Just bought a Fluval FX5 online

[badfish]

If you want to maximize your fx5 fill it with eheim substrat pro ,bio balls are to big and you don't need carbon, maybe throw in some purigen. I use poly filter its used to filter blood , and purigen then fill the botum two baskets with sub pro.

 

[trashcan]

Well, I've already filled it (and spent about $100 on filter media), so I'm not going to mess with it. Do you think the flow would be too much to use on a 55? Would be nice to get some BB growing in the media before I setup my new aquarium.

 

[Nut]

No, you can adjust the flow with the quick disconnects or whatever they're called if you have to.

 

[Jgray152]

Top layer:
Carbon filter & bag for an ac110
Fluval Prefilter Media
Marineland ceramic filter ring

Middle layer
50% Marineland bioballs (plastic ball things)
50% Fluval Biomax

Bottom layer
100% fluval biomax

You didnt see my post about pre filter did you?? Please, remove it now and replace it with something that is usfull.

Prefilter is not for use in canister filters when there is a coarse sponge being used.

Bioball are not very efficient at taking up the space available for bio filtration. Remove them and replace with ceramic rings.

 

[cambo01]

I would buy Fluval BioMax. Its really good bio media. You can add it to all three baskets. I don't exactly know how much will fill all the baskets though.

when i got mine online the site said it would hold 4 boxes. but the did say they would fill it for you before they sent it off so that could be a con

 

[Stones]

its fine on a 55g, i currently have mine seeding on a 55 and my fish are fine, dual nozzles spread out the power...

 

[knicks791]

I heard Matrix pond would be good. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/PondMatrix.html

 

[oswego]

I heard Matrix pond would be good. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/PondMatrix.html

It says

"These macropores are ideally sized for the support of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. This allows Pond Matrix™, unlike other forms of biomedia, to remove nitrate along with ammonia and nitrite, simultaneously and in the same filter"

Thats the first time I have heard of a bio media removing Nitrates.
What do ya'll think?

 

[kwolfe]

u think fluval fx5 is overkill on a 55 gallon discus tank,tank aready has fluval 304 and whisper 60?

 

[slimmer]

Stuffed mine with ceramic rings and nothing else but the course foam. You get a nice size colony growing this way. Use something else for mechanical.