Media setup for new FX5

[Kobeclone]

I just bought myself a early Christmas gift off of Ebay for $190 new to my door, but I have questions on the setup of it. I would like to know the best way to set my filter up in terms of media. I currently have some Fluval prefilter, Fluval carbon, and Fluval FX5 polishing pads that I could use. I have heard that the polishing pads are crap and not to use them; is this true?

For example, could you give me something like this of how you like to set up yours?


Tray 1: Prefilter
Tray 2: Fluval coarse block
Tray 3: Fluval coarse block
Tray 4: Fluval polishing
Tray 5: Eheim substrat
Tray 6: Biostars


Edit: This will be my main mechanical and biological filter. I also have a Penguin 350 and an Emperor 400 on the tank, so I could use them as my polishing filters if needed....

 

[spwd]

just a bit of advice,dont pack the compartments too full with media,ive only got a single covering of media in mine and dont use too much polishing pads as it struggles,also if you have a sand substrate dont put the intake too close as it will draw the sand in.

Cheers steve

 

[TwistedPenguin]

I use prefilter noodles in the top basket, stones in the middle basket & 1/2 a layer of polishing pad in the bottom basket (water passes through the top basket 1st in an FX5). I never use carbon. A lot of people claim the polishing pads are 'crap' because they clog up. Well duh! They're catching a lot of gunk, those same people need to clean the pads out (or change them). I clean my FX5's out every 2 wks and have never ever had a problem with pads clogging or reduced water flow (and I've got Oscars). I love these filters.
Edit: I agree with spwd-don't pack too much bio-media in the basket(s). I use about a 2" layer.

 

[Jgray152]

First, the fx5 doesn't have 6 trays. Only 3. The top baskets in the center you can have filter floss, or pillow stuffing. Or their small partical filtration pads. You can also have bio media under that in the top baskets and have bio media in the next two baskets.