Eheim Internal Filter Pick Up 160

The EHEIM Pick Up is a compact internal filter that attaches to the tank with suction cups, offering a simple, practical filtration concept.

The EHEIM pickup is a small practical filter with a special concept

The filter is simple to attach in the tank with suction cups. The special thing about the concept of the pickup  is that the filter canister together with its cartridge can be removed from above, while the pump unit remains in the tank. This is a very practical solution for cleaning or changing the filter      cartridge.
The pump sucks in the water from below and carries it through the filter cartridge to the top. Here the filtered water is directed back into the tank via the rotatable outlet nozzle.

Benefits of EHEIM pickup

• Smaller  internal filter for aquariums up to 160 l.
• Water inlet at filter bottom
• Rotatable outlet nozzle to adjust outflow direction
• Filter canister with filter cartridge easy to remove from pump unit from above
• Complete with filter cartridge, ready to use
• Activated carbon cartridges can also be used (e.g. during aquarium  start-ups or after medication treatment)

The Eheim Internal Filter Pick Up 160 sits inside the tank for compact filtration — see our guide to choosing the right aquarium filtration system for how internal filters compare to external options.

Safety & Precautions

Fresh or salt water, indoors. EHEIM's manual approves the pickup for cleaning aquarium water in both freshwater and marine tanks — which is more generous than the sea-water row on their specification table suggests — but for indoor use only, at a water temperature not above 35 °C, and never without water flowing through it.

Set the outlet at least 1 cm below the surface. That is EHEIM's figure, and it is what produces the surface movement the filter is meant to create. Higher and you get splash and salt creep; much lower and the surface stops turning over.

Never change water and clean the cartridge on the same day. EHEIM print this as an explicit warning. Both operations remove bacteria; doing them together is how a cycled tank gets knocked back into an ammonia spike.

There is a strong magnet inside it. EHEIM's own warning: the appliance contains magnets with strong magnetic fields that can affect pacemakers and implanted defibrillators, and you should keep at least 20 cm between the implant and the magnet. That applies while you are handling the impeller, not just while the unit is running.

Put it on an earth-leakage breaker. EHEIM specify a residual current device rated at no more than 30 mA for this appliance. If your tank circuit does not have one, that is the single cheapest safety improvement you can make to a room with water and mains electricity in it.

Leave a drip loop. Run the cable so it dips below the level of the socket before it rises to it. Water that tracks along a cable stops at the bottom of the loop and drips off instead of running into the outlet. EHEIM print this instruction with a diagram in every manual in the range, which tells you how often it is ignored.

The mains cable cannot be replaced. EHEIM mould it into the unit. Their instruction is unambiguous: if the cable is damaged the appliance must be scrapped, not repaired and not re-terminated. Check the lead and plug before each use, and keep the cable away from heat, oil and sharp edges.

Unplug everything in the tank before you put your hands in it. EHEIM's wording is to disconnect all devices in the aquarium from the power supply before installing or removing any part and before any cleaning or maintenance — not just the one you are working on.

Repairs go back to EHEIM. Their instruction is that repairs are carried out by an EHEIM service centre only, that you carry out only the work described in the manual, that you never modify the appliance, and that you fit only original EHEIM spare parts. Talk to us first — most faults in this range are a single wear part, and we would rather send you the part than the unit go anywhere.

Packaging and small parts are a choking hazard. Keep them away from children and animals. EHEIM rate the appliance as usable by children from three years old under supervision; cleaning and user maintenance are not jobs for children unless an adult is supervising.

Close the unused cable apertures. There are three routes for the cable in the groove on the back of the motor housing and two clips supplied to blank off the ones you do not use — EHEIM's stated reason is to stop fry and small fish getting trapped in them. Fit them.

What's in the Box

• Motor housing with the moulded mains cable
• Filter canister
• Filter cartridge, already fitted — the filter arrives ready to run
• Filter cover
• Output nozzle with diffuser, rotatable through about ±90°
• 4 suction cups
• Air regulating valve and air hose
• Back panel
• 2 clips for the unused cable apertures

That list is EHEIM's own component overview from the operation manual for this type number, which is the closest thing they publish to a packing list. If something is missing from the carton, tell us within the 7-day return window and we will sort it out.

Consumable to know about: the replacement cartridge for this size is EHEIM 2617100, and a cartridge can be rinsed and reused two or three times before it is replaced. Activated-carbon cartridges fit the same slot for use after medication or during a tank start-up.

Warranty & Support

This product carries a 3-year manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase, covering material and manufacturing defects. EHEIM excludes wear parts — impeller, sealing rings, hoses and filter media — along with glass damage, units that have been opened, and any unit fitted with non-EHEIM parts.

Warranty support is handled by us directly. Message our WhatsApp support with your order number and we will diagnose the fault first — most cases are solved by replacing a single part, so you rarely need to send the whole unit. If the item does need to come back, it ships to our Delhi or Pune warehouse, whichever one served your order, and courier cost in both directions is borne by the customer. Your GST invoice is valid proof of purchase for the claim.

Returns & Replacement

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. Manufacturer-sealed items cannot be returned once the seal is broken, and sale-priced items are not refundable.

If your item arrives defective or damaged, message us on WhatsApp with your order number — or email us, if you would rather — and we will replace it. Approved replacements are delivered within 3 to 5 business days. Transit damage is covered by insurance on every shipment. If tracking shows delivered but nothing reached you, tell us within 72 hours, which is the reporting window Indian couriers allow. Damage caused during installation or use is not covered; replacement spares for such cases are chargeable.

Full terms are on our Cancellation & Returns page.