Fluvial FX5

[AmazonRainbows]

Cage,

Base on what I read on the eheim 2260 it's a backwash That's how eheim call it!

[Harriett]

After a lot of research and checking out reviews from Australia, England, and Canada, I took a chance on a Fluval for the first time (I've always used Eheim and wet/drys before) and just got an FX5 to replace a big wet/dry with a Magnum HOT for my 180g tank. I rarely was able to get the crystal clear look to water and after several years, just wanted to try something else for a while. I got it set up a couple weeks ago and my feedback is this: There is a lot of talking about the micro chip and faulty design etc---I have watched my unit click off for the 2 minute interval a couple times--I think this is a back up--so far, no air is dispelled--if you have it set up right, there is no air exposure--it is great for initial priming and a back up otherwise I think. No big deal. Second--the water is CRYSTAL CLEAR--this is a heavily planted tank with 10 discus and a bunch of bristlenose, etc--the usual. I changed it up a bit when I set it up: Put a big sponge on the intake, changed the output to a T barred spray bar at the bottom of the tank that is about 3 feet long in total. I also cooked up a CO2 reactor thing that is working efficiently by drilling out one of the end caps, siliconing in rigid airline tubing which extends out about 3 inches; CO2 black tubing is on the outside line and there's a micro bubbler on the internal side; screwed it back together--water flow against the bubbler is breaking the CO2 bubbles up with great absorption and they come out the spray bar holes--a regulator, etc keeps the pH where I want it and everything is neat and out of the way. I like the spigot on the bottom for draining off water also--most of the debris is at the bottom and it keeps the filter cleaner and efficient.
Anyhow, so far I am really happy with the FX5--also, it is QUIET as hell--virtually silent. Time will tell, but so far I'm pleased! Just some feedback.
Best regards,
Harriett

[Dood Lee]

As far as I know, not even the new ProII's or the Pro3 can be completely 100% free of trapped air. I should know, my ProII sometimes get air trapped when I restart it after a WC. It releases it on its own within an hour or so. From my experience with canisters (Magnums, Fluvals, Rena Filstars, and now the ProII), none seem to beat the design of the Eheim classic. It's interesting that it was the very first canister ever built, and it still has the best design. It has a top mounted pump, and water goes in through the bottom and out the top. Since the water flows in only one direction within the filter, there is no media bypass and loss of flow, and the top of the canister is shaped so that any air withing the canister will always rise to the output tube. Most new canisters have abandoned this design (I don't know why, its nearly perfect).

Most of the newer canisters now have their inputs and outputs at the top (whereas the classics have their inputs at the bottom and outputs at the top). The only advantage to having top mounted inputs and outputs is the ease of use when needing to service the filter. Just pop the top, and the canister is ready to be cleaned.

BTW, I never meant to suggest that the FX5 was unrealiable. I have no doubt that the filter functions well. What I don't like is when all companies come out with some so-called "revolutionary" new thing in aquarium filtration, and it amounts to just useless components or gimmicks. However, any of the current lines of canisters will perform well enough for your needs. Price will also play a factor. I hadn't realized that you didn't live in the U.S. So the prices where you are will greatly reflect the filter you buy. My suggestion is to buy the best filter that you can afford. The reason I brought up the classic line was to make note of its quality and longevity. A friend has his eheim classic running for about 12 years now, and it performs just as good as it did when he got it. That isn't to say that other canisters can't last that long, but with so many revisions to their products, no other company can boast about having the same canister design for as long as eheim has.

BTW, here are some reference pics of the 2260:





Notice that the top cover is somewhat concave. This prevents the air from being trapped. Such a simple solution, I'm surprised no one else does it. Also, the pump for the filter is just a regular pump, and is not integrated to the system. This modularity enables you to actually place the pump somewhere other than the top of the canister. I've seen it done in a store once - the owner had the canister below the tank in the stand, but the return pump was at another area.

[AmazonRainbows]

Thank you for the comment Harriett. Every comment is welcome.

The girls at my LFS said almost the same thing about water clear. She move on from two eheim canister to one eheim and one fluval FX5. She said is water as never been this clear. I known she always been a big fan of eheim and never reference fluval before. When eheim give her the new model she give a try and then she try the fluval. Her comment to eheim was: you just made a big new green trash! She said the new eheim model was not as efficient as this unit and was very noisy. She been very impress by the fluval and she put this filter right in the front store. I think she's the kind of girl very spontaneous and she was realy telling from her heart.

[AmazonRainbows]

Hello Dood,

Thank you for your generous reply. I have few more question if you would like to answer.

1) What is the consequence of air been trap in a canister filter. Can it make the unit break down? Does it have a huge and direct impact on the water flow? In fact I would like to known why it's so bad to have a little bit of air trap in the unit.

2) Is the part hard to find on a 12 years old eheim unit or this design is still exactly the same as it's sold today?

By the way, You live in a place everyone dream at least once in a life time

[Dood Lee]

Hello Dood,

Thank you for your generous reply. I have few more question if you would like to answer.

1) What is the consequence of air been trap in a canister filter. Can it make the unit break down? Does it have a huge and direct impact on the water flow? In fact I would like to known why it's so bad to have a little bit of air trap in the unit.

2) Is the part hard to find on a 12 years old eheim unit or this design is still exactly the same as it's sold today?

By the way, You live in a place everyone dream at least once in a life time

To be truthful, I actually don't know what the consequences of trapped air in a canister would be. I've never experienced a problem where air was trapped in my canister for more than a few hours. I would think that if air was trapped, perhaps the suction would be hindered, but that's just a guess.

With regards to parts, the eheim 2260 is really a modular unit. If you look at my picture above, the pump for the canister is really just an eheim pump that they sell separately. So, if the pump were to break down, it's easily fixed as the parts are readily available. With regards to the entire filter, there are really only about three main pieces. There is the canister itself, the cover, and the pump cover. The one downside to the eheim classics is that there are no media baskets. You just stuff it full of stuff. For cleanliness, I would just put all media in those mesh bags they sell at stores.

[Cosmo]

For what it is or isn't worth I've always preferred the Eheim Classic line over the Pro II line as well. Far more versatile, and much less money. Either way you go though, they hold a ton of bio media and are about as reliable as you can get. I've never had air trapping inside either accept on occassion after the first start up.. once it's purged, it's never a problem. The Eheim wet/drys which are based on the Pro II line take in air, but... they're designed to breath to increase gas exchange. The Pro 3 line looks awesome, but, a little too pricey for me

On the 2260, bigalsonline has the price at $249 USD, and I thought they shipped to Canada?. Expect to pay about half as much again to fill it with media ..

The new Fluval is certainly impressive looking... very high tech in appearance and apparently in design as well going by the ad. Question that came to my mind though is what type of media, and how much does it hold Didn't see that mentioned at least in the ad posted... I don't go to the LFS very often and haven't seen one, or, seen them for sale online yet.

Eheim is time tested... only time will tell if the FX5 is as good over the long haul..

Jim

[Dood Lee]

Question that came to my mind though is what type of media, and how much does it hold Didn't see that mentioned at least in the ad posted... I don't go to the LFS very often and haven't seen one, or, seen them for sale online yet.

Eheim is time tested... only time will tell if the FX5 is as good over the long haul..

Jim

The FX5 has a slightly higher flow rate, but the eheim 2260 holds more media. And yes, the eheim classics are time tested to last for decades (based on the many people who still have some from the 80s).

BTW, Big Al's is a Canadian shop. Their U.S. prices are cheaper than their Canadian ones. And no, people in Canada can't order it at the U.S. site and have it shipped north.

On the 2260, bigalsonline has the price at $249 USD, and I thought they shipped to Canada?. Expect to pay about half as much again to fill it with media ..

If you really wanted to be cheap about it, $5 gets you a pretty big bag of lava rock from a garden shop. It's a pretty cheap way to get excellent bio media. It's better than sponges, and just as good as the brand name bio media you can buy in stores.

[AmazonRainbows]

Dood,

Regarding the performance do you agree that both filter (eheim & fluval) are almost the same?

Now here another important thing. The price to fill and replace the media inside the canister. According to FLUVAL here is the sponge need in this filter:

A228 FX5 filter foam: 22.95$
A246 FX5 Polish pad:
A248 FX5 fine polish pad:

I don't have the price right now but I will update this post very soon.

Dood, What are the media that need replacement in the eheim? I known it's an empty can but is there any sponge or other media that is made to fit exactly in the unit?

[Dood Lee]

Dood,

Regarding the performance do you agree that both filter (eheim & fluval) are almost the same?

Now here another important thing. The price to fill and replace the media inside the canister. According to FLUVAL here is the sponge need in this filter:

A228 FX5 filter foam:
A246 FX5 Polish pad:
A248 FX5 fine polish pad:

I don't have the price right now but I will update this post very soon.

Dood, What are the media that need replacement in the eheim? I known it's an empty can but is there any sponge or other media that is made to fit exactly in the unit?

It's hard to pinpoint a price, because you can literally fill it with whatever you want. I have never used any of the giant classic eheim filters, so I'm at a loss as to how much advice I can give regarding their performance. However, this one site (link below) reviewed the 2250 which is the model below the 2260. It has less media room and lacks the extra output on the bottom for "backwashing" the filter, but the media he uses should hold true for the 2260. Remember though, that you can fill it with whatever media you want, so if you find cheaper substitutes for what the reviewer uses, you can go with those.

http://www.cloudytanks.com/reviews/canisters/2250.html

[AmazonRainbows]

Hello Dood,

I buy the FX5 yesterday but didn't have the time to check it out yet. I will give you my first impression very soon.

[Dood Lee]

Hello Dood,

I buy the FX5 yesterday but didn't have the time to check it out yet. I will give you my first impression very soon.

If it's possible to take pictures, please do so. The lfs in my area that had one running refused to let me take a look at the interior of the machine when I ask to inspect it's inner workings. Which is ridiculous, since I want to find out for myself about the filter rather than believe manufacturer claims.

[AmazonRainbows]

Hello Dood,

I will try to post picture they are already take. It's just because I have problem to donwsize the weight of each picture so they can be post here. Maybe Marie will help me later.

Ok here is my first impression. It is realy huge... Even the hose are above regular size. The installation look very simple, the clip are great and it come's with a two way nozle to spray water in more then one direction in tank. It realy look just like a trash can. A green one in mini A DVD for proper care is also include.

Water is not push to flow in media but it is pull. Pump is very easy to dismount for changing or cleaning. Take me less then 2 minutes. Impeler is big and strong. My first deception is the bottom valve to flush the unit is working with differential water level. No pump So I will have to be very astucious to automate the weekly flush for this unit.

But: The input is going right down the tank. Inside it flow on a ramp in the bottom so big waster will always move toward the flush valve. Then the water goes thrue all the 3 stages filter sponge (outside the basket) way UP.
From there it goes in the midle of the basket and make is way thrue the bottom where is a pump that PULL the water. This mean the first basket when opening the filter is the one that will be change more often. They add something interesting for the air. I don't think this is a bar air design because of two thing: The top cover is convex just like with the eheim 2260. But more ingenious they add a little shypon from the top midle of basket (where air can get trap) right to the output water. So when the water is going out it is always syphoning air in the basket if any! I took some picture and will try to post them latter. I feel this is another ingenious way to expend the filter/space ratio while optimizing exit of trap air.

To recapitulate: Water goes up and down two times in the unit (I think it is an improuvement) It first Goes from top to bottom with dirty water. Then it goes up in a tree stage filter foam. It then goes down again to flow in a three stage basket system. From there it is pump out syphoning trap air on is way (if any) that is on the top cover between the sponge and the three stage basket.

Lock and basket are easy to mount/dismount and handle.

[Dood Lee]

Interesting. Thanks for the info, I had wondered about the flow inside the canister as the pics I saw showed that it didn't take a tradition route within the baskets. Out of curiosity, how much is the price differential between an eheim 2260 and the FX5 up in Canada. I have researched this extensively, but since you already bought the FX5, it's a moot point.

I ask because from all the information I have gathered, the 2260 and the FX5 are pretty much identical to each other except for one area - media capacity. The FX5 holds 6 liters of media (from Hagen's site) and the eheim 2260 holds 18 liters ( I know, it sounds crazy but I checked all my resources and it's confirmed). So, ideally, the decision to buy which filter depends on how much you want to spend, and how much the extra media capacity of the 2260 is worth to you.

[AmazonRainbows]

Hello Dood,

18 liters is a very huge capacity If I'm not satisfied with my bio filter It will be the additionnal filter I will add. Another thing to look out is the media capacity. I'm not shure the place take by the first stage with sponge is taking in account . I will verify latter but it is true that the 2260 is comming in a bigger box so the canister may be bigger.

Yes price is a big issue here in Canada. The differentiel in price is 219$ almost the price of another FX5

I will use at least three filters. One wispher 40i (Chem), one fluval 403 (full bio) and one Fluval FX5 (Mechanical). Plus two Hydro-sponge V (made for 125 Gal/each).

But if I want big bio mass I will take a serious look to the eheim 2260. I wish you come with this before it would be a lot more helpfull then the air trap issue witch does not look as such a big deal. Not your fault but it make's me change my focus for a little while and i forgot to check out this point. But I like the basket idea witch make cleaning up a lot more easier. This is why I will use the FX5 as a garbage filter and I will use other filter less easier in maintenance for BIO load.

It's never to late if I change my mind. My LFS take anything back from me. I exchange so much in the last tree month but you can figure out how much I buy.

My 150Gal just arrive one hour ago and right now everything is upside down in the house. I was suppose to move out all my computer room but the buyer didn't show up this morning. I will try to post in the next few days.