Fluval G6 - looking for review

[snow]

ok, so I can appreciate all of the opinions here. Have any of you actually USED the filter? I can see that the chances of me spending 500 on a canister is pretty remote. I thought it was pretty interesting to see historical data (salinity, ph, temp) from a filter. I don't really care about flow through the filter.

http://www.fluval-g.com/advancedtechnology_e.php
I thought it did ph...

ya it does not....it does nothing. I've seen one working before. Looked at it for awhile...was not impressed.....piece of sh*t as far I'm concerned.

 

[Clay]

piece of sh*t as far I'm concerned.

That's what I've thought about Fluval for the last 15 years... I've always been an Eheim kind of guy, but seeing the FX5 take shape, I've been considering it. I saw these and thought I would ask for opinions considering I've never used one.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Hagen makes some great products, like the FX5 and the Aquaclear.

but they make some not so great ones, like all previous Fluval canisters, most of their heaters over the years and the way overpriced and not so functional G3 and G6.

my biggest beef with them is their small design and cartridge style filtration system.

you are paying $600 (Canadian) for a filter that is not equiped to handle either big tanks or big fish.

IMO if you are paying that kind of money you should be getting a high capacity filter than can handle a heavy load if necessary.

but you aren't.

you are getting a filter that is great for a 40g tank. but you are paying the price of a filter for a 400g tank.

 

[xthao3]

go with the fx5 =D

 

[xthao3]

g6 isn't worth the money, half a grand for that thing =0

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

The G series comes with a ton of features which are nice to use, like the HYDROTECH TECHNOLOGY. But those ain't really relevant to it's purpose.

Purpose of a filter -> Provide an area for mechnical, chemical and biological filtration. An FX5 or eheim would provide all those.

Call me retro or whatever but I like the looks of FX5 so much better. It gives the "professional" feeling more than a shiny black box like G3 or G6. For $600, I would rather get 2 FX5 which filtration is xxx more times than the G series

 

[aclockworkorange]

If you want a big pricey filter that actually performs, get an eheim 2262. Otherwise, FX5 all the way. I've seen the G6 in person and talked to the owner of the LFS who has them running about what he thinks... He said they are nice but way overpriced. They are really marketed to nano reef guys with too much money. Also, I've seen the dealer prices for these, and they are WAY marked up.

 

[Burto]

Summary of every hands-on review of Fluval G3/G6 I've ever read:

"Pretty cool, bit gimmicky, should have more useful features, way overpriced."

If you want to filter a tank, there is no shortage of better options. Not just cheaper or better value, unreservedly better.

As far as I can tell Fluval make two good products. FX5s and AquaClear HOB filters, which are not just good value for money, they're straight up incredibly good products. If you offered my a choice of an Eheim 2262 or an FX5, well, I'd take the Eheim, then I'd sell it, buy an FX5 the media to fill it and pocket the change.
Everything else Fluval branded seems to be fatally flawed in some way (#05 series canisters with their two-clip lid design and incredibly flimsy impeller cover), or just plain gimmicky overpriced overcomplicated flashy crap with bells and whistles.
Does the convoluted flow path and cartridges of the U series internal filters actually make them better filters? I doubt it. Does the cartridge system of the new C series HOBs actually make them a better filter than the AquaClears? I doubt it.

 

[taksan]

I've read multiple reviews. They're awesome. A little expensive of course, but awesome. They tell you when your params are out of whack... Temp, nitrates, Ph, etc... I am planning on adding one to my 180 along with an FX5.

Really ... I think your mistaken ... they do not monitor nitrates, ph or any other main parameters.

 

[taksan]

ok, so I can appreciate all of the opinions here. Have any of you actually USED the filter? I can see that the chances of me spending 500 on a canister is pretty remote. I thought it was pretty interesting to see historical data (salinity, ph, temp) from a filter. I don't really care about flow through the filter.

http://www.fluval-g.com/advancedtechnology_e.php
I thought it did ph...

Yeah I set one up for a friend (who bought it without asking my advice). It hold less biomedia then a Eheim 2217 and I wasn't sold on the cartridge filter concept thinking it might clog up a lot. After a week running on his 150g cichlid tank he called me ...flow had dropped a lot. I went round and we changed out the cartridge (easy to do thank god) it was clogged solid.
The design of it isn't great ....too much water trying to be filtered through a cartridge with too little surface area .... its going to clog up a lot.
If you want to spend a lot of money on a top notch filter ...go buy a Eheim Pro 3.
The G6 is basically a gimmick wrapped in a marketing brochure .
Overpriced
Overhyped
Under performs ....