NEW TO SITE FLUVAL FX5 help

[longislandfish]

Hello Fish tank people,

My name is Tom and I recently purchased a Fish tank to put in my home office. the tank is 210 gallons, I have already put Crushed coral gravel and filled it with water. For filtration I have bought a FLUVAL FX5 filter and I have hooked everything up using the directions. Here is my big question.

The Fluval cleared up some of the cloudiness in the tank from the crushed coral gravel. but overnight the tank is still about 3% cloudy and i placed my hand near the output of the Fluval to feel the output and the pressure did not feel that strong (maybe the same as a faucet on almost full blast) based on the Fluvals boast of 600 or something gallons an hour I expected a much stronger kick back. Is this working correcty?????????

Thank you,

Tom Baron
Salisbury NY

 

[Ozymandias]

what are you keeping in this tank?

 

[Riiz]

For that size of tank you might need at least a pair of FX5s and some good powerheads to move water around also.

But yeah, are you planning on keeping rift cichlids or something that needs a higher ph and harder water. Crushed coral is meant for saltwater and its even gone outta fashion in that side of the hobby as well.

 

[longislandfish]

Hey!

I plan on keeping MALAWI cichlids and filling the tank with some cool holey rock. no one really answered my question though, is the amount of power or lack of coming from that FX5 normal?? so you think i need 2 of them????

 

[Riiz]

From reading alot on Monsterfishkeepers.com, alot of people say that the FX5 flow-rate may hit 600gph, but thats empty or clean media, and drops to mid 400s in actual use. And yes you will definitely need more filtration for that big of tank.

 

[The Zigman]

I run a single FX5 on my 125..

Do you have a polishing pad in the filter? It may be clogged with fine sediment from your new substrate.. Mine puts out a considerable current until those superfine pads start to fill up.. I have 4 or 5 in the bottom tray..

 

[longislandfish]

Thanks for the info ZIGMAN I will check.

I have a polishing pad then carbon on top tray. then polishing pad and Biomax on the second tray. and Biomax on the bottom tray. does my description of the FX5 flow sound right or do you think its clogged from all those fine particles from the new gravel??? Do you think i need another filter as well??
thanks,

tom

 

[The Zigman]

Thanks for the info ZIGMAN I will check.

I have a polishing pad then carbon on top tray. then polishing pad and Biomax on the second tray. and Biomax on the bottom tray. does my description of the FX5 flow sound right or do you think its clogged from all those fine particles from the new gravel??? Do you think i need another filter as well??
thanks,

tom

I'd bet its clogged.
use the blue pads in the top tray, and one on top of the biomax, use a couple of the white polishing pads in the bottom tray. I have biomax in the top 2 trays and just polishing pads in the bottom.. I have the more coarse blue pads in the top 2 trays with the biomax. I don't use carbon.

 

[longislandfish]

Ok so blue pads where my curren polishing pads are and a polishing pad UNDER the last tray of Biomax? also by the way how do i clean this thing and how fast should i clean it after it hopefully clears up all those cloudy substrate particles?

thank you@!