• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Help with fx5 problem

Alastair

Alastair

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2009
Messages
4,402
Location
Denton, Manchester
I'm just wondering if anyone else on here who has fluval fx5s has this same problem. When the filter stops every 24 hours to purge itself, when it then starts up again it's throwing the dirt particles from inside the filter back into the tank and I'm getting worried. Especially as this will create ammonia spikes.
It's set up with the mechanical sponges all around the edge, then packed with bio rings in the inside 3 trays. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening. I've checked all trays are locked together etc and can't see anything wrong.
Also with this gunk being shoved into my tank I'm fearing I'll lose my shrimp I've just put in :arghh:
 
Clonitza is on the money, give the pipes a proper cleaning with a brush. That and/or add a finer floss into the filter.
How often are you cleaning the filter, sounds like it's too dirty to me?
As a side tip, changing to proper tubing not the ribbed stuff gains flow and is less of a nightmare to clean.
 
I have an Eheim pro 3 and 2 day ago happened the same thing when I cleaned a spraybar, and not the tubing. So when I turned my filter on, the dirt from the pipes start coming out. But it seemed like bacteria colonies, not like sometnihg that could cause ammonia spike... Am I wrong?
 
Don't add a layer of filter floss! This will be clogged and reduce flow to a stop in a matter of 2 weeks.
Mine don't throw out much rubbish, but a little occasionally, and I don't worry too much about it. If that gunk is in your filter or in your tank, it's in the system somewhere and shouldn't really cause any water problems.

Gavin
 
Garuf said:
Clonitza is on the money, give the pipes a proper cleaning with a brush. That and/or add a finer floss into the filter.
How often are you cleaning the filter, sounds like it's too dirty to me?
As a side tip, changing to proper tubing not the ribbed stuff gains flow and is less of a nightmare to clean.
Click to expand...

I clean the outer sponges every 3 or 4 weeks but can't understand why it's getting so dirty. I have very minimal stocking, it's a 5 foot tank with 20 cardinals, 10 black neons 2 albino corys and a Siamese algae eater plus the 30 cherry shrimp that went in on Thursday but I'm fearing I've lost most due to this. The strange thing is I'm not getting this from the other fx5 on the same tank. The only problem with putting fine floss in these filters is it causes lots of air bubbles to be thrown out. It's a common fault with it and even Hagen don't recComend having any floss in.

I can get hold of clear PVC tubing, however with the intakes, the rubber attachments that join the pipe to the tubing wouldn't fit as PVC tubing has a much larger external diameter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top