# Adequate Filtration



## Big_bg (Sep 28, 2016)

I've been doing a lot of reading for the past year and recently purchased a used 120 gallon which will likely be stocked with Haps and Peacocks. I may end up overstocking it but have yet to completely decide on stocking/availability of fish. I would like to set my tank up from the start with adequate filtration even if it means I need to wait an extra month or two to complete the set up (I'm aiming to have the cycle complete by christmas). I was thinking of doing an FX6 and an FX4 or if it will be sufficient 2 FX4's? Will this be adequate or will it be overkill and I could save money by going with cheaper filters.

Thanks


----------



## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

on a 120? i'd even consider 2 fx6's lol. Or maybe one of each.

i have a 120G with a sump rather than a canister. it's got an 1822GPH pump on it. That's like the flow rate of 2x FX6's, haha. I kind of prefer sumps for all my bigger tanks now.

also worth mentioning: the eheim 2262. which has similar flow to the FX6, but holds even more media. thing is practically a 5gal bucket with an eheim 1262 pump sitting on top. flow rate is nice but media capacity is important too, and the 2262 is the king of that. two fx4's is going to have a fair amount of flow, but even less media, both are important though, so it's nice to have a lot of both, haha. that's another reason i'd lean towards fx6's, over fx4's, compared to the 2262 they both don't hold near as much, but the fx6 does hold more.


----------



## BlueSunshine (Jul 13, 2014)

I would go with at least 2 fx6's, no need to bother with the fx4.


----------



## Big_bg (Sep 28, 2016)

BlueSunshine said:


> I would go with at least 2 fx6's, no need to bother with the fx4.


When you say go with at least 2 Fx6's are you saying I should do a third?

In doing further research I was thinking of doing 2 704b's from sunsun then adding an fx6 once it's established. At $400+ I definitely can't afford 3 fx6's but with a SunSun being around $150 I could do three filters for around $700.


----------



## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

No, he's saying you should go with 2 FX6's at a minimum.

I would sooner do a single FX6 and add another later, IMHO. Not a huge fan of chinese stuff, but that's me. I'd rather an italian made motor block and ceramic propeller shafts and all the things you get when you buy a nice german/italian made pump/canister/etc....

Sunsun 704b is a smaller filter than an FX6. So you are buying 2 cheaper/smaller filters instead of 1 bigger, better filter? You get what you pay for...


----------



## Big_bg (Sep 28, 2016)

LXXero said:


> No, he's saying you should go with 2 FX6's at a minimum.
> 
> I would sooner do a single FX6 and add another later, IMHO. Not a huge fan of chinese stuff, but that's me. I'd rather an italian made motor block and ceramic propeller shafts and all the things you get when you buy a nice german/italian made pump/canister/etc....
> 
> Sunsun 704b is a smaller filter than an FX6. So you are buying 2 cheaper/smaller filters instead of 1 bigger, better filter? You get what you pay for...


I suppose it's a redundancy issue, is it better to have 3 filters or two? I agree I may need more the 2 SunSun's but I didn't want to have to buy three fx6's


----------



## BlueSunshine (Jul 13, 2014)

LXXERO is correct, I was simply saying go with the most you can because you mentioned going with 2 fx6's. Redundancy is just part of the equation. I also understand how a budget works.

Here is a list of the canister filters we use, in no particular order. All have been running for over two years, except for the sicce. It has been running for about two months. What would you like to know about them?

3 fluval fx6's
2 fluval 406's
1 sunsun 304b
1 odyssea 700 cfs
2 odyssea 500 cfs'
1 sicce whale 5


----------



## Big_bg (Sep 28, 2016)

BlueSunshine said:


> LXXERO is correct, I was simply saying go with the most you can because you mentioned going with 2 fx6's. Redundancy is just part of the equation. I also understand how a budget works.
> 
> Here is a list of the canister filters we use, in no particular order. All have been running for over two years, except for the sicce. It has been running for about two months. What would you like to know about them?
> 
> ...


The FX6's are certainly good from everything I've read and the extra features of auto priming are nice. I'm not looking to do the bare minimum I would like to set the tank up properly with filtration that will keep the fish healthy. I suppose it's more of a general question of whether it's better to do 2 Fx 6's or 2 SunSun's and an Fx6. I've heard good things about the SunSun and they would fit better in my stand than two Fx6's but if the three filters will not be adequate then I'll just go with the FX6's.


----------



## BlueSunshine (Jul 13, 2014)

One fx6 and two 704b's would definitely get the job done. Budget wise , three 704b's would work great also.
This is just my opinion because I use all my filters more for mechanical than biological filtration. Guess you can say I don't follow along with most in this aspect. Hope this helps.


----------



## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

BlueSunshine said:


> One fx6 and two 704b's would definitely get the job done. Budget wise , three 704b's would work great also.
> This is just my opinion because I use all my filters more for mechanical than biological filtration. Guess you can say I don't follow along with most in this aspect. Hope this helps.


Hah, some would actually say that's the "american way" of doing it (high gph, high mech filter, not so much biomedia)

as opposed to the european way of doing it (lots of biomedia, less mech, less flow rate)


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I have just ripped down a 5' 120g tank and am about to rip down another one.
Both tanks had two Eheim 2217's and a Hydor Koralia 1500 (for extra water movement) on them. 
They were both heavily stocked with large groups of Tropheus.
Plenty of filtration for the tanks.
I have also ran a 5' 120g tank that was heavily stocked with Petrochromis and Tropheus on sponge filters that were powered by Maxi Jet 1200's.
I personally would go with the two Eheim 2217's, and if you buy them used you could be all set up for under $250.00.


----------



## Finman (Sep 23, 2016)

I currently have 4 SunSun canisters. The oldest has been running constantly for 4 years except for the 2 to 3 times a year that they get cleaned. I have complete faith in them. I use the fine pad that comes with them on the bottom and poly-fill as a polishing mechanical barrier at the top. In between I use as much landscaping lava rock as I can fit in. Cheap, efficient, reliable. I can't see spending big bucks on elite name brands. For a 120 I would probably go with a big SunSun and a DIY sump.


----------



## Aquariguns (Jan 15, 2015)

I have a 6 foot 125 gallon, im running a fx6 and a sunsun 304, plenty of filtration. I am running an additional wavemaker in top corner to keep more water moving. I started with two 304's, plenty of bio but flow was not what i desired so i got the fx. If i did it again, id probably just go with two fx, nothing wrong with the sunsun, just the flow and ease of the fx is worth it to me


----------



## smitty (May 7, 2004)

I would not even consider the FX4, and before I consider the FX 5 or 6, I would go with the Eheim 2262 or 2260.


----------



## cgimark (Oct 6, 2016)

I really like the hydor 600 professional.
I have it on a 55gallon with 24 cichlids about 6 of which are fully adult males about 4-5"+. I never have water issues with ammonia, nitrates, etc.
Easy to clean, quiet, flexible choices on media.
I have used everything fluval, eheim, marine land , canisters and hob. This one has been the best.
I know I have a lot of cichlids , just can't afford a larger tank yet.


----------



## Perbunan (Sep 12, 2009)

LXXero said:


> BlueSunshine said:
> 
> 
> > One fx6 and two 704b's would definitely get the job done. Budget wise , three 704b's would work great also.
> ...


Depends on what you stock but 1 FX6 would be enough if lightly stocked as per "European way"


----------



## Biciclid (Jan 27, 2016)

Hi, just to say that maybe not all "made in china" less badged filters are ****. I have been running a Jebao 304 on my 55g Southamerican, so happy with it that when it came to setting up my 1st mbuna 100gal I went for 2 of those and I would like to swap the fluval 405's and hydor 30's I have on other tanks for those too (so I may be buying another 4). The canister volume is 15.5 liters in 4 trays (hydor 600 is 9.5 liters) flow is 1200 for 20 w (hydor is 1300l/h for 29w). Cost is 79 euros (vs 165). It is basically a clone of the older Eheim professional, some say they are actually made in the same factory where Eheim has moved some of their production from Germany (without advertising it too much!). Ok it may not be built like a brick outhouse like an fx6 but if you consider bang for buck... Even if you consider needing 2 jebaos to give the same flow of an fx6 (but they would house a lot more biomedia) with how much an fx6 costs you could buy 5 jebaos, so would 1 fluval last longer than 5x308? I have my doubts


----------



## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

smitty said:


> I would not even consider the FX4, and before I consider the FX 5 or 6, I would go with the Eheim 2262 or 2260.


+1 On my 5' 120G I have a 2262 AND a 2260. I thought it would be a whirlpool but it's perfect. I barely have to vacuum.


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

zimmy said:


> smitty said:
> 
> 
> > I would not even consider the FX4, and before I consider the FX 5 or 6, I would go with the Eheim 2262 or 2260.
> ...


Hey Zimmy.
I still haven't set up that 2262 I got from you.
Talk about lazy ; )


----------

