Cleaning fx5

[Convict2161]

With everything that's been going on with my tank I was just curious, how often do you clean your fx5.

I cleaned mine tonight. I drained the intake and outtakes into a 5 gallon bucket and brought that an the fx5 outside. I had another bucket ready and drained the fx5 into the other. I swished the sponges in old tank water and rinsed very lightly the pre filter and the biomax. The sponges were caked with gunk!

Last time I cleaned it was probably 5-6 months ago. So I was just curious when you clean yours.

 

[tropical-fish]

once a month for me. i rinse of the sponges with tank water and replace the filter floss.

 

[mfdrookie516]

You should clean it about once a month at least. I always cleaned my canisters while I was doing water changes. I'd run the hose outside or to a bathtub and rinse the sponges and biomedia with the old tank water... a lot easier than using a bucket and having brown hands afterwards.

 

[Convict2161]

You should clean it about once a month at least. I always cleaned my canisters while I was doing water changes. I'd run the hose outside or to a bathtub and rinse the sponges and biomedia with the old tank water... a lot easier than using a bucket and having brown hands afterwards.

Yeah sooo true! The wife eh not so much, "your putting that where?" "not where I shower!"

Ugh!! So yeah buckets it is for me. I lost that fight. Ok so once a month. Do you replace the sponges or media? Example my biomax seems to be shrinking? The pre filter rings ate fine. The last 2 trays have the biomax. I don't use filter floss in the canister. I just drop it in my AC110 it's just easier for me since I change it every few days or every week.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I kept FW for a little over 2 years before tearing them down and switching to reef. I never changed the media in my canisters, all of them had been run at least a year, some closer to two. I never used an FX5, but it's pretty similar to the 05 series media wise, which is what I had. Most of that media should be good for several years.

 

[Convict2161]

I kept FW for a little over 2 years before tearing them down and switching to reef. I never changed the media in my canisters, all of them had been run at least a year, some closer to two. I never used an FX5, but it's pretty similar to the 05 series media wise, which is what I had. Most of that media should be good for several years.

Cool thanks for the info.