I get mixed reviews about fluval as a brand. But I read nothing but good things about the FX5. The Rena xp3 gets mostly good reviews. I was an eheim jockey for a long time until I got one of their Jäger heaters that failed. It super heated my water. I caught it at 89 degrees. Everything in the tank was dead except for my rams. Even they were suffering. I was able to scoop them out and slowly acclimate them back down to the normal 81 temp I keep all my SA tanks at. I guess my runner up has been different brands for different things. Fluval would probably take the cake for filters with Rena being a slightly distant second. I am working with ViaAqua brand heaters now. They work well, but I am hoping to eventually save up for the titanium ones. They look better in my opinion and apparently function better because of a temperature control panel that is not inside the heater itself. I read that makes them last longer too.
How big is your tank? I would consider the FX5, but my main concern there is the fact that if it fails for any reason, I will have to wait for new filtration to arrive. I don't have any backups waiting. Could be several days of waiting and my fish would suffer or possibly die. But then again, I want a reliable brand for my first canister filters and SunSun gets good reviews, but many people admit they have to buy spare parts because it breaks down. Could be a real hassle and would put me in the situation I am trying to avoid.
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