The only other useful thing I see about this filter is the conductivity probe. I'm curious to know how effective that is. However, my Nitrate test kit was dirt cheap, and that's what I go by for water changes, so I'm not willing to pay that kind of price for it.
Also, has anyone else noticed that it looks like 3/4 of the space in the filter is wasted? It looks like there's a ton of space between those orangeish rings to hold media and the cartridge thing that goes in the middle. Not a very effective use of space any way you look at it. You're now buying Fluval cartridges and Fluval media for in those rings, or you're throwing away 2/3 of the sheets of floss you'd buy elsewhere because you're cutting the middle out.
The way I see it:
Eheim 2217- $135.99.
Flow meter to attach to it- $9.49.
Nitrate test kit- $5.99.
Grand total: $151.47.
Compare to $584.
That gives you 263 GPH compared to 264 GPH with the Fluval G. No word yet how much media the Fluval G actually holds, but I'm betting it's less than 1.5 gallon. A flow meter shows us when the filter slows down, and a nitrate test shows us when we need a water change. Sure, that's MSRP compared to actual price, but you'd have to be able to find the Fluval G for 1/4 the MSRP in order for it to compare to that setup!
Oh yeah, there's ONE other perk to the Fluval G compared to that setup- fine water polishing with a pleated cartridge. So go ahead and add in a $47.99 HOT Magnum. You now have a much higher combined flow rate (close to double!), you're moving water from two different places in the tank (negating the need for a powerhead), and the total cost is still a fraction of the price of the Fluval.
Even those of you who like FX5s- You can get an FX5 for $250. That's less than half of the G series. Are you really telling me a single Fluval G is more effective than two FX5s?
Sure, I haven't seen it yet. This filter could turn out to be absolutely amazing, and blow everything else I've ever seen out of the water. But I have my doubts. Personally, I'd much rather spend the $200 for a filter setup (even with throwing in that HOT Magnum) and have $385 to spend on another tank. You'd have to have a LOT of extra money lying around to ignore a $385 price difference, and today, who has that?