# Fluval FX5 Media



## greg curtis (May 4, 2006)

Whats everyone using for filter media in these canisters. Thinking about getting 1 or 2.


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## Louis123 (Jun 13, 2004)

bio-max / cheap filter floss


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

Louis123 said:


> bio-max / cheap filter floss


+1


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

Polyfill.


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## murcat (Jan 29, 2008)

polyfill, biomax and zeo carb


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## greg curtis (May 4, 2006)

Thanks guys for your quick responses. I guees olad it up with BioMax, Purigen and some polyfill.


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

Whatever ceramic filter media I can find cheap, and I'm still using the sponges that came with the filters.


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## gre (Mar 12, 2007)

I have a fx5 and I use ceramic rings in the top tray and in the second tray I use plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store, and I put as many as it will hold. In the third tray I put poly-fill from Walmart in the bottom and fill it up with more pot scrubbers. I have had it a little over a year and so far so good, I am happy with it.


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## illusions2281 (Jan 25, 2009)

i want to get a second pump for water polishing and more circulation. Anyone know what the flow rate would be brought to down to approx? if i were to put ceremic media in the bottom basket and polsihing pads/filter floss in the top two baskets?


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## sleepy09 (Jan 15, 2009)

I have been using all of the fluval media and sponges in my FX5. I even have bio balls in my middle tray. I love this filter but it can be a pain to clean but hey that is part of the hobby right?


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## davespeed3 (Mar 29, 2009)

gre said:


> I have a fx5 and I use ceramic rings in the top tray and in the second tray I use plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store, and I put as many as it will hold. In the third tray I put poly-fill from Walmart in the bottom and fill it up with more pot scrubbers. I have had it a little over a year and so far so good, I am happy with it.[/quote
> 
> Unlike the rest of the Fluval external filters the FX5 should have its baskets loaded the other way up ie ceramic rings, polishing pads in the bottom basket, carbon etc in the centre and pre-filter, floss, scrubbies etc in the top. Obviously you can mix it up a bit between the top and centre baskets to suit your requirements.
> I'm not saying your filter isn't working but surely its not working to its best performance and it will require more maintenance as the ceramic rings will become clogged much quicker.
> If I'm not using carbon etc then I load the bottom and centre with Biomax and filter pads, and the top with pre-filter and floss


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

sleepy09 said:


> I have been using all of the fluval media and sponges in my FX5. I even have bio balls in my middle tray. I love this filter but it can be a pain to clean but hey that is part of the hobby right?


That is one of the reasons I switched to all polyfill. The worst part of cleaning is the media. With one media type its a lot easier. Especially since I just throw it away and replace with new. That way I don't have to clean the media.


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## sleepy09 (Jan 15, 2009)

boredatwork said:


> sleepy09 said:
> 
> 
> > I have been using all of the fluval media and sponges in my FX5. I even have bio balls in my middle tray. I love this filter but it can be a pain to clean but hey that is part of the hobby right?
> ...


Are using another filter for biological filtration?


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

I think I know what you are asking. My comment would be to consider why you asked that question.

I may be misinterpreting your question but I am assuming you are thinking that if I use only polyfill then I am only using the FX5 as a mechanical filter? If that is the case think about it this way. What is special about "bio-media"? The answer is nothing. Any media will perform biological filtration. Now, some may perform better than others, but all media will harbor bacteria. Usually the figure of merit for bio media is surface area. Things like bio balls and rings have a lot of surface area because they are very porous. Now, with that understanding, why wouldn't polyfill be a good bio media? It has an incredible amount of surface area for bacteria to live. Meaning it meets all of the criteria of good bio media.

The point is that polyfill is a bio media - so my biological filtration is coming from the FX5. The great thing about polyfill is that is also a great mechanical media as well - in fact for the very same reason that it is a good bio media.

Also, in the FX5 the large amount of prefilter sponge will also act a bio media. So to me, an FX5 filled with polyfill is a very efficient mechanical and bio filter at a very small recurring cost. ($4 for a bag of polyfill that will last me months).


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

How about pot scrubbies in top & middle, with floss in bottom?


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

planenut007 said:


> How about pot scrubbies in top & middle, with floss in bottom?


In my opinion pot scrubbbies seem like a weird option for a canister, especially an FX5. Unless you are using them strictly for bio media. If you want them for mechanical or both, then I don't see the point. To me the scrubbies are redundant since you have all that pre-filter foam in the FX5.

If you are using them strictly for bio media then I think they are a great choice. They won't restrict flow and they have an incredible amount of surface area.


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

BIO was my primary idea for their use, two baskets of them should be a huge amount of area for those little guys to grow.
I have two FX5's on a 180 set up like this, seems to work great.


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

boredatwork said:


> That is one of the reasons I switched to all polyfill. The worst part of cleaning is the media. With one media type its a lot easier. Especially since I just throw it away and replace with new. That way I don't have to clean the media.


wouldn't you be disposing of all your bacteria when you change it though?


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

ubnoxus said:


> boredatwork said:
> 
> 
> > That is one of the reasons I switched to all polyfill. The worst part of cleaning is the media. With one media type its a lot easier. Especially since I just throw it away and replace with new. That way I don't have to clean the media.
> ...


I am only disposing of the bacteria on the polyfill. Your bio media is not the only location for bacteria to grow. The FX5 still has a large amount of sponges, in addition to all of the surfaces in the tank itself. I also have an XP2. If you wanted to be safe you could wash it out.


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

ok got it, thought you meant that was all you had in the filter


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

Well, that is all I put in the media baskets.


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

so then would that not be a significant shock to the bio filtration??


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

Possibly. In my opinion in an FX5 it is OK, but that can also depend on how you clean your filter.

When I clean my FX5 I rinse out the sponges in dechlorinated water and replace the polyfill. There is a loss of bacteria from throwing away the polyfill, but there is also a lot of bacteria still left on the sponges (I am assuming - I can't actually see bacteria).

Some people clean their sponges more rigorously, for example cleaning with very hot water and then letting them dry completely before putting them back in. In this case, I would not recommend throwing out all of the media in the baskets, because the sponges won't contain any bacteria. Now, that doesn't mean you wont be OK, but it seems risky to me.

In reality every situation is unique. The bad thing is that there is only way to find out. Of course you could, and probably should, be cautious. In my case I know I can remove the polyfill without any problems. And, while I think its OK to do that, I suppose there should be a disclaimer stating that it can depend on a lot of specific factors unique to your tank and how you clean your filter.


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## ubnoxus (Apr 11, 2009)

sounds reasonable to me. I have never had any trouble with rinsing and putting back in either. Just wanted to rake you over the coals a little and get your input lol


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