# Fluval fx6



## stephaniehelena (May 11, 2015)

is one Fluval fx6 canister filter enough filtration for a 180gallon cichlid tank?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

No, I'd shoot for 8X to 10X gallons per hour turnover. What type of fish are you stocking?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

An angelfish tank with lots of growing Amazon sword plants could work with an FX6. Because of the lower population levels and the higher temperatures which increase the biological filtration rate, a discus tank with frequent water changes should be doable too.

A pair of oscars could overpower this filter with their waste products. A densely populated Malawi cichlid tank would be under filtered with this alone. Because of the mineral content of water ideal for Central American and African rift lake cichlids, this filter would best be supplemented with additional filtration. Ammonia and nitrate are more toxic in the higher pH and harder mineral content of the water exposed to limestone and crushed coral substrate used with these fish.

It is always a good idea to not depend on a single filter. When time comes to clean it, this can shock the fish. Having two filters you can maintain on an alternating schedule helps reduce stress.


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

I think it would be fine just add a couple of power heads for circulation and increased oxygenation. I've run an eheim 2217 on a heavily stocked 75 Tanganyikan tank for years. Never had problems. I do run a couple of power heads though, one of which is equipped with a sponge. Just curious how cleaning a filter would shock the fish.


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## stephaniehelena (May 11, 2015)

I used to have a 220 gallon and I had 2 fx5's running and the water was crystal clear I shut it down three years ago unfortunately I sold all my stuff so now i'm starting over and thought I could get away with one fx6 on a 180 but maybe I should get two just to be safe can't over filter with these guys! I would be getting mostly peacocks and a few frontosa  I can't wait to start up again! thanks for all your advice


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

Just to elaborate. I've had this discussion before with a number of members on this site. Proper bio filtration is achieved with 2-3 turnover. Anything beyond that is redundant. Somewhere along the line water circulation became confused with filtration. It is far more important to have 8-10x circulation because this gives you adequate oxygenation. However this does not have to be achieved with filters alone but can be in combination with power heads. Eheim filters are rated for tank sizes comparable to other manufacturers who's filters have higher flow rates. Why ? Running more filters is more maintenance, cost, and power consumption. None of which I need or want.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Cyphound has a set opinion on this and I would not dream of trying to change his mind, so this is for others to think about. In life support systems, redundancy is a wonderful thing. If something causes a filter to stop, the second filter can be a literal life saver. We could save lots of money if we sent the astronauts up to the space station with only one toilet, one oxygen tank, one solar panel, etc. but the risk would be untenable.

Filtration and water circulation are intrinsically linked. The flow of oxygenated water turns every surface in the aquarium into an active biofilter enabling cycle bacteria to detoxify nitrogenous waste into progressively less toxic forms.

If we clean and maintain one filter while another continues to run, we disturb our fish less, and are unlikely to expose them to sudden jolts of unprocessed ammonia waste during the down time and reactivation period for the cleaned filter.


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

Mcdaphnia your right I am set. So this is for others to think about. 
My method does have redundancy. Filtered power heads. and they are much easier to clean when doing weekly water changes. I have done it this way for many years. I've had multiple filter failures over that time and never lost a fish . Had it happen this past year but the filtered power heads still worked. It's water movement and the resulting oxygenation that is key as you pointed out. We all keep our water parameters at 0 ammonia,0 nitrites and 10-20 nitrates Jolt from unprocessed ammonia waste don't happen because a filter is never off for more then 20 minutes. I know a couple of cichlid keepers that run sumps and neither of them have a second filter, just power heads. Maybe sump users can chime in to say what they do. My whole point is that it's the 10x water movement that is the key. However you attain it is up to you.


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## co4nd2 (May 17, 2015)

Cyphound said:


> Mcdaphnia your right I am set. So this is for others to think about.
> My method does have redundancy. Filtered power heads. and they are much easier to clean when doing weekly water changes. I have done it this way for many years. I've had multiple filter failures over that time and never lost a fish . Had it happen this past year but the filtered power heads still worked. It's water movement and the resulting oxygenation that is key as you pointed out. We all keep our water parameters at 0 ammonia,0 nitrites and 10-20 nitrates Jolt from unprocessed ammonia waste don't happen because a filter is never off for more then 20 minutes. I know a couple of cichlid keepers that run sumps and neither of them have a second filter, just power heads. Maybe sump users can chime in to say what they do. My whole point is that it's the 10x water movement that is the key. However you attain it is up to you.


Your sponge on your power head is a redundant bio filter. Probably a pretty effective one since they can be quite effective by them selves.


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## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

That was kind of my point. Sponges filters have proven to be the most effective form of filtration. Think Matten filter. And they do best with 2-3x turnover. I'll bet that most of us use power heads or air stones on a sponge filters for our fry tanks and don't have additional filtration yet fry are when cichlids are most vulnerable. Most people run 2 filters for cichlids because this is what has been said is best. However not when I started. I agree that if your going to have 10x turnover you could do it with filtration but it is a lot of extra work to clean 2 filters plus cost. I would hazard a guess that most run 2 filters and power heads. But why 2 filters. It is a closed loop system. You can argue that it makes cleaning easier because you rotate your filter cleaning but you leave nitrates in your tank when you don't clean a filter. And your still cleaning a filter whenever your rotation comes up. Why not clean just one. I would argue your keeping more nitrates in the tank when you leav a filter for an extended period without cleaning Better to get rid of the mulm completely and regularly. So I run power heads with sponges cleaned weekly with water changes and do a filter clean every 6-8 weeks for the most part. 4 pads followed by bio. Bio never gets cleaned other then an occasional swish rinse. First 2 pads rinsed in aquarium water and rotated top to bottom. My power heads move my water to the filter sufficiently and I get the oxygenation that is needed.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I tried a little experiment for while I'm not home. I turned off the FX5 and the Poret Mattenfilter on one of my 125's. And left them running on the other 125 with the same equipment and similar fish population. All that is moving water or aerating in that tank is the power head. When I get back I will look for what differences I see between the two tanks after two weeks of circulation only in one.


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## raze (Jan 29, 2015)

Mcdaphnia said:


> I tried a little experiment for while I'm not home. I turned off the FX5 and the Poret Mattenfilter on one of my 125's. And left them running on the other 125 with the same equipment and similar fish population. All that is moving water or aerating in that tank is the power head. When I get back I will look for what differences I see between the two tanks after two weeks of circulation only in one.


So what was the result?


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

If you turn them off do not turn them back on before cleaning the filters!

If you turn them on after theyve been been turned off for so long youll probably lose your fish from all the dead water beeing blown through the tank.


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## raze (Jan 29, 2015)

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## Geohvl (Feb 27, 2017)

Hi Guys,
I have a Marineland 360C and a Fluval FX6 on a 55g Show. The ML 360C has filter media at the intake and output. I have if full of High grade carbon Seachem Carbon Matrix about 3 pounds total. The FX6 has filter media along with Seachem Purigen, De*Nitrate and Matrix about 3 pounds total. I rotate the filters every 6 months. Replace half the filter media and rinse the old with tank water. Replace the discarded with new. I run a heavy load of fish and feed 2 to 3 times a day. I also have a drip system that runs 5 hours/[email protected]/Hr. It's ~300g exchange/month. Along with the gravel vacuum when ever I notice the sand needs it. With 4 power heads and 2 canisters it has great currents. Remember you can't have to much fitration
George


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## engotski (Dec 29, 2014)

Geohvl said:


> Hi Guys,
> I have a Marineland 360C and a Fluval FX6 on a 55g Show. I also have a drip system that runs 5 hours/[email protected]/Hr. It's ~300g exchange/month. Along with the gravel vacuum when ever I notice the sand needs it. With 4 power heads and 2 canisters it has great currents. Remember you can't have to much fitration
> George


This must be the most filtrated 55g tank I have ever come across of reading...your fish must be near bionic by now :lol:


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