Hey guys it's me again! Sorry I havent been very active. My mother passed away this passed weekend and I've been somewhat a wreck. Besides that. I need help with my 3 fx6 filters.
So I woke up yesterday morning to find 2 of my 3 fx6 canisters were not running. Me worried, decided to jump on in and start figuring out the issue. Upon opening it. The bottom of the fx6 was packed at the bottom with about an inch of sand and clogged the impellers. I cleaned them all out and took apart the impeller and cleaned that also. They're all running like a charm now.
SO my first idea as to what caused this is i purchased 2-3" pawflay air stones with flat bottom to set on the sand on the bottom of the tank. This tank was set up with new sand I've never used before. (Sunset gold by caribsea). Very fine sand. I was having cloudy issues in the tank for a while. But my suspicion is that the stones were stirring up sand really bad essentially constantly filling the fx6s with sand. Upon taking the stones out, the water is now clear as can be and I've had no issues. (Not even 24 hours in)
My question is. Do you think my assumption is correct? Or should I add a prefilter? Lift the intakes up higher? I just want to avoid this. Yes I know that a sump would do a lot better. But I've had these fx6's for a while, they work great and just cant get ahold of a sump right now. Thankyou guys. And as you guys have been asking. Here is a couple pictures also
(also a picture of the stones and sand) 
So I woke up yesterday morning to find 2 of my 3 fx6 canisters were not running. Me worried, decided to jump on in and start figuring out the issue. Upon opening it. The bottom of the fx6 was packed at the bottom with about an inch of sand and clogged the impellers. I cleaned them all out and took apart the impeller and cleaned that also. They're all running like a charm now.
SO my first idea as to what caused this is i purchased 2-3" pawflay air stones with flat bottom to set on the sand on the bottom of the tank. This tank was set up with new sand I've never used before. (Sunset gold by caribsea). Very fine sand. I was having cloudy issues in the tank for a while. But my suspicion is that the stones were stirring up sand really bad essentially constantly filling the fx6s with sand. Upon taking the stones out, the water is now clear as can be and I've had no issues. (Not even 24 hours in)
My question is. Do you think my assumption is correct? Or should I add a prefilter? Lift the intakes up higher? I just want to avoid this. Yes I know that a sump would do a lot better. But I've had these fx6's for a while, they work great and just cant get ahold of a sump right now. Thankyou guys. And as you guys have been asking. Here is a couple pictures also
(also a picture of the stones and sand) 
