I am going from 2 emporer 400's to an FX5 on a 75 gallon tank with an oscar and jack dempsey, 2 bristlenoses(1 albino and one long finned) I have been reading a few things about what media people use, and I think I am gonna use the scrubbies in the middle tray(is stainless steel ok, or should I use the nylon ones) and probably bio-max on the bottom, what is the consensus on the top tray, the initial filtration, anyone??
FX5 setup question
- Thread starter Kevccoy
- Start date
The mechanical filtration is taken care of by those sponges. Some people use filter floss, but I find it clogs too easily, and the sponges do a fine job themselves.
Just put biomedia in all three of the trays. When you hook it up, either run it in conjunction with your existing HOB's or take all the media (wheels, cartridges, whatever they have in them) and stick them in a tray of the FX5, at least for a couple weeks.
I would use the nylon scrubbies, but I've never used them, just always assumed people were using nylon.
Just put biomedia in all three of the trays. When you hook it up, either run it in conjunction with your existing HOB's or take all the media (wheels, cartridges, whatever they have in them) and stick them in a tray of the FX5, at least for a couple weeks.
I would use the nylon scrubbies, but I've never used them, just always assumed people were using nylon.
ok, so if i put the 4 bio wheels in say the bottom with the bio-max for a couple weeks. is that better than running them together for a few weeks, or 6 of one half dozen of another? and do the make a sponge type thingy that fits right in the top tray or could i just make one out of a sponge pad?
Putting the wheels in the FX5 is probably a faster transition solution but then when you take them out (if I suppose you ever do) and replace it with BioMax (or whatever media) then that tray has to grow BB so for that period you'll be working at slightly lessened biological.
I moved my 55gal from an Emperor 400 to an Fx5 just recently and after packing the Fx5 full of media ran both removing the HoB after a month. No clue about the precise duration for running them together 4 weeks just sounded good. Anyway, no issues after removing the HoB.
In my Fx5 I have (top to bottom): Purigen with some BioMax, BioMax, and Pond Matrix. Water quality's great and more importantly everyone's alive and happy.
I moved my 55gal from an Emperor 400 to an Fx5 just recently and after packing the Fx5 full of media ran both removing the HoB after a month. No clue about the precise duration for running them together 4 weeks just sounded good. Anyway, no issues after removing the HoB.
In my Fx5 I have (top to bottom): Purigen with some BioMax, BioMax, and Pond Matrix. Water quality's great and more importantly everyone's alive and happy.
The filter has six sponges that come with it. They fit around the edges of all three trays.
I would just run all filters simultaneously for a few weeks, then slowly remove parts from your old filter, but not all at once, as that can cause an ammonia spike. Like, remove one wheel one week, then another wheel the next week, Then one of the filter pads the next week, so on and so forth.
If you wanted a polishing pad, just buy some polyfill from Walmart, they use it to stuff pillows. Some people use this and it doesn't bother them, but it gets clogged too easily IMO, so I just run it without it. I hate having to take the canister apart once a week to unclog/replace the polyfill.
I would just run all filters simultaneously for a few weeks, then slowly remove parts from your old filter, but not all at once, as that can cause an ammonia spike. Like, remove one wheel one week, then another wheel the next week, Then one of the filter pads the next week, so on and so forth.
If you wanted a polishing pad, just buy some polyfill from Walmart, they use it to stuff pillows. Some people use this and it doesn't bother them, but it gets clogged too easily IMO, so I just run it without it. I hate having to take the canister apart once a week to unclog/replace the polyfill.
If you have an established tank you Don't need to keep the established BB media in the FX5 for that long. BB grows So rapidly that it literally only takes a few days to get enough BB in the Filter to handle the Bioload...
I think that lack of knowledge on the subject has actually lead to widespread paranoia...
I think that lack of knowledge on the subject has actually lead to widespread paranoia...
ok, so if i go with zeocarb on top and nylon scrubbies in the middle and biomax on bottom i should be good right? also was thinking a polishing pad(or fine pad) at the very bottom under the bio-max, it shouldn't get to clogged to quickly there should it?
I recall reading around here that using scrubbies in canisters wasn't recommended as there isn't the airflow needed to promote a better BB than the improved surface area provided by ceramics. For example, http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4449873
Googling a bit also didn't turn up many pleasant experiences with scrubbies. Lots of messes, difficult cleans, etc.
Thanks for asking the question as I had thought about using scrubbies at one time as well.
Googling a bit also didn't turn up many pleasant experiences with scrubbies. Lots of messes, difficult cleans, etc.
Thanks for asking the question as I had thought about using scrubbies at one time as well.