Fluval Fx5 Vs Rena Filstar Xp4

[jgray152]

Well its still injesting air after taking it apart so I contacted Hagen to see if they can send me a new o-ring under warrenty to see if that is the cause.

 

[adamgreen240]

that is just the problem i am having with my filter , also the flow rate has dropped significantly . Don't know why. Ive had it about 3 months now , Cheers cheesey!

 

[jgray152]

I sent a message to you Adam.

I decided to add the edited version of the message here to since it does have some info in it that I have no previously posted.

I do have a micron filtration pad, I think its 10 micron pad. Im going to remove that tonight to see if water flow and the air bubble problem goes away. Hagen says that micron pads may cause the air problems if they clog up.

My question is, understanding that a clogging micron pad could create excessive vacuum between it and the impeller, where is the air coming from? The only area I can think of is the o-ring at the impeller and motor. Some day, not this month but I may take some aqaurium safe silicone and apply it to the o-ring and install the impeller and motor to the filter housing, install a micron pad and see if the air still gets in.

Hagen told me that if its an o-ring problem, then water would leak from there too. This would be true if the oring was bad. Negitive Pressure (Vacuum) and Positive Pressure (well.. Pressure) can have different effects on the sealing properties of a gasket such as the o-ring. Pressure could seal it and to much vacuum could potentially reduce the seal, but since there is so much vacuum, no watter escapes.

Another thought on this same issue is that I THINK the o-ring for the impeller and the motor is on the HIGH PRESSURE side (back of the impeller) and not the NEGITIVE PRESSURE side (infront of the impeller) so that particular o - ring may not have any issue at all.

Now for the flow issue, I have no idea why my filter flowed so horrible at one point. Must have been trapped air some where, im guessing at the top of the filter unit which in theory, when the filter is off, it should all escape through the output.

Considering the water has to change directions atleast 3 times which is VERY bad for performance, any marginal clogging could reduce the output drastically and effect the output more then say on the Rena. Not saying the rena will last longer, but infact saying if the water only had to change direction ONCE like on most canister filter, especially the Rena Xp Series, then the effect of marginal clogging would not be as severe.

I only know very little about fluid dynamics but I do now that change in flow does have an effect on pressures within the unit. Now how much of an effect its really has, I really do not know.

So with that said, im going to remove my micron pad and see what happends. Micron pads should be changed or thoroughly cleaned every 3-5 days according to Hagen which seems about right. I always try to get months which doesn't help.. Im bad I know.

Justin -

 

[T1KARMANN]

easy solution sell them both and buy a eheim

then you know you have a filter for life

 

[jgray152]

easy solution sell them both and buy a eheim

then you know you have a filter for life

What type of loan should I take out to purchase the Ehiem

I removed the micron pad which was very clogged up, there was standing water on top of the pad, that really tells you something. haha.

Flow is incredible now and so far no bubbles. I will have to wait till tomarrow morning to see if there really will be no more bubbles

 

[adamgreen240]

easy solution sell them both and buy a eheim

then you know you have a filter for life

What type of loan should I take out to purchase the Ehiem

I removed the micron pad which was very clogged up, there was standing water on top of the pad, that really tells you something. haha.

Flow is incredible now and so far no bubbles. I will have to wait till tomarrow morning to see if there really will be no more bubbles

Haha , i know you would need to buy the pro 3 which just would break the bank. I feel its so much wasted money which could be spend on other stuff like fish . lol

Cheers for the PM Mate , Replied to it!

Adam

 

[jgray152]

Here is a video of the water flow from the Fx5 at full flow with biomax, second fine particle spunge and filter fiber plus the spunges.

You need Quick Time to play the video. I took it with my phone.
http/midnightgray.net/video/fx5%20water%20flow.3g2

The fx5 is obveously over kill for the 55 which is why I turned it down about half.

 

[MojoDex]

easy solution sell them both and buy a eheim

then you know you have a filter for life

What type of loan should I take out to purchase the Ehiem

I removed the micron pad which was very clogged up, there was standing water on top of the pad, that really tells you something. haha.

Flow is incredible now and so far no bubbles. I will have to wait till tomarrow morning to see if there really will be no more bubbles

rena xp4 £90
fluval fx 5 £120

£210 total.

Eheim 2080 is £167.95 from 1st4aquatics http/www.1st4aquatics.com/eheim-professi...lter-2132-p.asp

so 42.05 cheaper than two filters it will beat hands down with ease no loan needed

 

[jgray152]

Your money is obveously worth A LOT more than ours in the States

I hope you can view this site in our dollars. 2080 for us is about $500 US. I wish I could get the 2080. If I had the money I would most certainly get the 2080 instead of the Fx5. Although I only have a 55 and the Fx5 is over kill so spending that kind of money on a filter that I can't use at its full potential is kinda silly.

[URL="http/www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=EH2080"]http/www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=EH2080[/URL]

Xp4 usually goes for $180 w/o shipping.
Fx5 goes for about $230-300 w/o shipping.

Our money is almost usless.

 

[jgray152]

When looking at the Ehiem 2080s media baskets, I feel like I have to measure up to it. SOOOO. I am working on plans on modifing the bottom basket to eliminate the spunges, seal off the slots, cut into the center ring leaving the top of the ring for the o-ring to seal and sealing off the top of the outer portion where the spunges are. This will alow one HUGE basket for LOTS of media. It will still be bypass free.

Dremal, very thin plexi and aqua silicone seems like it would be able to make it happen. I do have to say that Hagen could have made 3 gigantic baskets with a TON of surface area that would easily out do ehiems 2080 if they had went with the designs such as 2080 or Rena to incorperate almost the entire filter housing. So I do think they went the wrong direction with the possibilites but its still a great filter.

Seems I can only do it to the bottom basket it though. I will have to order a new basket from fluval to analyze and work on.

 

[MojoDex]

heres one for you then it's where i got both my 2180's from and about 7 of my other filters, they ship worldwide as well.

[URL="http/www.aquaristikshop.com/cgi-bin/neu/...mp;t=temartic_e"]http/www.aquaristikshop.com/cgi-bin/neu/...mp;t=temartic_e[/URL]

250 euros is roughly $360 a whole $140 cheaper and they ship worldwide all it means is you would need a plug converter which are only cheap any how.

here's there breakdown of shipping costs.
[URL="http/www.aquaristikshop.com/cgi-bin/neu/...uFQdah9MmAM8Daf"]http/www.aquaristikshop.com/cgi-bin/neu/...uFQdah9MmAM8Daf[/URL]

obviously the dollor is stupidly weak right now but it seems to me buying from there would still be cheaper, it's where all my equipment comes from

fluvals main problem is they go out of there way to be different to eheim and that is never going to be a good thing!

 

[jgray152]

those links don't seem to be working

I tried to see if they would hsip to the United States but it doesn't seem to be so.

I was guessing on what the site was saying too.. I guess I will put the address in goggle and have them translate it.

 

[MojoDex]

they do ship staeside the second link i gave you is a break down of the delivery costs worldwide, they will ship the western samoa i dont think usa will be a problem

 

[Bastables]

<a href="http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20622105" target="_blank">http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20622105</a>

eheim 2260 $299 USD, 500 GPH. 18 litres Media cap

Eheim 2262 $430 USD 900 GPH 18 litres media cap <a href="http/www.nextag.com/eheim-2262/search-html" target="_blank">http/www.nextag.com/eheim-2262/search-html</a>


eheim 2080 369 USD <a href="http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20620167" target="_blank">http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20620167</a>

Fluval fx5 is 299.99 over the net at similar US shops. Considering the OP spent 400 USD on two filters there is no need to get a loan to buy a top of the line eheim.

Also food for thought :
Once both filters are cycled the Eheim can support bacteria that will handle approximately 3 times the bio load of the FX5 without showing ammonia.
It takes 3 FX5's to handle the biological capacity of 1 Eheim 2080 in a real world cycled tank situation with a pump thats rated at less then half the Fluvals flowrate. The FX5 is unable to handle ammonia generated at anything more then 37ppm per 24 hours while the Eheim continues to process ammonia at up to 123ppm per 24 hours.
The Ehiem is rated for a 1200 litre tank ...the Fluval for a 1500 litre tank. (taken from <a href="http/www.####.com/forums/s...8458&page=4" target="_blank">http/www.####.com/forums/s...8458&page=4</a> ). (odd but the ling shpuld replace the #### with monsterfishkeeping to work).

 

[jgray152]

<a href="http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20622105" target="_blank">http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20622105</a>

eheim 2260 $299 USD, 500 GPH. 18 litres Media cap

Eheim 2262 $430 USD 900 GPH 18 litres media cap <a href="http/www.nextag.com/eheim-2262/search-html" target="_blank">http/www.nextag.com/eheim-2262/search-html</a>


eheim 2080 369 USD <a href="http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20620167" target="_blank">http/www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=20620167</a>

Fluval fx5 is 299.99 over the net at similar US shops. Considering the OP spent 400 USD on two filters there is no need to get a loan to buy a top of the line eheim.

Also food for thought :
Once both filters are cycled the Eheim can support bacteria that will handle approximately 3 times the bio load of the FX5 without showing ammonia.
It takes 3 FX5's to handle the biological capacity of 1 Eheim 2080 in a real world cycled tank situation with a pump thats rated at less then half the Fluvals flowrate. The FX5 is unable to handle ammonia generated at anything more then 37ppm per 24 hours while the Eheim continues to process ammonia at up to 123ppm per 24 hours.
The Ehiem is rated for a 1200 litre tank ...the Fluval for a 1500 litre tank. (taken from <a href="http/www.####.com/forums/s...8458&page=4" target="_blank">http/www.####.com/forums/s...8458&page=4</a> ). (odd but the ling shpuld replace the #### with monsterfishkeeping to work).

It wasn't planned to by both filters and I really didn't have the money. I bought the Fx5 for $180 so I got a great deal on it. The Fx5 its self is over kill for my tank so buying a more expensive filter is out of the question.

Thanks for the info though.