i been thinking about maybe one day getting an fx5. my sump is ok but makes a bit of noise and to be honest is a bit of a bodge. so i was wonder if i did go this route what would you guys do to get co2 in the tank whilst keeping the equipment out of the tank. its a 7'x2'x2' id probably go with a spray bar as this works well at the moment. ive 2 wave makers at 12000 lph each dealing with flow so the filter would just be for filtering. just some thing ive been thinking about. might never happen.
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hypothetical fx5 (now on order)
- Thread starter danmil3s
- Start date
Dolly Sprint 16v
Member
Re: hypothetical fx5
Danmils
Plenty of options:
1. External reactor (Aqua medic) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUAMEDIC-AQUA-ME ... 33497fce1c
2. In line diffuser / up atomiser http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Up-aqua-CO2-Atomi ... 3caf1c764e
If you fancy a bit of glassware:
3. Pop underneath the water intake pipe. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spio-VIII-CO2-Dif ... 3a4fb700a3
Regards
Paul.
danmil3s said:
Danmils
Plenty of options:
1. External reactor (Aqua medic) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUAMEDIC-AQUA-ME ... 33497fce1c
2. In line diffuser / up atomiser http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Up-aqua-CO2-Atomi ... 3caf1c764e
If you fancy a bit of glassware:
3. Pop underneath the water intake pipe. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spio-VIII-CO2-Dif ... 3a4fb700a3
Regards
Paul.
Re: hypothetical fx5
im in the process of setting one of these up on a new tank im going to use the aquamedic inline im just waiting for some 1" hose barb fittings to adapt the aquamedic (damn snow) I will let you know how it goes.
Also going to run a full length spray bar which is going to be an homemade acrylic job im thinking of splitting the out flow to fit on both ends.
Also planning on having two intakes im going to make some alternative clear acrylic intakes dont like the look of the monster that comes with the fx5
im in the process of setting one of these up on a new tank im going to use the aquamedic inline im just waiting for some 1" hose barb fittings to adapt the aquamedic (damn snow) I will let you know how it goes.
Also going to run a full length spray bar which is going to be an homemade acrylic job im thinking of splitting the out flow to fit on both ends.
Also planning on having two intakes im going to make some alternative clear acrylic intakes dont like the look of the monster that comes with the fx5
Re: hypothetical fx5
sounds interesting Steve you will have to let me know how you get on with the 1" barbs on the aquamedic ive not seen one in the flesh so hard to imagine how you would go about converting it. but nice to know if its doable the more i think about this the more i think im going to go ahead and do it probably get £100 for my pond pump so that would nearly cover cost wife still wont be happy. ill have to go to a shop and have a look at the water in take hagan clam its nearly never clogs but if it is huge might need changing. but another thing i plan on doing is changing my 3d back ground for a black one. so that might hide it a bit, will do spray bar in black as well.
sounds interesting Steve you will have to let me know how you get on with the 1" barbs on the aquamedic ive not seen one in the flesh so hard to imagine how you would go about converting it. but nice to know if its doable the more i think about this the more i think im going to go ahead and do it probably get £100 for my pond pump so that would nearly cover cost wife still wont be happy. ill have to go to a shop and have a look at the water in take hagan clam its nearly never clogs but if it is huge might need changing. but another thing i plan on doing is changing my 3d back ground for a black one. so that might hide it a bit, will do spray bar in black as well.
Re: hypothetical fx5
Well the bits came today so one adapted aquamedic with 25mm hose barbs
just cut off the original hose barbs drilled and threaded to take the 25mm hosebarb and bonded with pvc cement I put the Y connector on as I want to attach hose to both ends of the spraybar
also made the homemade 25mm acrylic intakes
also made a 25mm acrylic spray bar but cant seem to get a good picture of that just looks like a bit of acrylic tube
Well the bits came today so one adapted aquamedic with 25mm hose barbs
just cut off the original hose barbs drilled and threaded to take the 25mm hosebarb and bonded with pvc cement I put the Y connector on as I want to attach hose to both ends of the spraybar
also made the homemade 25mm acrylic intakes
also made a 25mm acrylic spray bar but cant seem to get a good picture of that just looks like a bit of acrylic tube
Re: hypothetical fx5
impressed with your diy skills mate very nice intake. simpler to convert to 1" than i thought. ive a Fluidized bed i want to use as a reactor could probably convert that. do you have a link for the tails please think im i going through with this. looks like ill be talking the wife in to it weekend would be nice to have a quite living room again
impressed with your diy skills mate very nice intake. simpler to convert to 1" than i thought. ive a Fluidized bed i want to use as a reactor could probably convert that. do you have a link for the tails please think im i going through with this. looks like ill be talking the wife in to it weekend would be nice to have a quite living room again
Gfish
Member
- Joined
- 5 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 426
hypothetical fx5
Hi
I have an FX5 that I run CO2 through. Basicly the CO2 pipe goes into the intake between one of the slots and up into the pipe above. So theres no wasted gas, it all goes into the filter and comes out via a spraybar along the back wall of the tank. This method ensures good dissolved gas and good distribution.
I started off with a diffuser under the intake, and this worked fine but it lost some gas that missed the intake so was not as efficient as it is now. I'm estimating I should get approx. 30% longer out of a bottle.
I thought about the AM reactor as well as building my own, but there's no better way of doing this than using the whole filter to do the job im really happy with the simplicity and the results.
Cheers
Gavin
Hi
I have an FX5 that I run CO2 through. Basicly the CO2 pipe goes into the intake between one of the slots and up into the pipe above. So theres no wasted gas, it all goes into the filter and comes out via a spraybar along the back wall of the tank. This method ensures good dissolved gas and good distribution.
I started off with a diffuser under the intake, and this worked fine but it lost some gas that missed the intake so was not as efficient as it is now. I'm estimating I should get approx. 30% longer out of a bottle.
I thought about the AM reactor as well as building my own, but there's no better way of doing this than using the whole filter to do the job
im really happy with the simplicity and the results.Cheers
Gavin
Re: hypothetical fx5
oh sorry mate thought it was you with the ply do you have a Journal for your tank.
defiantly going to get an fx5 now did you thread the hole you drilled in the aqua medic or are you 1" barbs just glued or held with a nut the other side cant put a thread in what im going to use the plastics not thick enough so will have to try to find a nut to hold it plus glue thanks for your help buy the way
oh sorry mate thought it was you with the ply do you have a Journal for your tank.
defiantly going to get an fx5 now did you thread the hole you drilled in the aqua medic or are you 1" barbs just glued or held with a nut the other side cant put a thread in what im going to use the plastics not thick enough so will have to try to find a nut to hold it plus glue thanks for your help buy the way
Re: hypothetical fx5
iv ordered the fx5 did look at Eheim but they cost to much. once its here on the following Saturday ill probably take the alfgrog out of my sump put it all in and just start using the fx5. then once its settled down ill put in some polishing pads, might get some more purigen too. now need to work out what bits to get for the reactor. not sure i can convert my fluidised bed so bit of a re think is needed.
iv ordered the fx5 did look at Eheim but they cost to much. once its here on the following Saturday ill probably take the alfgrog out of my sump put it all in and just start using the fx5. then once its settled down ill put in some polishing pads, might get some more purigen too. now need to work out what bits to get for the reactor. not sure i can convert my fluidised bed so bit of a re think is needed.
Gfish
Member
- Joined
- 5 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 426
hypothetical fx5
Hi
You'll not be sorry of your purchase, I love my FX5! The waterchange facility alone is a great asset.
I did post earlier with an explanation of how I have it set up. Not sure if you missed it, but have you not given thought to using the filter itself as a giant reactor?
Avoids adding extra hardware and restricting flow.
I tried polishing pads in mine but they clog up and within a couple of weeks the flow is noticeably slowed down, and it almost stopped. I don't use polishing pads at all now.
Cheers
Gavin
Hi
You'll not be sorry of your purchase, I love my FX5! The waterchange facility alone is a great asset.
I did post earlier with an explanation of how I have it set up. Not sure if you missed it, but have you not given thought to using the filter itself as a giant reactor?
Avoids adding extra hardware and restricting flow.
I tried polishing pads in mine but they clog up and within a couple of weeks the flow is noticeably slowed down, and it almost stopped. I don't use polishing pads at all now.
Cheers
Gavin
Re: hypothetical fx5
sorry gfish i read your post before work and forgot to reply. i know a lot of people use the filter to react co2 but i have 2 concerns the first is on a 750l high light tank that's a lot of gas to put through even a big filter. second the fx5 has the in built shut of thing to get rid of built up gas. i don't know of that being a problem on any other filter so didn't want to add more gas to it. i might give it a go just for a bit see how it affects the filter. what size was your tank any idea how much gas you are putting in.
sorry gfish i read your post before work and forgot to reply. i know a lot of people use the filter to react co2 but i have 2 concerns the first is on a 750l high light tank that's a lot of gas to put through even a big filter. second the fx5 has the in built shut of thing to get rid of built up gas. i don't know of that being a problem on any other filter so didn't want to add more gas to it. i might give it a go just for a bit see how it affects the filter. what size was your tank any idea how much gas you are putting in.
Gfish
Member
- Joined
- 5 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 426
hypothetical fx5
Hi
Yeah I worried about the same things but I've been running it like this now for a month or two and it's going great. My tank is 720litre. I'd say give it a try, you can always change it and build a reactor once you're up and running, but I have a feeling you'll stick with it and be happy of the minimising on hardware. Remember also that if you want to put in an inline reactor you'll need to change the Fluval ribbed hosing.
The FX5 cut off period lasts 2 mins, that's all. I've not noticed any downside to this.
To be honest, I wish I had a clear cased FX5 so I could see what goes on in there but I imagine those CO2 bubbles, and lots of them are diffused and become liquid fairly quickly in the turbulence of such a powerful filter.
Once you get this filter set up, I bet you'll want another one the tank certainly doesn't need it, but as I had a heavy fishload, (6 large silver dollars, 6 medium to large cichlids and 4 medium to large plecs) I saw a secondhand one for sale and snapped it up. It was either that or add powerheads as I wanted lots of flow. Not really sure it was necessary but hey, I couldn't resist
Cheers
Gavin
Hi
Yeah I worried about the same things but I've been running it like this now for a month or two and it's going great. My tank is 720litre. I'd say give it a try, you can always change it and build a reactor once you're up and running, but I have a feeling you'll stick with it and be happy of the minimising on hardware. Remember also that if you want to put in an inline reactor you'll need to change the Fluval ribbed hosing.
The FX5 cut off period lasts 2 mins, that's all. I've not noticed any downside to this.
To be honest, I wish I had a clear cased FX5 so I could see what goes on in there but I imagine those CO2 bubbles, and lots of them are diffused and become liquid fairly quickly in the turbulence of such a powerful filter.
Once you get this filter set up, I bet you'll want another one
the tank certainly doesn't need it, but as I had a heavy fishload, (6 large silver dollars, 6 medium to large cichlids and 4 medium to large plecs) I saw a secondhand one for sale and snapped it up. It was either that or add powerheads as I wanted lots of flow. Not really sure it was necessary but hey, I couldn't resist Cheers
Gavin
