Fx5 Filter

[neilevo]

I have just got a second hand fx5 filter it came with loas of black sponges but when i opened the filter all it had in the three baskets apart from te outer pads where cyramic rings. I know there are loads of different ways to put th media in but what i have is.

white fine pads

Blue pads

Black sponges

and cyramic rings.

So what would be the best way to do the baskets?

 

[Malawi MaD]

The order you posted them lol (coincidence) you want the fine pads at the top as they polish the water. Have you replaced the media?

 

[mattlee]

i take it the media you have is cycled and you just want to swap it over....

the FX5 works slightly different to most other filters. the white sponges sit around the edge of the baskets which is quite obvious. then i would put the ceramic rings in the bottom and top basket and then squeeze your sponges into the middle basket. dont bother with the fine white filter pads as these will clog up very fast indeed in an FX5 due to the amount it filters p/h causing a huge reduction in flow, possibly within a week if its a heavily stocked tank

i find that just having the white sponges around the outside and ceramic media in the baskets works best and it doesnt need cleaning out anywhere near as much and the water should stay pretty crystal.

most canister filters work bottom to top and any fine pads go on the top of the top basket but fluval suggest putting any fine pads on top of the bottom or middle baskets if i remember right. the bottom basket is the last basket to get the water before it pumps back into the tank.

if the sponge media you have isnt cycled then leave it out and just use the ceramics and white sponges for best flow

 

[neilevo]

The media sponges are all new so i will have to cycle which is not a problem because i just got a new tank so dont have any fish yet.

 

[mattlee]

The media sponges are all new so i will have to cycle which is not a problem because i just got a new tank so dont have any fish yet.

ok then i would just use the white sponges that fit around each basket and ceramic rings. dont overfill the baskets and leave a nice gap between the top layer of ceramics in each basket and the bottom of the above basket for best results

 

[Wills]

I do the same as Matt, sponges all round the sides and then bio balls in the middle - one tip though never put filter floss in the top basket as they get sucked up really really badly and screw things up.

Wills