water onto my floor. I caught it, and remedied the problem with a metal hose clamp and some plumbers tape. I also preemptively "fixed" the same joint on my 400UV in my 55 gallon tank. It too was way too loose for my comfort.

My FX5's on the other hand, have a very solid feel to them. I've bought one new, and one used, and both click together nice and tight. The difference between these two filters is very similar to the difference between my last two cars: 1999 porsche 911 vs current 2003 Z06 Corvette. Both high performance, but the build quality on my old Porsche was definitely superior.