I'm just curious as this is my first filter. I had a bunch of matrix on hand so I just filled 3 baskets full of biomax (4 liters) and the bottom basket is full of sponges. The flows seems plenty sufficient for the tank (it is a 530 gph filter on a 55 gallon). So do you fill up your baskets or leave them half full in order to increase flow?
Fill the baskets to the top or only half way?
- Thread starter lipadj46
- Start date
If the manufacturer didn't want you to fill theme they would have made them smaller. Don't get caught up with flow rates, quantity of filter media is every bit as important.
I fill mine all the way up. I haven't noticed any big decreases in flow rate by filling up my canisters all the way up with bio media. I think flow rate would be more affected by your mechanical filter sponges getting clogged up rather than having too much bio. Any debris hitting the bio parts of your canister should wash off for the most part, but the sponges will clog and that's where flow rate is slowed down.
Actually you want the flow in the canister to be as low as possible. More contact time with the media means greater efficiency at waste treatment. Just don't go about being smart and make the flow rate so slow that you create an anaerobic condition.
Fill em up and don't worry about flowrates. Contact time is far more important.
When the fx5 and 2080 first came out, they did a head to head test with these two filters and although the fluval had much greater flow, the eheim provided bio filtration more quickly at a much lower flowrate but larger bio capacity
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68458
When the fx5 and 2080 first came out, they did a head to head test with these two filters and although the fluval had much greater flow, the eheim provided bio filtration more quickly at a much lower flowrate but larger bio capacity
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68458
That review is extremely biased ! + fx5 was not setup correctly.
I could give another review of the 2080 and how it is the most POS filter I have ever used.
As for the fx5 baskets, fill them all the way to the of top the baskets with good efficient bio media NOT sponges. The top basket leave about 3/4 inch to place a fluval fine filter pad (blue) which acts as pre filter to help prolong the life of the bio media from being clogged. It will also reduce fine particles in the water.
I could give another review of the 2080 and how it is the most POS filter I have ever used.
As for the fx5 baskets, fill them all the way to the of top the baskets with good efficient bio media NOT sponges. The top basket leave about 3/4 inch to place a fluval fine filter pad (blue) which acts as pre filter to help prolong the life of the bio media from being clogged. It will also reduce fine particles in the water.