# Fx6 filter media options



## Boe82 (Mar 6, 2014)

I am just curious how Fx6 users have there canister setup. Do you use the Fluval pre-filter first or something like a coarse foam to catch the gunk? Then for media, do you use what comes with the canister or something else? I see a lot of people using Seachem matrix, I have also had my attention turned to BioHome which looks like some great stuff.

I believe it was somewhere on this site I saw someone link this video.


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## notchback65 (Apr 3, 2013)

I use 1 basket of pre filter and 2 baskets of Biomax.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

The FX6 comes with those bio foam pads. I recently set up 2 and used these pads in the top tray. The other 2 I filled with Seachem Pond Matrix and some established Fluval Biomax. If you go with the Matrix, get the pond stuff. It's larger and less likely to find your impeller. I also cut a circular pad out of some blue filter pad material and placed it on the bottom of the bottom tray in an effort to prevent any broken/smaller media from getting into the pump area.

Also, Seachem claims that the Matrix never needs to be replaced.


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## Boe82 (Mar 6, 2014)

I received my Fx6 the other day and finally tore into it last night to check it out and learn how it works before setting it up. Seems like a very nice and simple canister, but there are a couple things I would like to hit on.

The matrix it came with, Looks ok, does it work ok? My only slight concern is did it come with enough? It doesn't seem like it, I haven't taken it out of the bag yet and filled the tray but it looks like it might only fill it 3/4 the way(maybe), I read the manual and it mentions needing to leave a gap to make sure the trays fit correctly, so maybe there is enough, or can you add a little more?

The other thing is it came with the trays already pre-set up. It had the two big coarse pads in the top try, the bag of matrix in the middle tray and in the bottom try(which is what I am curious about) has just a single, maybe half inch thick, carbon pad. I take it the 'carbon' is for the chemical filtration, but a whole tray and only a half inch pad? Should I use the bags it came with and go and get more carbon to put in the bags or is the pad it came with sufficient? Seems like a waste to have a big tray with a little pad only. I would almost like to keep that pad on the bottom just as it is, to help keep any little debris from getting to the pump, and add more(matrix or carbon) on top of the pad.

Other then that, I really like this canister, I tinkered around with it a bit and was dry fitting pieces on the tank trying to figure out how to set all my filters up.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

The carbon pad is not needed. I threw mine out. Carbon remains effective for about 2 weeks, so having it in a canister is a bad idea. Buy more media. Fill up the bottom 2 trays. Use the black sponges in the top tray.


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## Randifer (Nov 4, 2012)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> The carbon pad is not needed. I threw mine out. Carbon remains effective for about 2 weeks, so having it in a canister is a bad idea. Buy more media. Fill up the bottom 2 trays. Use the black sponges in the top tray.


Jumping in here with a new question. I did not realize that pad that came in the bottom basket was a carbon pad. I thought it was a normal pad. I have had it in my FX6 for about 6 months. When I clean the filter... I rinse out the pad and put it back in to protect the pump. Will that hurt anything leaving it in that long? And, I assume I should just replace it with a cut out piece of filter pad next time I clean the filter, right?
(one last question... the filter pad I cut out should go blue side up and white side down, right?

Thanks!
Randy


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

It's fine to continue using. Don't remember what color is the finer, but you'd want the coarse up and the fine down. At that point though, it's ran through everything else including your media. I put a pad at the bottom to prevent any media breaking up and making it's way into the impellar.


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## Randifer (Nov 4, 2012)

thanks!


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Randifer said:


> Iggy Newcastle said:
> 
> 
> > The carbon pad is not needed. I threw mine out. Carbon remains effective for about 2 weeks, so having it in a canister is a bad idea. Buy more media. Fill up the bottom 2 trays. Use the black sponges in the top tray.
> ...


I did exactly the same thing when I set mine up a few weeks ago - didn't even realise until I read this that it was carbon. I'll be replacing it with a polishing pad when I next clean it now.

Out of interest, why does the finer-grade pad go at the bottom and the coarser at the top? That's the way I set my FX6 up but, thinking about it, on a filter with the water flowing from bottom to top isn't it better to trap the bigger particles first in the coarser grade then have any finer ones removed by a finer grade if they make it to the top, making the whole thing less likely to clog up at the bottom? On my 406 I set it up the opposite way, with coarse at the bottom and polishing pads at the top of the four sets of baskets, because it seemed more logical? Clearly I've missed something though...


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

The FX style pushes water through the outside sponges, then down through the center and all the baskets.


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