180 gallon planted sump or fx6?

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amazontank

amazontank

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2010
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I have a 180 fully planted with 10 year old Anubias.
I need to make a decision to install a sump with overflow box or pick up an fx6 on special at PetSmart now for 250.
I love to add marinepure blocks and the the ease of the sump but heard plants like canisters better
Any advice from mfk'ers would be appreciated
Thanks
 
Thanks it does have 5 bulkheads on the bottom I plugged them all up with stoppers and Teflon tape.
I would have to hire someone to install some pipes to create an overflow to make that functional. The tank has so much acrylic in the back that a normal overflow won't fit on it. I am thinking fx6.
 
amazontank said:
On the FX6 can I run media in the circles that have the sponges and then use a prefilter on the strainer?
Click to expand...
I can send you what I did with my fx4 on my 120 gallon. It’ll be a week before I can get pics cause that’s when I’m going back home. I can try explaining on here and if you’d like pics I’ll definitely get some. So in the bottom space where the water first comes in, there’s a ton of wasted space, here I filled with pre filter media (the Fluval kind but stuff like Eheim mech and others will do), then I kept the sponges on the outsides, then in the first red tray I got this really thin polishing pad that works amazingly and is reusable off amazon, that goes in the red tray first, then a medium pond foam (one of those pads that are wavy on one side, just like the black course sponge that is included), then I put the black sponge on top and it just barely fit. In the compartment right underneath the first red one, I have the media that came with it, wasn’t too bad of quality I’ve seen worse, then in the next red tray is seachem matrix, under that red tray is a bag of carbon. Obviously you’d have one more tray with an fx6 so more bio media can go in there. And of course you could not use carbon and use more bio media. Up to you on that. Mines been running for over s month and crystal clear water. It’s amazing. I can include links to what I bought if you’re interested, and as long as they can be posted on here, everything is on amazon.
 
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Thanks buddy that sounds like a decent plan.
I have been running a few Eheims and I use prefilter sponges and have no sponges/pads inside the canister. Mostly I dread opening them canisters up seems that's when things always seem to break on me.
I just rinse the sponges out every few days and open the filters every 3 to 4 months to rinse the media.
The FX6 sure seems like an amazing work horse and looks like PetSmart's are keeping the 30% off deal until April 7 at least that's how it is in Miami!
I still haven't made my mind up on buying one I only know Eheim filters and am hesitant on making the buy.
 
Well I really like my fx4 it’s been doing really good. They’re pretty easy to open up. It’s especially nice that they have the utility valve now so it makes it easier to drain the water from it a bit so when you remove the hoses there won’t be any water. I haven’t opened mine up much but they seem pretty robust. I don’t see it breaking anytime soon. (And that’s coming from a future mechanical engineer so it’s certified lol)
 
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Nice one yes the FX4 is on special for $199 it seems to good to pass up! Thanks man I was checking that drain that actually would come in handy for sure!
 
Ya I just got mine when they were 200. I thought the cheapest other place was amazon that I could find and it was 280 there
 
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