[brighty K]

I've gotten the chance to use an Eheim pro, though I think the one I worked with didn't have the "digital thermal display." It doesn't stand up to its predecessors, the Classic 2260 or 2262 for several reasons.

The bells included in the Pro just aren't that great. The wheels aren't useful. The primer isn't anything any pro I know actually needs. The flow meter is a who cares. If you're concerned about the flow on your canister filter, you're just not maintaining it properly. You don't need a meter to tell you that you haven't cleaned your filter in a year.

I also find that the media baskets are useless. They just restrict what you can fit into the filter. The Classics are more flexible.

My biggest issue was that (unlike the large Classic Ehiems) the Pro doesn't have a water outlet at the bottom. This is an essential tool for easily maintaining the canister. Otherwise, taking the top off can be messy.

Here's something I've found in my experience: real professionals stick with simple, functional, well-built tools. The ehiem classics are industry standard and no canisters match them for longevity, simplicity, and ease of use. Even Eheim's own Pro series don't hold a candle to their Classics.

Lastly, any of these seem like a lot for a 50 gallon. I'd personally go with two Ehiem 2217s You'll find they do the job well and will be easier to handle and work with.

 

[brighty K]

she has freak visions of water all over her inlay wood floors every time I do filter maintenance

Understandable. Either way, either filter, you're going to have to pop that puppy open here and there. Either filter is bulky when full of water, which is why the Classic's (2260 & 2262) valve at the bottom is so valuable. I don't know of a way the Pro gets around this problem. On the Classic, you can usually drain it (at least partially) before attempting to move it. Crucial.

I used to work for a high-end aquarium maintenance company. Few can appreciate the necessity of keeping the aquarium and the area surrounding it spotless like someone who's worked on them in multi-million dollar homes. I highly recommend a folded packing blanket spread below the aquarium anytime you're working on it.

You can program for day/nite flow rates and stream/wave simulations as well.

That could be cool.

Plus it has flow adjustment w/ auto adjust constant flow thruput which compensates for filter saturation automatically...It has other auto correct features such as trapped air removal as well.

If anyone can do all that, it's probably Eheim. But I'm naturally skeptical of bonus features, especially new, untested ones. I've just seen too many saves-you-time-and-effort-promises-to-do-it-all gadgets that end up failing altogether or just falling by the wayside because the problems they promise to fix are more easily overcome with a little finesse or good old fashioned elbow grease.

Please don't think I'm saying you'd be crazy to buy this thing. Eheim offers solid products and I don't doubt it has advantages. I might just be biased because I've worked extensively with the Classics and consider them the best I've seen.