If you’ve already decided on EHEIM and you’re stuck between the three canister families, the choice usually comes down to one question: how much do you want the filter to do for you versus how much are you willing to do yourself. Classic asks the most of you and gives you the fewest parts to fail. professionel 4 automates the annoying parts. professionel 5e adds a screen and an app on top of that. Our EHEIM Filter Range Guide covers what each family is built for in more depth. This is the fast version, side by side.
The three tiers at a glance
| Classic | professionel 4 | professionel 5e | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priming | Manual, with the primer on the pump head | Integrated priming pump | Self-priming, plus automatic air removal |
| Media handling | Loose media, packed by hand in layers | Stacked baskets, lift out individually | Stacked baskets, lift out individually |
| Pre-filter basket | No, full unpack to clean mechanical stage | Yes, rinse the top basket, biological media undisturbed | Yes, same as professionel 4 |
| Flow control | None (fixed by pump/valve) | Manual valve | Electronic, adjustable from the unit or the app |
| Flow monitoring | None | None | Yes. Holds the flow you set as the filter loads up, sends a service reminder, and alerts you when flow falls below the set rate |
| Disconnect for service | Hose disconnect. The 250, 350 and 600 take a double tap connector, so close both taps first | Valve block, no hose draining | Valve block, same as professionel 4 |
| Spare parts | Impeller, shaft, gasket only (decades of availability) | Same wear parts plus basket/valve components | Same, plus the electronic pump head |
Rated tank size and pump output, model by model
These are EHEIM’s published figures for the models IndieFur stocks.
| Model | Rated tank size | Pump output | Power | Filter volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic 150 (2211) | 50 to 150 L | 300 L/h | 5 W | 1 L |
| Classic 250 (2213) | 80 to 250 L | 440 L/h | 8 W | 3 L |
| Classic 350 (2215) | 120 to 350 L | 620 L/h | 15 W | 4 L |
| Classic 600 (2217) | 180 to 600 L | 1,000 L/h | 20 W | 6 L |
| Classic 1500XL (2260) | 300 to 1,500 L | 2,400 L/h | 65 W | 18 L |
| professionel 4+ 250T | 120 to 250 L | about 950 L/h | 12 W, plus a 210 W heater | 3.5 L |
| professionel 4 800 | 400 to 800 L | 1,600 L/h | 19 W | 9.8 L |
| professionel 5e 700 | up to 700 L | up to 1,850 L/h, adjustable | 10 to 35 W | 8 L |
The Classic 250 takes 12/16 mm hose on the pressure side and 16/22 mm on the suction side, and the professionel 4 800, 4+ 250T and 5e 700 take 16/22 mm. Check the hose size of any other model before you buy fittings. The 4+ 250T is the one to watch: EHEIM lists the thermofilter versions for freshwater aquariums only, so it does not belong on a reef.
Sizes currently in stock, by family
Classic: 150 (2211), 250 (2213 Plus), 350 (2215 Plus), 600 (2217 Plus), and 1500XL (2260) for anything from a nano tank up to a heavily stocked large tank or small pond. The full ladder is in stock across every size.
professionel 4: 800 covers large community and cichlid tanks, and the 4+ 250T integrates a heater into the canister for anyone who’d rather not have a second piece of equipment inside the tank.
professionel 5e: 700 with WiFi is the size currently in stock; our professionel 5e & WiFi review covers what the connectivity actually changes day to day, including real-world connection friction.
Which EHEIM for which tank
Tank volumes here are gross (length times width times height). Take off about 10 percent for glass, substrate and decor, and use the rated ranges above.
| Tank (L x W x H) | Gross volume | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| 2 ft x 1 ft x 1 ft | about 57 L | Classic 150 |
| 2 ft x 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft | about 127 L | Classic 150 (rated to 150 L, little headroom) or Classic 250 |
| 3 ft x 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft | about 191 L | Classic 250 or 350, or the 4+ 250T for freshwater |
| 4 ft x 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft | about 255 L | Classic 350 |
| 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft | about 453 L | Classic 600, professionel 4 800 or professionel 5e 700 |
Which tier is right for you
Buy Classic if you service filters on a fixed schedule regardless of need, you’re keeping the tank long-term, and you’d rather have fewer things that can fail than more convenience. The trade-off is real: cleaning the mechanical layer means unpacking everything above it by hand, a twenty-minute job rather than a five-minute one.
Buy professionel 4 if the honest answer to “how often will you service it” is “when I notice flow has dropped” rather than “on schedule”: the lift-out pre-filter basket makes light, frequent cleaning fast enough that you’ll actually do it, and the valve block means disconnecting the canister doesn’t mean draining hoses onto the floor first.
Buy professionel 5e if you’ll actually use the flow control or read the alerts. It filters exactly as well as the same-size professionel 4. The electronics buy you adjustable flow (useful during feeding or medication) and an alert when flow falls below your set rate, not more filtration capacity. If you won’t check the app, the 4 does the same job for less to go wrong.
What none of the three change
Media capacity and biological filtration are set by tank size, not by tier. A Classic 350 and a same-rated professionel 4 filter equally well once both are running. The tier decision is entirely about how much maintenance friction you’re willing to accept, not about filtration quality. Where two sizes bracket your tank volume, size up rather than down in every tier. An oversized filter runs a lower proportion of its capacity and goes longer between services, while an undersized one has no fix short of replacing it.
What servicing looks like in each tier
Classic. The water meets a coarse pad first, then the biological media, then a fine pad directly under the pump head. The fine pad clogs first, so rinse or replace it when flow drops. Rinse biological media in tank water and never in tap water, and never rinse all of it at once.
professionel 4. EHEIM’s guidance is to service when flow drops, roughly every three to six months, and to escalate in steps: clean the pre-filter first, then the media inserts if that is not enough, then the pump chamber. Renew the blue filter mat after its third cleaning. The 4+ models add an Xtender control that redirects flow when the fine pad blocks, which keeps biological filtration running and lets you postpone cleaning by a few days.
professionel 5e. The pre-filter cartridge is the part you handle most. It is designed to be pulled and rinsed without opening the main canister or disturbing the biological media. The electronics need a 2.4 GHz WiFi network within range of the cabinet, and the filter still runs if you switch WiFi off after setup. Our canister filter cleaning guide covers the routine in full.
FAQ
Can I upgrade from Classic to professionel later without changing anything else? Yes for media: any EHEIM biological or mechanical media works across all three families, you’re just packing it loose in a Classic versus dropping it into a basket in a professionel. You can’t reuse the canister body itself across families.
Is the jump from professionel 4 to 5e worth it for a tank I’m not actively monitoring remotely? Usually not. The 5e’s real value is the flow-drop alert catching a clogging filter early. If you’re checking the tank in person regularly anyway, you’ll likely notice the same problem just as fast.
Does a bigger number always mean a better filter? No, it means a higher rated tank volume, tuned by EHEIM assuming loaded media rather than an empty chamber. A 1500XL Classic on a 150-litre tank isn’t “better,” it’s oversized for that tank; buy to your actual volume plus headroom, not to the biggest number available.
Is the EHEIM Classic 600 the same as the 2217? Yes. The Classic 600 is type number 2217, the Classic 350 is 2215, the Classic 250 is 2213, and the Classic 150 is 2211. EHEIM rates the 2217 for 180 to 600 litres.
Can the professionel 4+ 250T go on a reef tank? No. EHEIM lists the thermofilter versions for freshwater only. The plain professionel 4+ filters are approved for freshwater and marine tanks.
