Wet dry or 'sump' systems are a lot like HOB filters in that there are so many differant configurations of them available. It's hard to say that a sump system isn't a good mechanical filter or that it's the best bio filter so on ...so forth...it all depends on how well it was originally set up and how well it's maintained. I maintained 20+ sump system tanks commercially quite a few year back so I'm very expieranced with them. They have their place in the hobby for sure but if it tells you anything...I don't have a single one running on our home tanks...
oops...I almost forgot...YES the fx5 is a three stage filter and yes...set up properly it does provide bio-filtration...HOWEVER when the capacity of that bio-filtration in relation to its water flow is compared to the Eheim pro3's it comes in a distant secound...by the same token...even though the eheims excel at bio filtration they DO mechanicly filter the water...
What Wyld and I do (differantly of course) is to set them up to maximize their strengths...(FX5-mechanical....Pro3 biological...) and then use OTHER systems to pick up the slack.
I keep forgetting to answer all the questions...this post my be edited 12 times before I'm done LOL...Anyway I never said that the Eheim classics are bad filters or junk or anything of the sort. For a lot of years I used marineland 350 magnums and had great luck with them...They had a few quirks but they did a good overall job...The same can be said for the eheim classics. If you have one and it still works...more power to you...less you have to buy....BUT times HAVE changed and we need to keep up or be left behind... What was state of the art a decade ago isn't the best choice anymore.
oops...I almost forgot...YES the fx5 is a three stage filter and yes...set up properly it does provide bio-filtration...HOWEVER when the capacity of that bio-filtration in relation to its water flow is compared to the Eheim pro3's it comes in a distant secound...by the same token...even though the eheims excel at bio filtration they DO mechanicly filter the water...
What Wyld and I do (differantly of course) is to set them up to maximize their strengths...(FX5-mechanical....Pro3 biological...) and then use OTHER systems to pick up the slack.
I keep forgetting to answer all the questions...this post my be edited 12 times before I'm done LOL...Anyway I never said that the Eheim classics are bad filters or junk or anything of the sort. For a lot of years I used marineland 350 magnums and had great luck with them...They had a few quirks but they did a good overall job...The same can be said for the eheim classics. If you have one and it still works...more power to you...less you have to buy....BUT times HAVE changed and we need to keep up or be left behind... What was state of the art a decade ago isn't the best choice anymore.
