Is this really as good as they say?

[reefs4life]

I've been looking at Fluval's new canister filter model, the FX5. For what I've heard it's supposed to be really good. Is it true that it's good and is it worth the money?

http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/flfx5hipecaf.html

 

[drunktank]

canister filters should be used on FW only. For salt water u will run into pro lems with ur nitrates, and in order to stop that you'd have to clean it out a lot! Stay away

 

[reefman]

i saw one at ft from a customer who return it cause the self priming doesn't work.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

the FX5 is a great filter....if you have a 400 gallon pond or FW tank. The self priming does work, that one probably just had a faulty chip in it. It does make some weird noises if you have never set one up before and don't expect it while it's priming. For the money it's pointless on a reef tank besides the nitrates it will cause.

 

[reefs4life]

ok thanks for all the replies. one more question though, since canister filters aren't good for reefs is a magnum 350 good if cleaned once a week? I mean I know it's still considered a canister filter but it doesn't have the same amount of media, it's just a fine particle filter.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i was gonna purchase a large canister filter for my FW 155g bow but was told by the guys @ FT that there have been several complaints about the fluval so i got an eheim instead.

i don't have any knowledge about canister filters on a SW set up. maybe someone who does can chime in and give the pros and cons.

i rather have no canister filter and stay on top of water changes and/or buy a HOB skimmer like a remora. btw what size tank is this for?

 

[MightyMike]

With so many things to take care of in a reef, this money could probably be invested more wisely eleswhere, unless there is a specific need for the canister filter?

 

[HAVIC]

for saltwater filtration you want a protein skimmer. Filters like bio-wheels,magnums,fluvals are not needed. It would help if you described what type of setup you have or are going to have to advise on.

 

[reefs4life]

I already have the system up and running, it's a 75 gallon reef tank, there's picutres in my gallery if you're interested. But as far as filters go I dont have much, basically it's just a lot of water circulation. I have 2 skimmers, a corallife needle wheel and some cheap one that i bought on ebay, an aquaclear hang on filter thats just for biological and carbon when i need it, a fluidized bed, and a magnum 350 which is currently for circulation only right now. All else is a chiller which has a pump for circulation, a main return pump (a Rio), 2 power sweeps inside the tank, and thats it. I know it's probably all wrong for a reef tank but it's going fine for now. I have a 3 inch sand bed and about 100 pounds of live rock (I need more, I'm working on it).