Which Hose Fits Your Filter: Eheim, Fluval, and JBL Hose Sizes Explained

Eheim, JBL, and Fluval all use different hose sizes. If you want to connect a canister filter to US vinyl tubing or PVC pipe, you need to know your exact size first, not guess.

This guide lists every size by brand and model, straight from each manufacturer. Then it shows you how to measure your own hose if you are still not sure, and how a TankRig adapter bridges the metric and US systems.

Eheim hose sizes by model (Classic 150, 250, 350, 600, 1500XL)

Eheim sizes each hose end on its own. The suction side and the discharge side are not always the same size on the same filter. Find your model in the table below.

12/16mm shows up the most. Three Classic models use it on at least one side.

Fluval hose sizes by filter class (04-07 series vs 304-407 series)

Fluval states its hose size two ways. Small and medium class filters, the 04, 05, 06, and 07 series, use 14.5mm hose. Large and XL class filters, the 304 through 407 series, use 17mm hose. Both numbers come straight from Fluval's own product pages.

Fluval does not say if that number is the inside or the outside of the hose. That matters, because an inside measurement and an outside measurement need different adapter sizes. We have not confirmed which one it is yet, so we do not sell a Fluval sized adapter today. If you own a Fluval filter, measure your own hose with the steps below before you buy anything.

JBL and SunSun hose sizes, and where they differ from Eheim

JBL shares two of Eheim's exact sizes. The JBL CristalProfi e401, e701, and e901 use 12/16mm suction hose, the same size as an Eheim Classic 250. The JBL CristalProfi e1501 and e1502 use 16/22mm, the same size as an Eheim Classic 600.

The two brands split at their largest size. JBL's biggest hose is 19/25mm. Eheim's biggest hose in that same class is 19/27mm. Same inside diameter, different outside diameter. A hose that pushes onto one may not push onto the other.

SunSun's HW-304 and HW-304B filters use a 19/27mm hose, matching Eheim's outside size in that class. SunSun's smaller HW-302, HW-303B, HW-402B, and HW-403B models use 16/22mm hose, the same size as an Eheim Classic 600. The OEM spare hose set for that family states the size plainly. Polar Aurora canisters are the same SunSun filters sold under another name, so the same sizes apply. Match your unit by its SunSun model number.

More filters that use sizes we already fit: Oase, Aquael, Dennerle, and US brands

Eheim and JBL are not the only filters we fit. Several other popular canister filters use a hose size we already make adapters for. The Oase BioMaster and Thermo, the Aquael Ultramax 1000 and 1500, and the Dennerle Scaper's Flow all use 16/22mm hose, the same size as an Eheim Classic 600. The Scaper's Flow also accepts 12/16mm.

Some US brands size their hose in inches instead of millimeters. Aquatop, Penn Plax Cascade, Marineland Magniflow, and the API or Rena Filstar all state a 5/8 inch or larger inside diameter. Our vinyl barbs key on that inside size, so they fit. A few of these makers give the inside size only, not the outside, so measure your own hose if you want to be sure.

The larger Aquael Ultramax 2000 uses 19/25mm hose. That is not a size we make an adapter for yet, so we say that plainly instead of pointing you at the wrong part.

How to measure your own hose if you are not sure

You do not need special tools. A soft tape measure or a ruler works fine.

1. Measure the inside of the hose, not the outside. Ease the tape or a rod gently into the opening until it just touches both sides.
2. Write the number down in millimeters. Most hose sizes land on a whole or half millimeter, like 12mm or 14.5mm.
3. Check the wall thickness if you can. A thicker wall means more gap between the inside number and the outside number.
4. Compare your number to the tables above. Match your hose to the closest size, not the closest brand name.
5. Measure twice if the number looks close to two sizes. Hose that looked like 16mm on the filter can measure closer to 15mm once it is off and relaxed.

Metric hose vs US vinyl tubing: which one you actually have

US aquarium keepers often own both systems without realizing it. Canister filters from Eheim, JBL, and SunSun ship with metric hose. Tubing from a US hardware store or pet shop is usually sized in inches.

The two systems land close together, but never exactly on top of each other.

How a TankRig adapter bridges the gap

None of the pairs above are exact matches. A gap of a tenth of a millimeter to a bit under a millimeter does not sound like much, but it is enough that a hose sized for one system will not grip a barb cut for the other. That gap is why an adapter needs a different barb on each end, not one size trying to do both jobs.

PVC pipe works differently again. Instead of stretching over a barb, a printed spigot slides into a standard PVC fitting. Our 12/16mm to 1/2 inch PVC adapter uses this method, for anyone plumbing a permanent line instead of running flexible tubing.

Right now we make adapters for the two most common Eheim and JBL sizes, 12/16mm and 16/22mm. Each one connects to 5/8 inch vinyl, 3/4 inch vinyl, or 1/2 inch PVC. SunSun's smaller models use 16/22mm, so they fit too. Fluval is not on the list yet, for the honest reason above: we do not have a confirmed inside or outside reading on its hose.

If you would rather not read the tables, try our fitment finder. Pick what you have on one end and what you want on the other, and it points you straight to the adapter that connects them, or tells you plainly when we do not make that pair yet.

Frequently asked questions