So I have enough extra space to cram my FX5 into my stand next to my sump. And I thought "hey if I just pack that FX5 full of poly fill it would make a pretty good mech filter!" Problem is I read the manual and it says the tank needs to be above the FX5 for the whole gravity feed effect. Anyone know how much of an effect it will have on the filter if they sit level with each other? Am I just going to burn up the FX5 or will it work just fine?
Anyone run an FX5 out of their sump?
- Thread starter Err
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i tried the same thing with a fx5, the problem was for 1 it slowed the gph because your getting your water at the sump and pumping it up to the top of your tank, mine was 5 foot to the top of the tank, , it worked for a minute but again with a 5 foot head hight it was slower, the fx5 is best at no head , meaning you get your water at the same height that it returns at, gravity is working in its favor, now the second problem, i did not want the water backwashing into the sump, because if the electricity went out, the overflow for the sump stops before the sump overflows, and if you install the fx5 wit its return, then you will get about 2-3 inches of your tank backwashed before it sucks air, and that would overflow your sump, so the fix for that was to put the return at the top of the water, i thought i had it all figured out, WRONG the fx5 shuts itself off every 24 hours and purges itself to clear out any air,
but the problem is that it does this through the return hose which i just moved up to return the water at the top of the water to fix the previous problem, so it sucked air and stopped working,
so i stopped at that point and bought a mag drive pump for my return, and used the fx5 as it was supposed to be used,
hope any of this info helps, if you figure a fix , let me know
thanks
bigrich
but the problem is that it does this through the return hose which i just moved up to return the water at the top of the water to fix the previous problem, so it sucked air and stopped working,
so i stopped at that point and bought a mag drive pump for my return, and used the fx5 as it was supposed to be used,
hope any of this info helps, if you figure a fix , let me know
thanks
bigrich
what if you had a bulkhead thru the bottom of your tank, attached a 18 inch strainer to it, and attached the fx5 to that. would that work? and dangerous flaws?