FX5 acting up.

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drumz

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 7, 2010
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Ive had an FX5 for about a month now.

Running porcelain in the top compartment, charcoal in the middle (in bags) and a pack of white filters in the bottom. It was running great when I got it, but not it barely outputs compared to what it used to do. I popped it open, and there was a decent amount of sand at the bottom of the canister, so I went ahead and washed it out, put my media baskets back in, and it still (for lack of a better term) "sucks but doesnt blow". The original white media is pretty green with slime/bacteria, but I didnt think I would need to change those out until a few more months. Should I try hosing those off? This was a newly cycled tank, and I dont want to risk losing bacteria if I can, but this thing barely trickles out of the output, compared to the current it used to create. Intake seems about the same as I recall, decent without the cap on the end of the pipe, but as stated above, the output is nothing compared to what it used to be.

Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting this?
 
Firstly, what are you talking about porcelain and charcol? Get that nonesense out of there and get ceramics at the top, bioballs centre, and a filter pad at the bottom (not a fine one or itll clog and crap out your flow). If you stuff a filter with things that filter water too finely it will clog unless you want to clean it out every week...

Also I really don't like using sand for this very reason in cannisters. It always gets in there, fish stir it up.
 
I personally have to agree that the output flow is not what I expected but a friend pointed out that its also a larger and double ended output so of course it feels slowed down...good point...but with all the hype I am still not sure if I am impressed with them. I have quite a few of them and I'll probably start tweeking them to my satisfaction sooner than later. I believe Jgray has a web site on them with all the info you could possibly need for info and tweeking etc. Let me see if i can get a link for you.
Here ya go:http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146707&highlight=jgray
He has links in his signature for the website.
 
SteveR;4196738; said:
Firstly, what are you talking about porcelain and charcol? Get that nonesense out of there and get ceramics at the top, bioballs centre, and a filter pad at the bottom (not a fine one or itll clog and crap out your flow). If you stuff a filter with things that filter water too finely it will clog unless you want to clean it out every week...

Also I really don't like using sand for this very reason in cannisters. It always gets in there, fish stir it up.
Click to expand...


Can you link me what you think good choices for media are? I followed the advice of my LFS on media for the FX5, and obviously they steered me the wrong way.
 
I use in all (3) of my FX5's Bio-max and sometimes a blue pad at the bottom and I have awesome flow rate. I currently run two FX5's on my 180gallon and clean the pumps every 4-5months, oh and there is sand in there as well .
 
clean your filter. problem solved.
 
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