Fluval FX vs. Oase Biomaster (vs. ?)

[maadi]

I need a new filter for my ~120g/450L tank and have seen the Fluval FX and Oase Biomaster series recommended. I like that the Fluval allows easy water changes and gravel vacuuming, and that the Oase pre-filter can be easily cleaned. Can the Oase also facilitate water changes? I haven't been able to find videos of anyone doing that. Or is there another filter I should be considering? Thanks!

 

[Wills]

I'm in the same predicament, I've had FX5s and 6s before and they are good but had some reliability issues. I never used the water change feature TBH and not sure how you would do the gravel vac? I currently have a biomaster though only on a 100 litre tank, the pre filter is very good and very useful - in contrast cleaning the FX range is hard because when you take the pipes off the canister is full to the brim.

As a workhorse the FX range is probably better for flow and pure output the Oase range is better to live with. I've not had the Oase long enough to say which is more reliable but I said on an other thread the other day I had quite a lot of FX's in the space of 9 years because something went wrong with them.

Wills

 

[663]

I swapped out an OASE 600 for an FX6 2-days ago. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that the 600 didn't stand up well to a year inline. Without some hard proof that OASE had updated their designs and mats I won't buy another.

This means I'm currently running an FX6 and FX4 on my show tank. It's an explosive combo on a 125G long.

 

[maadi]

Thanks for the feedback! I ended up buying an FX6. It's too big to fit in the cabinet (too wide for the doors). Fingers crossed it was the right choice. Does look pretty good so far, though sometimes it makes a crackling/gargling noise, I'm assuming some air trapped inside.