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Hello All,
It's been a long time since being here, I've lived in an Apartment that allowed no pets at all. I've moved and am setting up my tanks again.
SO I set up my 29gal, which has been equipped with a Emporer 280 for the longest time. I'd always had a dead spot in the tank due to the single inlet of the emporer ( typically I like to to run 2 HOB's due to this). Anyway i decided to delve into the realm of Eheim for this purpose.
So I bought the Aquaball model 2208. I wanted something none to powerful with filtering capabilities. As I like to have approx 10x filtration which I already almost had.
My review- good for my purpose, well built-though the air diffuser is defective-no hole in it. So not perfect but the rest of the unit is pretty staught. If you want high output this is not for you. Also I don't see how more filter media upgrades it's output-maybe fresh out of the box but in a week I don't think so. I like the ability to buy eheim filters though I will probably go on the cheap and make my own. It did however kill the dead-spot and the micro-fine bubbles it generates are great (I had to remove the diffuser to make it work). The bubbles are about as fine as any wood block I've used before. Plus it's quiter than any equipment I've ever had, HOB filter or air pump. With the possible exception of the 2nd generation penguin 100, which Marineland did a darn fine job of improving over the original design-noisy! I paid 33$ for it, which consider the costs and finicky nature of air pumps is fair.
I already disassembled the Aquaball. Easy and intuitive, nice impeller design and housing, solid power cord. The housing holder is also tough but could hold the aquaball tighter so to hold setting better, The flow control is solid and holds settings like a rock.
Overall it's a good buy for those that need a little more current or are battling dead spots but have adequate filtration otherwise. Yeah It's big and bulky, and not cheap, but compared to those darned air pumps of any quality and price I think it's better.

I use the aquaballs for providing circulation in bigger tanks too, and for raising fry. The little venturi head is useful for aeration too, as you have found. Very reliable little unit, quiet and easy to clean. Only downside though, is that if you sink em deeper than about 20 inches the air stops going through the nozzle, but aside from that they do a really good job for a small filter. Never had one that had a mold fault yet. Ive got 7 of em .lol.

20 inches down? I can't even get mine 3 inches down before the venturi stops! Methinks I got a defective one!

Got the replacement unit and it works wonderfully. Warning to all check you venturi's before buying this baby. Some in the store did not work as well as others!!! Suck through it, I know, not very hygenac but, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

I had the Eheim Aquball (smallest unit) to start of with in my Betta tank but it would not do the job I wanted it for size basically (it is a fantastic small unit) I now have the Eheim 2008 150-300 LPH I run it on the 300 lph This does not worry the Betta or the Cardinals at all and the extra circulation is certainly helping the filtration and the plants.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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Ive got aquaballs of all sizes, I think the pump head is completely standard on all of them, which is handy because you can buy extension units. You can run up to four chambers on them, which makes them capable of filtering your average 30 gallon. Any more modules than that though and the suction through the media isnt quite high enough, but it is a great feature, you could run from 5 to 30 gallons with them without buying additional filters or having to change your filter,and just keep adding extensions, which is very handy for the beginner who may start of small on water volume and increase slowly over time.

If you have multiple aquaballs its so easy to swap out media it takes all of the waiting out of cycling new small tanks. The bacterial culture is used to that standard flow rate,and it hardly takes a blip when moved from one aquaball to another. I find them very handy.