Two Fx5 On a 180 Gallon Peacock Bass tank

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lemarj

Candiru
MFK Member
Jun 1, 2011
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Im in the process of purchasing a second Fluval Fx5 for my 180 gallon Peacock Bass growout tank. I was wondering if any body could me a good inlet and outlet position for two fx5?
 
I personally choose to split them so that they are about even level midway in the tank. For all my canisters actually. 2 on any tank, well. Try it out to your own likings. Inlets in the middle, returns on the sides. Opposing filter inlets and returns on each side, i.e. FX5 #1 inlet left, return right FX5 #2 inlet right, return left. Or both returns on one side and inlets on the other. Trick I would imagine is to create a better flow than just 1 FX5.

Realistically, if your filter is packed with media. 2 500g biomax, 750g prefilter, blue "fine" filter pads and the foam blocks. I can't see a need for another filter other than chemical filtration. One packed right should be enough for mechanical and biological. If you're just looking for flow, I would think a powerhead might be cheaper.
 
I personally choose to split them so that they are about even level midway in the tank. For all my canisters actually. 2 on any tank, well. Try it out to your own likings. Inlets in the middle, returns on the sides. Opposing filter inlets and returns on each side, i.e. FX5 #1 inlet left, return right FX5 #2 inlet right, return left. Or both returns on one side and inlets on the other. Trick I would imagine is to create a better flow than just 1 FX5.

Realistically, if your filter is packed with media. 2 500g biomax, 750g prefilter, blue "fine" filter pads and the foam blocks. I can't see a need for another filter other than chemical filtration. One packed right should be enough for mechanical and biological. If you're just looking for flow, I would think a powerhead might be cheaper.

With all these bass my flow changes for the fx5!

Sent from my GT-P3113 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
With all these bass my flow changes for the fx5!

Sent from my GT-P3113 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

That's the mechanical aspect of the fx5 doing it's job. Having another will help, but it basically makes you a little bit more lazy (don't take offense we're all inherently as lazy as we can be) than you might need to be with having a heavy bioload. The bacteria will compete and keep you cycled with an FX5, substrate, deco, glass walls.

When I had a heavy load in my 125 with (mind you these we're all juvies) 3 ocellaris, 2 GT's, 2 EBJD, 2 firemouths, 4 giant danio's as dithers, 2 BN pleco's, 1 common pleco I was cleaning my filter nearly every month. WC/gravel vac were 50% once a week. Particularly because I love water clarity and I was using the white fine filter pads that break up after a month.

When my fish started to mature after about a year I took out ( obviously the danio's got eaten but I knew that was going to happen) 2 ocellaris (they wouldn't eat pellets or frozen) 1 GT died in hospital tank with bloat, both firemouths (mean little fish). Ended up with a 12" ocellaris, 4" GT, two 3" EBJD, two 3" BN plecos, and a 6" common pleco.
 
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