Fx5

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

scotty, don't use the polishing pads.. what you are seeing is micro-bubbles from the cavitation caused by the filter being plugged up. the only thing i ever put in the baskets is bio-media. usually ceramic bio-rings, but i'm starting to explore other options too...

i found some spaghetti looking stuff that i'm going to try. and i bought pot scrubbies for the sump, and mini bio balls that i'm going to put into one of the FX5's.

also, if you're using the flex hoses that come with the FX5, you want to make sure that there are no low spots. if it hangs down below the top of the canister at any point in the hose you can impede the flow. i chose, after having a mishap with one of the flex hoses coming apart and my family room flooding from the filter emptying my 180 gallon aquarium on the floor, to hard plumb the entire thing. the only flex hose is about 9" at the end where it connects to the canister. the rest is all pvc pipe. mostly 1", but the FX5 hoses don't adapt well to conventional plumbing. i had to reduce it to 3/4" on the ends to get the hose to work. i'm in the process of finding different hose for this application and doing without the FX5 hoses completely..

 

[scotty]

cleaned the filter again today,removed the old sponges,tank is still the same.seriously thinking about going back to the all pond solutions filter!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I use Eheim Substrat Pro in all three baskets, plus the standard sponges that wrap around the outside of the baskets (which get a good rinse every few months), no polishing pads used. Only time I get unsightly water is after the big sponge rinse, at which time I aim the outpipe into my fish buckets for ~10 seconds before reconnecting them to the tank.

On a side note, 22mm plumbing elbow joints snuggly fit inside the rubber joint that the default double output nossle connects to (these adjustable nossles reduce the flow if positioned at anything other than 90 degrees to each other). I just use the 22mm to give a concentrated flow for my current loving fish, but you could buy an "click lock" elbow and a small piece of piping into which you drill a load of holes to make a more gentle flow spraybar.

 

[fishguy2727]

If a filter media clogs up fast that means it is doing its job. If you take out that media that debris is no longer being trapped by it, so it ends up somewhere else.

I always used fine mechanical in Fluvals. I don't usually use the pads for my own or the ones at the shop, I use filter floss.

I have not had any microbubble problems with any of them.

 

[scotty]

would this filter be suitable for my tank


Eheim Wet Dry professional canister External Breather 2227 Aquarium Filter

 

[CrazyCichlaMomma]

i'm not familiar with eheim products.. but if you search on Monster Fishkeepers forum there are a couple of good comparisons to the Fluval FX5. and some DIY mods to the FX5 that can increase flow and/or mechanical filtration.

 

[scotty]

to me it looks like the dirty water is being taken in by the strainer and just coming straight out the output,is there supposed to be a fine mesh on the strainer?

 

[mattlee]

no there is nothing on the strainer itself. without using filter pads etc that clog up very fast as we have all found out the only dirt stopper is the big white sponges that surround each basket within the filter.

are the sponges fitted snug inside with no gaps?

are they original fluval sponges? the reason i ask is that there are many cheaper types available on ebay etc. ive never tried these as ive never had reason to change a sponge but if they dont fit tight then dirt will pass.

did you buy the filter new?

 

[scotty]

bought the filter second hand,sponges are original

 

[scotty]

made my mind up,going back to the all pond solutions filter

 

[mattlee]

maybe why the filter was for sale in the first place........

try a new FX5 and you wont get another APS mate trust me.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I have a FX5 that is going to go into my 400 litre when I get it installed, cant wait it looks a total beast.


Tom

 

[scotty]

maybe why the filter was for sale in the first place........

try a new FX5 and you wont get another APS mate trust me.

the price difference is huge,and my last allpond solutions filter kept the water crystal clear

 

[mattlee]

just looked on the video you have done and it seems a bit overkill for the size of the tank mate anyway......

 

[scotty]

its a 4ft tank 300 litres