Features include high operating pump output reliability, to protect against overheating; O-ring fixed on the pump head for convenient handling; optimum choice of materials for years of quiet, continuous trouble-free operation. For fresh and marine water aquariums. 120 V 60 H.

Overall rating:

4.5

(23 reviews) 23

20 of 23(87%)customers recommend this product.

Reviews for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Review 1 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

4 / 5 23 reviews

Great filter.

June 7, 2013

by roadrider

fromOcoee,Florida

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 23 reviews

I bought the 2213 for my 20 gallon seahorse tank,i was so happy with it that i bought a 2215 for my reef tank,thinking of buying a 2217 for my 55 gallon discus tank,worth the money. The instructions aren't good for an inexperience aquarist. Is quiet and keeps the water clear all the time.

Pros: works great, easy to install

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 2 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Best Canister I've Ever Owned

May 30, 2013

by Lydah

fromLittleton, CO

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

3 / 5 23 reviews

I've been through a lot of canisters in my years of fish keeping, and my eheim 2217's have been the quietest and most reliable of all of them. I have to put the canister up to my ear to even notice it's turned on.

The only con I can say the eheim's have is that they can be pretty hard to set up and maintain to somebody who is new to canister filters. Since the filter lacks baskets, maintenance can be harder than some other filter types, and the initial setup instructions are virtually useless, though people who have set up canisters before probably will not need them to figure out how to put the filter together.

While the maintenance can be a little more challenging due to lack of media baskets, the filter can hold a lot more filter media and does not need to be opened up as often for maintenance. I run 4 of the 2217's and I can safely let my filters run for 6 months without worrying about looking at them.

Pros: works great

Cons: hard to clean, Hard to Install

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 3 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality Product

January 7, 2013

by Anonymous

fromTexas

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

I purchased the 2213 model of this filter approximately 4 weeks ago. When I received the filter, I was easily able to get it set up and working within 15 minutes. The filter media was excellent, better than any I have personally used previously. The functionality of the filter is also top notch! I have enjoyed the ability to adjust flow rate by turning the 1/4 turn valves on the output side of the filter, as well as, being able to completely shut the flow of water off during filter maintenance/cleaning. My only complaint is that there was a very small piece broken during shipping, however, the filter still functions flawlessly.

Pros: works great, easy to install, easy to clean

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 4 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Eheim 2213

October 19, 2012

by AquariumEnthusiast

fromMississauga, Ont, Canada

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?A few times a year

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

I set up my 55 gallon tank 11 years ago. This canister filter ( Eheim 2213 ) is the only one I ever needed. It still works great. The only thing I've found and is probably the same for all canister filters is the hoses must be cleaned thoroughly once in a while to keep the pump performing at its peak. There are brushes available for this purpose or pipe cleaners work well too. This pump has quietly done its job year after year. I highly reccomend it.

Pros: easy to clean, works great, easy to install

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 5 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Great canister filter

September 17, 2012

by guster730

fromSparta NJ

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

Reviewer Images

I got the 2213 a while back for my 20 gallon tank, now it's in my 55 along with a HOB filter. The only 2 problems are the instructions are terrible and the filter media is super expensive. I ended up buying a sheet of filter foam stuff from outsmart instead of buying the white filter pads. Instead of the carbon pads I got activated carbon and put it in a mesh bag. Also put some purigen in there and my water is crystal clear.

Pros: works great, easy to clean

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 6 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Eheim has the best product.

July 26, 2012

by Eheimfan

fromChicago

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?4

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

My current popular brand of cannister filter began to break down part by part until I could no longer complete routine maintenance without a battle. After much research I purchased the Eheim. It is very easy to set up and has many features my other one did not. If you want a lasting product with ease of set up and maintenance purchase this Eheim.

Pros: works great, easy to install, easy to clean

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 7 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

1 / 5 23 reviews

No More Eheim For Us

December 24, 2011

by sonkitty

fromWinter Garden, FL

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

1 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 23 reviews

We have had a Fluval canister filter for years and years, but had decided to get a new once, since the small parts for the Fluval model was getting harder to find. After reading reviews, we decided to try the Eheim brand - mistake!! Our tank had constant algae and was literally filthy!! I had emailed Eheim on several occasions and was told how to set it up, etc., which we had done correctly. We have had aquariums over 30 years and were certainly no new to this. At the time, we only had 5 fish in a 50 gallon tank - 4 were algae eater type catfish and one small tropical. Certainly, not due to overloading, etc. of fish. After having to scrub and take apart the tank 3 times in just 10 months, we gave up with it. We never had to clean a tank this frequently, only change some of the water every few weeks. I returned it and we now have the new model of the Fluval and couldn't be happier - no more Eheim for us.

Cons: didn't work

-5points

1of 7voted this as helpful.

Review 8 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

1 / 5 23 reviews

Do not recommend

May 24, 2011

by BillT

fromoverseas

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

1 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

1 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

1 / 5 23 reviews

After two months, the pump head began rattling endlessly. I tried all the recommended trouble shooting and researched online to find a solution to no avail. With 20 years as an aquarium enthusiast, 15 years overseas, I've never experienced a unit as loud and distrubing as the 2213. It could be the unit does not work well on a transformer, but all my other filters worked fine.

Pros: easy to clean

Cons: didn't work

0points

1of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 9 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

2 / 5 23 reviews

Messy to clean

April 19, 2011

by Blanketj

fromAtlanta, GA

How many pets do you have?5 or more

Performance

3 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

3 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

2 / 5 23 reviews

Priming is difficult; I end up with large amounts of water on the floor every time I clean it. As a result, I put off cleaning it. There may be an attachment that allows for pump priming; if so, definitely get it. For me, I'm going back to hanging filters after having mediocre experiences with Marineland and Eheim canister products.

Cons: hard to clean, Hard to Install

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 10 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Worth every Penny!!

December 20, 2010

by Bassist1

fromMN

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

I was a bit aprehensive about buying one these because of the price but I finnaly bit the bullet and got one and I am very glad I did. I got the 2213 and it is doing a great job on my 55 gallon neo-tropical cichild tank, before I could'nt get the water clear unless I did a 1/4 water change every day,I have read a few reveiws saying the the 2213 can't fitler 55 gallons of water and I would just have to disagree.

my only complaints are that the directions are about as useless as they can get,and they supply bariely enough hose to get it hooked up so I would reconmend buying some more hose

Pros: great filter adn makes my water crystal clear

Cons: barley enough hose, useless directions

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 11 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Awesome filter

August 8, 2010

by RESturtles

fromSan Diego, CA

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?4

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

My son and I have 4 RES and before we had this filter I needed to clean the tank at least once a week or the water would be nasty green. With this filter I clean only once a month and the water looks nice and clear.

Pros: quiet, keeps tank clean for a long time, comes with all the media for first time use

Cons: hard to figure out at first, priming can be difficult, extra media can be hard to find and expensive

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 12 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Best Filter per Dollar Ratio

February 20, 2010

by Spyd3r

fromMichigan

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 23 reviews

This is the simplest and most effective filter design there is, no gizmos, or extra points of failure, which is why the cost is so low. The design has been tried and tested for many years.

It comes with all the media you need and the media is 100% reusable except for the fine filter pad, which can be washed a few times then replaced. You can customize the media to suit your needs, such as adding a layer of chemical filtration, or any number of filtration media products and combinations that you can find. The impeller shaft is ceramic so you should have quite a few years of operation out of that. The unit is practically self-priming when installed below the aquarium, once you start a siphon from the outlet end of the hose, gravity will fill the filter with water by itself, if you use the quick disconnects you will only have to siphon once. Out of the box, the resultant water quality is pretty much everything one could ask for in a filter, many times clearer than just about any hang-on-back filters, combine it with a UV sterilizer (to remove algae and bacterial blooms) and you may forget there's even water in your tank.

Measuring noise is subjective and it seems like everyone claims that their filter is 'silent', but this one really is inaudible if you are more than 2 feet away, even if the room itself is perfectly silent.

I own 2 of these so far and will continue buying them as long as they keep selling them.

Pros: very quiet, best filter for your money

Cons: barely enough tubing, instructions are lacking, eheim customer support

+6points

6of 6voted this as helpful.

Review 13 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Going Green!

February 13, 2010

by Ifrogz

fromOaktown, CA

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

Reviewer Images

After researching on canister filters ,I had almost narrowed my pick to a Fluval filter then I read reviews on the EHIEM filters and decided to go with that instead. Whew! I'm glad I chose this filter. Very quite, I couldn't tell if filter was working or not except see water get clear and clearer. After 24hrs of adding salt water in my tank, the water was looking clear
I think anyone out shopping for canister filters and on a budget should definitely try one from EHIEM...personaly the green color of the filter n hoses make my entire setup different n nice .

Pros: unbelievably quite, nice

Cons: may as well sell without instruction pamphlet

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 14 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Great Quality -- Very Impressed

February 4, 2010

by VALKYRIE

fromOttawa, ON

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

Very nice product. Instructions could be a lot more thorough but the pictures should be enough to guide you through. This filter is virtually silent and keeps water impecably clean. I would reccomend this to anyone interested in a canister filter.

Pros: silent, easy to use, clears water very quickly

Cons: instructions aren't very thorough

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 15 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Best Ever

January 31, 2010

by Monkey1

fromLouisianna

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

This filter was purchased after extensive research and checking every reveiw I could find. Installing the filter ws a breeze dispite the not so great insturctions,I did not even look at them.
This filter was installed in my 125 gal. tank with 4 Osars although we all know how much maintenance is required with these fish the filter has done a great job.Making the tank not only beautiful but also very easy to maintain, Also very quiet.

Pros: very quiet, ease of cleaning

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 16 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

AMAZING FILTER!!!

January 4, 2010

by Thespazsaysrawr

fromBozeman, MT

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?4

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

I've tried many canister filters, none of which have lived up to this product! The canister allows you to add MUCH more media than competing products. You can also put whatever media you want in it!!! MUST BUY ONE!!!! :) you won't be dissapointed ;)

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 17 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Really pleased.

December 29, 2009

by thelvyn

frommichigan

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

I did a lot of research online about filters and this one is defiantly the best bang for your buck, It's pretty easy to set up too, i didn't even use the instructions just the pictures of it. Got it within 2 days too so really fast shipping. There is no auto primer but if you just hook it all up and then undo the shut of valve from the suction end, you can suck the water through the hose, turn valve off, hook it back to pump and open valve and its primed and ready to go.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 18 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Great filter

December 4, 2009

by BigSteve

fromSt.louis

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

Very easy to setup. Just takes some basic thinking skills of how canisters work. Runs extremely quiet. The classic's come with one big basket now so its not hard to clean. I just pour all the filter medias into there own tupperware bowl and clean accordingly. Self prime with double tap connectors is a synch. I am now getting a 2215 also.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 19 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

It's an Eheim Classic 2215.... what can I say?! A+

July 4, 2009

by jcgoobee

fromSunnyvale, CA

What is your gender?M

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

4 / 5 23 reviews

Reviewer Images

Okay, I don't usually write reviews as there aren't too many commercial products out in the market is really worth my writing, this one does.

I got this from Petsmart about a week ago with a pretty good price. I've done tons of research before commiting to get this 25+ year old designed filter is not any cheaper than the newer models at all, and what makes it a bit more challenging, is its availability. Petsmart doesn't carry it in local store, nor do any other local retailers since this is an really old model (hence the name Classic, right?). Yet, let me tell you, it's worth the waiting when you order online. Let me detail more below.

From what I have gathered, to prime the filter is a hassle, but in reality, it's not! If you hook it up right, the priming is totally automatic! Listen to this.. the trick for easy priming, is to fill up the water close to 90% full, close and secure the cover. Once you open up the double-tap levers, the water automatic fills the remaining 10% of the filter.. you will hear the water rushing down with absolutely no trouble.

The performance is awesome. I had a Eden 501 (or Zeemed the U.S. Model), which was a totally waste of time as far as the performance goes. This Eheim 2215 is a true working machine with lots of horsepower that you can rely on. I literally had to slow down the outflow to avoid making a whirlpool in my tank! It's a simple design that as long as you look at the pictures on the box (don't bother to read the manual, it's worthless!), you will know what order of the media that you need to put back in. It's easy.

Since the flowrate is so good... the cycling time was really fast too. The first day I turned on the filter, my tank was milky white, so was the second day. I didn't panic as I know it went through the cycling process. The 3rd day morning, the water turned out crystal clear.. sparkingly!!!! and it has been running very well in the past few days without a single bit of trouble... The filter is quiet too.. I have to get my ears very close to hear any motor noise coming out of the lid... I can't be any happier.

Hope this helps you to make a choice.

Pros: awesome horsepower, easy to setup as long as you don't read the manual, quiet.... sh... your pets will love it, quality built not filmsy at all, filtration media included, german engineering excellent

Cons: really ugly water hose why dark green?!, poorly written user manual, german design filter but made in china these days!, should be cheaper as it's a 25+years design

+7points

8of 9voted this as helpful.

Review 20 for EHEIM Classic External Canister

Overall rating

5 / 5 23 reviews

Can't beat it!

March 7, 2009

by Darrick

fromerie, pa

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 23 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 23 reviews

Ease of Use

5 / 5 23 reviews

The 2217 model is my first canister filter and I must say that I'm impressed. It is dead silent and even quieter than my HOB filter I previously had on my tank. I can't even hear it sitting next to it. It also does a great job and I have crystal clear water. Quick disconnects are an awesome addition. Highly recommend!

Pros: quiet and efficient, nice quality

Cons: no auto priming

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

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