315G Plywood Tank Build

[CWO4GUNNER]

On my 244 I have an FX5 and a Toms PS4 600 GHP sump. I have gauged both in performance and I can tell you that one out performed the other by leaps and bounds. Having said that the reason why I still want a sump filter for my 120 tank is purely for its auto-fill capability. In fact the FX5 will be used in-lue-of a sump's pump. No bio-balls, no additional media except for a prafilter sponge, and my sump will be narrow and tall vice long and wide.

Coming soon to a thread near you LOL.

 

[BadOleRoss]

No new updates today, had to work. While at work (Lowe's) I did spend a fair amount of time over in the plumbing section figuring things out. I am still having a time finding a suitable material to make a drip plate, actually 2 drip plates out of. I have a sheet of 4'x4'x1/4" plexiglass that I may cut and start drilling on to make a drip plate. Something else I am going to look into is getting a damaged wall surround for a bath tub. They get damaged all the time and I can proboly get it for little/nothing.

 

[Rbishop]

On my 244 I have an FX5 and a Toms PS4 600 GHP sump. I have gauged both in performance and I can tell you that one out performed the other by leaps and bounds. Having said that the reason why I still want a sump filter for my 120 tank is purely for its auto-fill capability. In fact the FX5 will be used in-lue-of a sump's pump. No bio-balls, no additional media except for a prafilter sponge, and my sump will be narrow and tall vice long and wide.

Coming soon to a thread near you LOL.

Something more solid please....what was the criteria on the gauge? The FX5 is getting a lot of praise by folks with no conclusive UNBIASED evidence being presented. Any pump that pulls negative pressure to that extent and has to shut down to release trapped air is damaging to the pump..plain pump theory..they call it cavitation and it is just another gimmick waiting to fail.

 

[BadOleRoss]

I have read several threads that praised the FX5s but I did come across a few where people didn't really care for it. I just find the sump set ups more versatile and certainly cheaper.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Something more solid please....what was the criteria on the gauge? The FX5 is getting a lot of praise by folks with no conclusive UNBIASED evidence being presented. Any pump that pulls negative pressure to that extent and has to shut down to release trapped air is damaging to the pump..plain pump theory..they call it cavitation and it is just another gimmick waiting to fail.

Please don't misconstrued my comment as FX5 vs Sump comparison. I was merely clarifying my intended use of a sump in context with a 120 tank.

Anyone who has any experience know that filtration type is subjective to not only the size tank but a individuals personal needs. Whatever finding I have shared need no detailed explanation becasue they apply only to my situation and cannot be applied to someone else. If you want the details however just PM meas other have. This way we don't have any emotional responses.

As far as the author is concerned, If I was building a 300-400 tanks I would probubly use a sump as primary filtration myself as those sizes require a low cost solution and where a sump becomes more attractive. Even so I would still have my version of the sump completly operating under differnt media and a most likely a FX5/sump combination. But that me, OK

 

[Rbishop]

No problem Gunner..we all have our opinions. Have done many years of pump rebuild on all classes of submarines and surface ships. To me, the FX5 is as much as a gimmick as is the new G series filters with all the bells and whistles.

Love your DIY and any that I see here.....we need more stuff like that.

 

[BadOleRoss]

Something that I had entertained during the early stages planning stages of the sump was to run the water through sponges. Do you think it would be better to go with sponges instead of scrubbies or a mixture of sponges and scrubbies.

 

[Rbishop]

IMO, I would use floss or filter pads from sheet stock, then thru scrubbies or bio balls.

 

[thorpbrian]

:clap: Subscribed...

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Don't know becasue I haven tried an alternative yet, what I do know "from my personal experience" is that bio-balls have not done it for me and have kept my nitrates substantially higher in my 244 tank then my other 4 tanks. Im still testing and haven't gotten around to sponge yet. I only suspect it would be better becasue in every filter application I have used sponge it has never been a problem and is much easier to service pulling out one or two big block pieces rather then a plethora of bio balls.

I can only recommend trying both over time since there are so many different variables in your tank then mine, what works for you will most likely be custom filter pack of your own discovery. Thats what I'm doing now until I get the optimum performance Im looking for base on my need to support 3 to 4 week water changes.