FX5 media options?

[DragonD403]

After a recent ammonia spike in my holding tank I am left wanting something more stable. I have 10l of K1 I have picked up from a member here. I am wanting to get a more stable bio filter. The temp tank is a 90 gallon holding some few month old rays.

My question is this. Would removing the baskets and loading it with k1 be a good idea or would you suggest doing something else with the filter all together.

 

[cjbarth]

no, k1 is not meant for a canister filter.....load the filter baskets in the center with eheim substrate pro or Seachems matrix...... but once the k1 is cultured and fully developed..your parameters will be next to zero.

 

[white15]

Wow your fx5 can't handle a 90 gallon? What do you have in there and is that your only filter?

 

[DragonD403]

It can handle the load but I was an idiot and changed most of my media causing a ammonia spike. Also its a temp tank for some stingrays and they are eating pooing machines so I was wondering what would be the bets configurment to keep all the params good.

 

[5lilangels]

Hi neighbor! Were in Airdrie! What kind of rays do you have? I'm running an FX5 with my 90 as well with a giant gourami. Always wanted a ray but am concerned over their fragility with me being away 1/2 the time. What are you feeding them??

 

[Conner]

I've got my FX5 filled with Matrix in the middle, and it's handling a 220g pretty heavily stocked with:

6x 14-22" gars
3x 10-14" bichirs
3x 6-12" catfish
5x 6-9" cichlids
1x 8" pike cichlid

Also, I've had it set up for 9 months straight, and only cleaned it once in that span. That cleaning was solely because it stopped pumping water about a month after I set it up, and I had to take it down to figure out why.

I will probably clean it when I move to a new house in the next couple weeks, but I don't think it really needs it yet.

 

[Mavrick813]

My fx5 has 3 baskets of Seachem Matrix, when I get my new one I will be filling it with Seachem Denitrate. Other options are Eheim media, Ceramic Rings, even scrubbies.

Mike

PS: that K1 would be better for a moving bed filter. Check the DIY section.

 

[DragonD403]

Hi neighbor! Were in Airdrie! What kind of rays do you have? I'm running an FX5 with my 90 as well with a giant gourami. Always wanted a ray but am concerned over their fragility with me being away 1/2 the time. What are you feeding them??

I have 4 baby rays. Pearls Leo's and black diamonds. If you are away a lot I wouldn't get rays. They need to bed fed every day or at least every second day. Mine eat raw shrimp and massivore stuffed in them.

 

[DragonD403]

I picked up a 2l tub of matrix today, as well as some ceramic rings with live nitrates on them. I am going to put the rings on the bottom basket and the matrix in the second basket. The top I will just keep the carbon for now and add something else later. Any suggestions?

I've got my FX5 filled with Matrix in the middle, and it's handling a 220g pretty heavily stocked with:

6x 14-22" gars
3x 10-14" bichirs
3x 6-12" catfish
5x 6-9" cichlids
1x 8" pike cichlid

Also, I've had it set up for 9 months straight, and only cleaned it once in that span. That cleaning was solely because it stopped pumping water about a month after I set it up, and I had to take it down to figure out why.

I will probably clean it when I move to a new house in the next couple weeks, but I don't think it really needs it yet.

 

[DragonD403]

I am setting up a new 230 gallon when I move soon. In that I planned to do a sump running k1 maybe some addition bacteria house media.

no, k1 is not meant for a canister filter.....load the filter baskets in the center with eheim substrate pro or Seachems matrix...... but once the k1 is cultured and fully developed..your parameters will be next to zero.