Question about the fx6 media placement ?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Nope... Still don't know where to place pre filter media that's what I meant in the original post pre-filter media... That's just a diagram labeling all that comes in the box


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FX6 is just like an fx5. That being said, prefilter media in the top tray, bio filtration in the bottom two is what's recommended. Why? Because you want most of the large particles out by the time it makes it to the bio media as those need to stay clean(er) so that there is more opportunity for bacteria instead of garbage. Personally I love the fluval media. Thinking about getting some seachem matrix for bio media instead of fluval's just for the fun of it on my new 120. But the fluval prefilter media I love as well as the blue fine pads made for the fx5/6.
 
Pre-filter media is useless in the FX5 or FX6. The water passes through the sponges first. To put pre-filter media after sponges is not going to do anything beneficial.
 
Cicho said:
Pre-filter media is useless in the FX5 or FX6. The water passes through the sponges first. To put pre-filter media after sponges is not going to do anything beneficial.
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I don't know why it works but, the way I have my setup though the prefilter does work in the top tray. I get just as much buildup in the entire top basket as the other two combined and quite often more.
 
blindkiller85 said:
I don't know why it works but, the way I have my setup though the prefilter does work in the top tray. I get just as much buildup in the entire top basket as the other two combined and quite often more.
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The point of pre-filter media is to slow the water velocity and spread it out so that large particles fall out of suspension and don't clog finer media such as sponge and floss. In the FX5, after the water has passed through the foam it is cleaner than what would ultimately hit pre-filter media. Since the FX5/FX6 uses a downward flow through the trays the pre-filter media is increasingly useless since the particles can't settle out like in an upward flow system. In other words, the pre-filter media just passes the majority of particulate since it's constantly flushing itself out into the second tray.

I think that the reason you see buildup at all in the upper tray with prefilter is because the sponges of an FX5 have lots of bypass potential and limited holding capacity. Once the sponges are full of particulate they start to release into water and carry these solids into the following trays. I don't think the evidence of particulate in the trays is evidence of them effectively cleaning the water but rather of the system bypassing water.
 
Cicho said:
The point of pre-filter media is to slow the water velocity and spread it out so that large particles fall out of suspension and don't clog finer media such as sponge and floss. In the FX5, after the water has passed through the foam it is cleaner than what would ultimately hit pre-filter media. Since the FX5/FX6 uses a downward flow through the trays the pre-filter media is increasingly useless since the particles can't settle out like in an upward flow system. In other words, the pre-filter media just passes the majority of particulate since it's constantly flushing itself out into the second tray.

I think that the reason you see buildup at all in the upper tray with prefilter is because the sponges of an FX5 have lots of bypass potential and limited holding capacity. Once the sponges are full of particulate they start to release into water and carry these solids into the following trays. I don't think the evidence of particulate in the trays is evidence of them effectively cleaning the water but rather of the system bypassing water.
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Makes sense, never had it explained to me like that and thank you. I think the key lies within what you and I have said. Evidence of particulate in the media is evidence of it being removed. How much is allowed back in with bypassing the media is what's in question. While it does have a huge bypass potential, because your right and the sponges don't collect much, it takes a large piece of waste to get caught. However, if it has regular cleanings and properly setup with correct media to prevent the waste from flowing through all of the trays equips it for just as good of a filter as any other. Assuming there is roughly 40% that bypasses the first tray of prefilter media. Maybe more, maybe less. More media in front of your bio media is still better none the less. And more media period is more room for your bacteria to work.

The other thing after visualizing my FX is that I remember that there's an overlap on the bottom tray. While bypass is allowed from one tier to the next, where the pump is located and where the pull is coming down doesn't allow for much to pass through without atleast going through 1 tier of media. I didn't ever realize this, but that's probably why I use 5 of the medium blue pads in my filter. 2 on the top tier, 1 on the second and 2 on the bottom. Or when I want really clean water I put a fine pad on the very top and very bottom. Absorbing at the points where it makes a difference. Coming in, and going out. Sadly, even with a low stock of fish these don't last very long, break up and start spewing fibers after about 30-40 days.
 
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