Bio balls in a FX5

[cdc]

I am going to be getting an FX5 kit with 500g of ceramic rings. From what I have read this is not enough to fill the center baskets with bio media. I have some blue bioballs from my sump and was wondering how good they will work in the center baskets of the fx5.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Not quite as good as ceramic rings but should work fine. Are you overstocked? Other filters?

 

[Jc1119]

They'll work submerged but not as efficiently as they will exposed to air. Ceramic rings are designed to be submerged and for canister use.

Will the bioballs work? Yes, just not as well as they could....

 

[rhodes_96]

Do yourself a big favour and forget the bioballs in the fx5 ! They are extremely inefficient in a canister filter. Fill all your baskets with the most efficient bio media you can. The ceramic rings you have are ok, products like seachem matrix is better.

 

[reptileguy2727]

Ditto on Seachem Matrix. Bioballs are not designed for submrged use, and are not even a great option for what they are designed for. You are going with the best filter, go with the best media too. After all, you only need to buy biomedia once.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Well if budget is an issue, just add them. It is better than an empty basket right?
If you have the money, I suggest 1L of Seachem Matrix.

 

[Morledzep]

lots of folks seem to like the seachem matrix.. and i'm sure it's everything they claim. i personally prefer the ceramic bio-rings, i keep them in almost all of the baskets in my FX5's.

 

[Brian_Indiana]

My top and bottom baskets are filled with bio-max. As of a month ago, I started keeping scrubbies in the middle basket. So far, so good.

 

[soul_assassin]

chalk one more up for matrix

 

[cdc]

Ok so it looks like I will go with the matrix media. So 1 liter is enough when combined with the ceramic media the FX5 will come with?

I also have some of this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290541249702&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
which says it promotes the growth of bio, I was thinking of putting this in the top and middle center trays.