when to clean the FX5?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Like said above, i clean mine about every 1-2 months or if i notice the flow slow down..
 
knicks791;3739463; said:
now now children.... it will be cleaned when the flow dimishes or when the levels spike. Which ever comes first.
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I agree, people love to be condesending whenever they get the chance. and then defend themselves at all costs!!! The only reason to call random strangers on the internet children is to start a fight.

With your situation from the OP, I don't think you should just wait until the flow diminishes since that could take a long time, so just open it up once every 2-3 months and rinse out the sponges.

I have the exact same filtration on a 75 with similar bioload. The FX5 could probably go a year without diminishing flow. I dont go crazy cleaning the FX5, and i only open it up once every 2-3 months and its not crazy dirty. I would just vacuum out debris during weekly WC's and your filtration should work wonders.
 
In my opinion if you have sand i would check it more often than gravel but i check mine every 6 to 8 weeks,and just clean the sand out that gets kicked up by the fish and just check the sponges,if it needs a clean i do it.


Steve
 
I only clean the sponges and prefilters in my FX5 once every 2 weeks, I would occassionally rise the bio once a month in aquarium water.
 
Check this out, I actually tested my nitrate level. Kept a record of it. Determined that I need the clean both of my canister filters weekly as well as other maintenance or my nitrates go over 40...way over.
 
I squeeze the sponges/poly fill out in a container of tank water every other week. But thats just me, I like to know my nitrates are low low low and my water is top notch. WC's will help but doing a WC on a tank with a filter full of crap is like getting all cleaned up to go change the oil in your car, crap in the system is crap in the system. In all honesty how much extra time dose it take to pop the top off an FX5, yank the trays out give your sponges/floss a good couple squezes in a bucket of tank water, knock the chunks out and slap it back together? an extra 15-20 min at most? Just once a month! Whatever works for you guys is fine, but if 30 min a month is seriously too much of a hastle to ensure your pet is well taken care of then maybe you should re think your involvement in the hobby.
 
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