# prefilter for fx6



## Skie (Apr 13, 2014)

Is there a good prefilter to cover the intake of a fluval fx6? I'm going to be using sand and do not want any to mess up a 350$ canister.


----------



## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It can be difficult to properly choose and use a sponge pre-filter on the larger higher output canister filters because they tend to plug up quickly and reduce the suction of the filter.

The FX5/6 and Eheim 2260/62 are canister filters that I never use a sponge pre-filter on the intake strainers. The Eheim filters have a top mounted pump so any sand will usually be caught by the filter media and I haven't had problems with them. The FX5 on the other hand does accumulate a fair amount of sand in the bottom of the filter where the pump is located and has on occasion presented a problem for me and required immediate servicing of the filter.

When I had the FX5 set up in a 125G tank, the intake strainer was about 4 - 5 inches above the very fine sand substrate and still ingested a fair amount of sand between service intervals, most likely because the fish tend to move sand around and stirring up the sand allowed it to stay in the water column a bit longer.

Pool filter sand or similar heavier types shouldn't pose as much problem. You may have to adjust the height of the intake strainer in relation to your substrate depth if you find you get too much sand in the filter.


----------



## johnnyblade (May 30, 2013)

I use FX5s with a sand substrate,what i do to avoid problems with the sand going in the filter is I place some rocks below the intake strainer so that the fish don't sift the sand around that area. You could also raise the intake 6 inches from the bottom.


----------

