help with the FLUVAL FX5

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Prefilter is absolute junk and is a joke. Fill all baskets with biomax UNLESS you NEED chemical filtration.

Pre filter media is used to collect large debris from the water before entering smaller particle filtertion or bio media. Almost all canisters I have seen, use a 10-15 ppi sponge which does this BEFORE the media baskets. So the prefilter will be usless. It will also serve little potential for bacteria growth as its not very porous.

Fluval Pre-Filter consists of inert, solid ceramic rings used to trap large and medium solid particles before they clog the finer sieves of the media baskets above (ME: Fluval 03/04/05 series filters, Not the Fx5's flow path). The media forces water into many complex paths as it moves through this layer. This further increases its mechanical and biological activity and expands the actual contacted filter area. An additional...
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I bought a 180 gallon tank from a guy that was having Ammonia issues. He only used pre filter, not bio media.. I wonder why he was having issues? A Fx5 can handle a 180 gallon with ease.

MY suggestion.... since you have so many now...

3 trays bio max
top tray bio media down from the top about 1" to allow 1" of filter fiber/pillow stuffing for small particle filtration.

I currently having an issue w/ my new 125g where I am seeing a lot wastes floating on the top surface of the sand substrate. Where is the best location for me to set up the intake and the multi-directional twin output nozle to create and circulate the water flows, so it can remove as much waste as possible?
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The best place for the intake would be atleast 8" up from the sand substrate. If you have a heavier substrate, I would say, you could keep it lower.

The output you don't wan't to deep. I am thinking of this as it will add head pressure since it will have to push against the nuetral water level pressure (water level). There is a slight possibility I may be wrong though.

There is more pressure the deeper you go. This is why you need a strong air pump for deeper tanks.

I like to put the intake in the middle of my tanks. The output in one of the corners. Maybe point the nozzles toward the substrate or point toward the glass and the water will flow down tot he substrate to stir it up. You keep more of the water's velocity when you have it flow along a solid surface and not directly into the tank since it will disperse to quickly.
 
I have pool filter sand and I am what is the grain size for the pool filter sand. Do you think 8" from the substrate surface is a little bit to high? Thank you.
 
First of all I don't own a FX5. However I do have several canisters of another brand and run prefilter in each. Note that ehfimech(eheims prefilter) is a big part in eheim filters. Eheims are highly rated bio filters. Though this may not apply to the FX5. If you can use the prefilter at the first point the water enters the filter it is worth while. It traps larger particles of debris keeping them from clogging the finer media. If the prefilter is used after the water has passed though the finer media then the prefilter will only be taking up space.
 
First of all I don't own a FX5. However I do have several canisters of another brand and run prefilter in each. Note that ehfimech(eheims prefilter) is a big part in eheim filters. Eheims are highly rated bio filters. Though this may not apply to the FX5. If you can use the prefilter at the first point the water enters the filter it is worth while. It traps larger particles of debris keeping them from clogging the finer media. If the prefilter is used after the water has passed though the finer media then the prefilter will only be taking up space.
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Exactly. I have seen this "PreFilter Media". It traps rocks, sticks, bolts, boats, small children, horses etc. LOL. 10-15 ppi sponge Hagen uses in the FX5 traps particles smaller than what the prefilter can remove.
 
I have pool filter sand and I am what is the grain size for the pool filter sand. Do you think 8" from the substrate surface is a little bit to high? Thank you.
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No experience with pool filter sand, maybe its ok to keep it lower? Really though, if you have it to low, you won't catch the debris that would rather stay floating higher up. I like to keep my intakes about middle height of the tank. Maybe slightly lower.
 
Most of the poops that I noticed are laying on the surface of the sand substrate. So by, directing the multi-directional nozzle toward the sand substrate surface and lower the intake down to about 4" from the surface of the sand substrate will help to catch most of the fish wastes, you think...

I have both of the Jebo 838 canister filters set up abt. 4" from the surface of the substrate, Please see pictures. Apparently they are not doing a good job of removing the wastes. Or maybe, the water circulation inside the tank is not strong enough. You see the fish wastes laying near the driftwood from the picture.

Thanks.
 
Jgray152;2829059; said:
Exactly. I have seen this "PreFilter Media". It traps rocks, sticks, bolts, boats, small children, horses etc. LOL. 10-15 ppi sponge Hagen uses in the FX5 traps particles smaller than what the prefilter can remove.
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So are these the white filter media that is in the outer ring of the FX5? Is this what the incoming water comes into contact with first?
 
Yes, that is correct.

The water flows through a plastic pipe to the bottom of the canister on the outside of the baskets, the water then travels around and up, forced through the sponges, then continues to travel up and then flows into the center of the baskets downward.

Because there is SOO much surface area due to the way Hagen laid out the sponges, you could buy some 20 PPI foam or even 30 PPI foam and cut it to fit on the outside of the baskets to replace the existing ones. This will allow the Fx5 to perform small particle filtration with a huge amount of surface area compaired to the center of the baskets which clog within a month or two depending on the mechanical filter pads used.

I forget where you can get these sponges, it took me months to find them. I will search throug my favorites for it.
 
Pre filter media is useless in the FX5, even the Hagen rep said it was no good. Just use the bio-max in all baskets unless you want chemical filtration as I do (Chemi-pure Elite) - I put it in the bottom basket. No pads as they will clog very quickly and create massive amounts of micro bubbles. The bio-max is very porous and does a fine job of polishing the water.

Pre-filter media is a ceramic ring that is not even porous.
 
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