Best Media For A FX5

[thefishwife]

Just wondered, what kind of media you guys use in your FX5's.

Do you use the bio balls like this -





OR




OR






OR even just plain old, well new, pot scrubbers from the dollar store??? And how many?

Thanks very much.

[Rajan]

If it's not for a planted tank then I would put purigen in also. U will not be disappointed

[gklaw]

Top it right up with whatever you can afford. You may find you don't want to spend the $ to fill up with the best media (take bio-chem star for e.g.). There is no point of filling a filter with the best media but only half full. When I had my FX5, I basically find everything I have, bio-balls, ceramic rings, etc. to pack the trays.

Just an opinion

[tony1928]

I currently have it full of bagged Seachem Matrix and a bag of Purigen. Seems like a decent combo for me. Bagging the media is great as it makes cleaning it out so easy. For a canister I would stay away from bioballs or potscrubbers as that media is best for wet/dry and not meant for use as fully submerged media. Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro is nice is you can afford it. I bought the pond sized matrix too as the trays in the FX5 won't be able to keep smaller sized media in place.

[thefishwife]

Thanks everyone, its not for a planted tank, its actually for my son's turtle tank. I will look into the purigen as well as the matrix.

[jobber604]

Kim,
You may find this helpful to know the bio-media carrying capacity for a FX5:
The Fluval Fx5 by Hagen

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/fresh...and-new-21251/

[2wheelsx2]

I put Fluval Bioxmax, Seachem Matrix, potscrubbers, Eheim Ehfi Substrat Pro in all my filters and use Purigen in all my tanks, and all my tanks are planted. I do not use bioballs, as they are more suitable for wet/dry.

In my FX5 I currently have potscrubbers, some Matrix and lots of Biomax, a bag of crushed coral and a bag of Ehfi Substrat Pro. I do not have Purigen in the filter because I run a Two Little Fishes media reactor to fluidize the Purigen and I drive it with a Maxijet 400.

[mikebike]

My FX5 came with bio balls so I filled one tray with them
One tray with ceramic rings
One tray with washed Oister Shell
and the filter material that came with it.

[thefishwife]

Again thanks for all the help, I have had lots of suggestions at least I now know what I am looking for!

[jobber604]

That's what we're all here for, Kim
We're one big happy BCA family.