Fluval FX6 - My African Cichlid Tank Filtration, Cleaning and Maintenance
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- In this video I show the filtration setup I have on my African Cichlid tank, which has been running for about 12-months now. I have two Fluval FX6 canister filters on my aquarium (630L/166gal aquarium) which consists of a mix of ~20 Lake Malawi cichlids (peacocks, haps, and mbuna).
I discuss/show the following:
0:41 - About the FX6 and my tank maintenance;
1:40 - How to drain a FX6 canister filter;
8:20 - How a FX6 filter works;
9:06 - How I setup my media and the types of filtration I use;
12:54 - How I clean the media;
17:53 - How to restart the filter.
Throughout the video I also more generally discuss what I like/don't like about the filters.
I hope that you find this video helpful and enjoy it! If you do, I would love for you to give it a like, and comment down below what you think.
If you would like to see more content like this, I would love for you to subscribe to my channel :D You might also like to check out some of my other videos!
Some of my playlists:
My African Cichlids
• My African Cichlids
My Tank Setup
• My Lake Malawi Setup
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Well made and very detailed video! Didn’t know that the fx6 had so much space for media 😱👏
Thank you so much!! Yes they're huge filters 😱
@@Kaityscichlids great filter, lasts for years. I just wish the bio media trays were bigger.
@@justinrvarga7236 I agree!
Excelente video, muy bien echo y detallado, esos filtros son una maravilla, yo tengo un fX6, compraré uno más, para agregarlo como lo muestras en tu acuario. Saludos kaity desde México 🇲🇽.
Watch pond guru he has a video on this video that shows how much space it has.
Hey Kaity I have a question that you might have some insight on. One of the main things I like about fish tanks is that they are little eco-systems. You have plants, invertebrates, and fish all living in harmony. African cichlids seem to be really bad with plants though so they don't really have eco-system aquariums.
Do you know of any way to introduce plants and invertebrates to cichlid tanks and have, for example, a lake Malawi biotope?
Thanks. Love the extremely niche south east Queensland aquarium enthusiast content!
Hey Jordan! I know of a few people who keep vallisneria in their Malawi setups, I think that is the plant closest to a natural biotope. As long as it is held down by something and large enough to not get eaten they do quite well and like the high pH. Otherwise I've also seen people keep anubias attached to the rocks with good success 😊
Hi Kaity. I have a 200 litre aquarium with plants and cichlids. I'm thinking about getting an Eheim Pro 4 600 which is up to 600litres. I could also get the size smaller which goes up to 350 litres. A friend told me to always get a bigger size for an aquarium. I don't know if this is necessarily true. What are your opinions on the size of filters corresponding with tank size? Thanks for any advice you have.
In general it's a good rule of thumb for a filter that is capable at minimum turning over the aquarium volume twice per hour, but even up to 5 x an hour you still get a benefit. There can be a point where you don't get any return for the amount of filtration you have (depending on the tank size and amount of waste it produces), but I think the Eheim Pro 4 600 is still reasonable for a 200 litre aquarium, and would be more beneficial than the smaller one
Приятно видеть ролики стольуливительно красивой девушки. Которая занимается аквариумом и разбирается в фильтрах.
Hey Kaity! Thats not easy to film with one hand and do the rest with the other. Appreciate all the hard work you put in. You should seek someone's help in your family next time 🙂
I do my best!! Thank you heaps, I appreciate it 😊
If you are open to a few helpful hint I’d be happy to share. 1 your drain hose should remain attached and wrap it around the filter, the end should be pressed into those to clips on top the lid with the stopper on the end of the hose. 2 Just remove all the sponge filters and drop them in a bucket to clean in the sink. 3 Use a tot not a bucket with tank water, leave all your media in the plastic holder and just dip the entire plastic holder into the tot water and shake it a little to clean it off, no more media in your drain. 4 use your inlet hose to fill the filter back up before putting the lid on, it’s already primed with water and has an on off switch no need to put your mouth on a hose. And all the dirty water is fantastic for watering plants.
This is soooo helpful! I can't believe I didn't think of some of these things 🤣 Thank you heaps Byron
Also where are your red sticks that goes on each side of you filter trays? They make it so you can pull all 3 trays out at one time without making to much of a mess.
@@CFish-N-Cars A few postings ago she noted she took those off since thought they might have been rattling & making noise. I doubt they were the culprit, but thats why.
Open the bottom valve before trying to un hook the hoses so there's not sucktion keeping them on and you end up spilling less.
Çok bereket versin inşallah güzel olmuş
Hello friend i know you i saw your post on instagram m there as meow cichlid nice to meet you again and I subscribe your Channel 👍😊
That's awesome! Thank you so much 😊
I love the product super dope❤❤❤⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A girl doing the hard work of this hobby )) Congratulations. You have amazing tanks. And, what a monster filter. Great. 💗
Thank you so much 😊🙌
Very nice tank !!! New sub ! I started with one small 40 gallon tank and now goes out of control with multiple tanks . I got 5 125 gallons tanks . R u planning to get more tanks ?
Thank you so much!! 😊
Hello friends I am from India 🇮🇳. How many days after cleaning the filters?
Please reply 🙏
Hi Guha! I try to clean mine once every 3 months. Some people wait longer or only clean it if the flow of the filter slows down
@@Kaityscichlids thanks
Saludos desde Colombia! 🇨🇴
Nice looking tank Kaity!...I could never go back to canister filters though..I have a 40g sump for my 240g tank and love the ease of use. You have a a nice deep substrate which is awesome but what you should have done is utilized an undergravel filter with filter plates. The only thing you need to put under the plates are high quality bio media like biohome ultimate. After 8-12 weeks that media will become anoxic because it seems very little water flow and will start reducing your nitrates. That in turn will keep your water clean and cut down on need for water changes.
By the way, activated carbon is charcoal. They are the same thing.
Thank you! That's actually a great idea, I am moving soon so I'll have to redo the tank so it's definitely something I'll consider. I would love to try a sump one day
🤩🤩Worth watching 👍👍👌👌. This vedio will be helpful to me and I am planning to get a 5 feet aquarium for African cichlids
Thank you!! That's so awesome to hear :)
I connected both of my fx6's to each other. Essentially one acts as a giant prefilter and I haven't had to clean the second filter for 18 months now.
What a great idea!
Wow, i havent seen any one else discuss this option.
Would this work using an fx6 with an fx 4 ?
Use a Python to do water changes. It’s a game changer.
I will have to give it a go!
These Canister Filters are Not Cheap… 👀You have A Beautiful Set up here… With your TV & You can see your Fish inbetween Commercials. I bet you get good Sleep here all the time… great .. Video.. until the next one..😀✌🏾❤️
Hahaha yes, it is great having my living room, kitchen, and fish tank all in the same room!! Thank you so much :)
@@Kaityscichlids 😆
When I had discus fish in a 110 gallons aquarium (2014-2018), I used the Fluval FX5. Great big reliable filter with great flow, and simple to clean and maintain.
You should check out Pondguru's video on the FX6, he sets it up a bit differently, but also gives a more realistic idea on what size aquarium it is suited for. But good video!
Thank you!! 😊
I agree on lubricating the O rings prior to re-attaching. Once you are ready to attach the hoses, wet them all down again and they will slide right on. Conversely. When removing, a gentle but firm circular up method works well, don’t just try to yank back n forth and up. Adding just a bit of some food grade lubricant goes a long way to keeping O rings & fittings fitting smoothly - www.amazon.com/dp/B08QFQ8LFR/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B08QFQ8LFR&pd_rd_w=nSrUf&content-id=amzn1.sym.eb7c1ac5-7c51-4df5-ba34-ca810f1f119a&pf_rd_p=eb7c1ac5-7c51-4df5-ba34-ca810f1f119a&pf_rd_r=A2FW9MZ2FFCA84XDACFE&pd_rd_wg=ETpbR&pd_rd_r=174214fb-9b48-47ef-8344-e70de459c7e7&s=industrial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFHRU5RMk0xSkg1VVAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4MzU4MzE5TFNXNERIMEdIOTYmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDgxNTczNFZXVDJINDdIRk43RSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Honey,I do find your biological media pretty dirty.
You can do a massive upgrade on your filter, by changing your media setup.
The pondguru has a good video about that.
You can also increase your Biological media.
The pump is down in the filter. There are the sounds from. Got the same and also a couple other brands that have the pump on the top.. The fx6 is a easy start-up evert time. but can make some sounds of snails ore other things banging against the pump.
❤️ from India
Thank you!!
Great video as always! 👍
Been running my 6ft with 2 FX6 and an FX4. Recently changed the two fx6s with an Eheim 1500xl, which I was looking for almost a year to find. OMG what a difference!!!! First of all I was able to fit bio media of both fx6s in the Eheim plus a bit more!!! FX6 is good but not even close to the Eheim. Is just on another level!! If you can get your hands on one, I would strongly recommend giving it a try.
Omg that's amazing!! I will have to check them out, I've never seen the Eheims before. Thank you for sharing 😊
Eheim is bit too expensive for what it is.. Give a try to Oase filter, quite like Eheim but more innovative with practical advantages: heater inside, pre-filter tower incredibly easy to clean without touching the rest of the filter.. in Europa lot of fish keeper and aquascaper switch to this brand..
Your 2 FX6 are perfect. Just don't treat those foam pads/sponges as "mechanical media", tests have shown that they do an even better job at biological filtration than ceramic media, if one doesn't overclean them.
I think I have found my new favorite channel. Thank you so much Kaity for a very accurate review/demo on the FX6. Ive been a Eheim canister filter lover for years but really considering making the crossover to the FX6.
Thank you!! That's so nice of you to say, I appreciate it so much 😊
Thank you for good advice l chance different child under tank because they I child in tank very much induct Thailand ka advice kupchak 🥰🥰👍
Hi, Im very knew to this hobby and Im internetting flat out, but can i ask, is there a time frame you have to keeping the canister open, will it do damage ? PS: love ur aquarium.
Nice filter for sure but needs too much work. Try Oase Biomaster 850 :)
Still have 2 of those FX6 for my 12 red bellys and the only time I clean them is when they start to make some noise, for me it´s when the fine filters (I have them in the two bottom trays) starts to get clogged, and that´s the cue for me to clean them. But i only replace the fine filters and rinse the rough filter with tapwater.. the rest I rinse with the water from the aquarium.
And I´m one of those vikings so I just turn the valves of and carry the thing to the sink and emty it there 😏
Had the same issue as you with the impeller noise, I just put some fine filer wool between the plastic house to stop the vibrations.. worked for me.
And there is a big o-ring on the top lid that has to be replaced after some time of use, and don´t tighten all screws to hard (top lid and impeller house) , can´t say this is quality it´s all plastic like every other brand.
Love your videos!
You know you're about that life when you're digging around in fish poop rocks right after getting your nails done 😆
Those red trays are just taking up room that could be used for media
You should get one of those hose kits with the hand pump on it. This way you don't gotta suck on that dirty hose 😉
I did not read through all the comments. Here is a tip, so you don't have to suck on the hose to fill up your filter. Take your inlet hose, hold it over you filter. slowly open the valve and then fill your filter. Then close the valve again. And there you, no sucking on hoses :)
I sold my FX filter and stopped overstocking my tanks , I feel it’s wrong to be removing 50 % water once a week , fish don’t want to live not even one day in high nitrate water ,. I rather have less fish in consistently clean water and without any Sudden changes in water chemistry due to high % water changes .
Thanks for sharing....👍
Thank you!!
Instead of draining water out drain plug , shut inlet valve off as pump is pumping water out of cannister count to 15 turn power off immediately shut outlet valve, and u can take both hoses of and no water should spill .
Love your videos. Looking to set up a big peacock tank. What tank is that?
Omg! Hope you wash the bathtub before taking a dip!
Awesome video Kaity! 👌
Thank you so much!!
Can't beat these filters, there is no better canisters, tank is looking great
Thank you so much!
Can i use a fx6 with a 125 gallons rimless tank?
Not to sound like a clean freak but it's a lot healthier and cleaner to pour your dirty water inside the toilet then it is the bathtub lol. Also pouring into your bathtub will eventually clog up your pipes.
I never clean my canister filters. As long as the flow stays strong, there is no need. Unnecessary cleaning can do more harm than good actually.
I thing you should clean your filter with aqua thank water .
using gallons of distilled water is just so much easier than taking water out of the tank then having to put it back
😍 love this youtuber, very inspiring
Thank you so much!!
Screws should prolly be tightened in a star pattern
She kind of looks at Amy Farafoster on the Big Bang Show lol
Be careful with draining from the bottom valve from the fx6 as in time with the sand substrate it will eventually affect the valve and cause a minor leak. It happened to me twice I have spare valves however now choose to use the old fashioned way with siphoning with a tube from the top of the tank
Thank you for the heads up!!
Loved the video but there are so many better ways to siphon with a hose then sucking on it.
I like her and the video just not how she poured the dirty water in her tub. I pour mine down the toilet
Id help u if u needed a hand with anything (: i love ur tank !
you tank is 490 liters.. so 2 fx6 filters is too overkill
How often do you clean your fx6 filters?
❤️❤️
I put the outlet into a bucket for the first minute when I restart
Beautiful video and super informative and helpful! ❤
Thank you!! I'm glad you found it helpful :D
too bad they don't make also a inline CO2 diffuser and a in line heater for the FX4-FX6. FLUVAL WAKE-UP!!! I wrote them to inquire why not ...maybe if enough of us do they will!!!!
I know right, they totally should! I know they have an inline UVC for one of the FX models but not for the FX6
Great video! Thinking of removing my sump on the saltwater tank and using 2 FX6 - I'm using just one now.
Thank you!! 😊 That'll be interesting to see how it goes, you don't see many saltwater tanks with canister filters
I really like how you explained the process, I have a African Tank, Mbuna/Peacock. I'm 2 months into setting up my tank. Numbers are fine I had a fish die today I think he was bullied, should I separate my Mbuna from Peacocks?
I think it depends on how much aggression you are getting. I have never had any issues with my peacocks towards my Mbuna and vice versa. I normally find my peacocks are the most aggressive to each other
Very sorry......I had to laugh when you were talking about water all over the floor very quickly. I think most people that own aquariums for long time have this happen sooner or later.
I had (2) Fluval FX6 canisters on my previous 150 gallon for over 10-years.......they work great and filter very well and never had a failure.
My problem after 10-years of use the maintenance of them......just to much work and gets tiring after owning them for a while.
That is why with my WB 100.3 I am going to a sump filtration to make things much easier.......I'm not young any longer! 🙂
Thanks for the awesome content, love your channel.
Yes I think water all over the floor is just a part of the hobby 😂 I would really like to try a sump one day to see what it's like. I find them a bit intimidating but I can definitely see how they'd make maintenance easier. Thank you 😄
Grab yourself a mini tripod
TWO FLUVAL FX6's!!! TWO!! lol lol
I have two FX-6 filter canister one on the 125 gallon tank and the other is on the 470 gallon aquarium pond. I did a video on cleaning the FX-6 canister. You're missing the two red clips to keep the trays together.
That's awesome! I'll have to check it out. Yep, I took the red clips off, I took them out to see if it helps minimise vibration
You need to clean the motor housing
love to see your Aquarium. what is the dimesion of your tank size ?
Thank you 😊 it is 6ft by 2ft by 2ft
Eindelijk duidelijkheid ❤👌👌
Good filter but too noisy for a living room.
Look for Aquael filters, they're super silent.
That's good to know! They almost drove me insane at one point because I'm really sensitive to sound, but after I added the rubber pads and shortened the hoses they're tolerable
The motor should also be taken off and cleaned. Especially when using fine grain like sand for substrate.
Definitely! I mentioned in the video that Kaveman Aquatics has a good video on how to do this
i will give you one tip about take valve out and spill water everywhere... first try drain 300-500ml in some small plastic box and after this pull valve out and will have no spill.. i still try learn how to do same with second valve because from there always come some water... :D
Thank you for the tip!!
I had 2 these on my 150 gallon tank. Kept the water crystal clear. Moving and cleaning these behemoths is no fun. I sold that tank and down sized to 90 gallon. Have 1 eheim classic 600 on the 90 and water is spotless . Eheim is way quieter. Very happy with my setup. Fully recommend a 90 gallon tank. Great review. Gave you thumbs up. Nice to see a lady in hobby.
Thank you so much Brett :) That's great to know you are having success with the Eheims. I've found the FX6's to be quite loud. I'd like to try a Eheim on my next setup
@@Kaityscichlids What’s loud though? The canister vibration or the motor? Water flowing through the canister & hoses is seemingly without noise. We have 7 Fluvals running & none make any noise. Long hoses, short hoses, etc. it’s possibly your cabinet set-up touching the floor/wall awkwardly.
@@markb8954 it was the motor I believe, apparently it's a bit of an issue with just some of the FX6's but not all of them. When I was reading up on it some people said they got theirs replaced and it was no where near as loud
I'm currently cycling my 75 gallon tank. Can you share how many Cichlids I should start out with when it's time to add fish. Can you also share which types of cichlids and how many of the same fish I need to add?
Hey Dave! In a 75 gallon for African Cichlids I would aim to start with 5 juveniles then add another 5 in a couple weeks and see how 10 go together. I would go with all Mbuna that are different colours with plenty of rocks to hide in
Let’s make fish together
Hi kaity I saw your video and purchase a new fluval fx4 but is it normal that the impeller will have some low humming noise when it’s running perfectly ?I love the power of it but only down side is not as dead silence as my other canister
Mine have also always been a bit noisy! I've had to use foam mats to help with the humming noise. Also sometimes taking off the impellor and cleaning it sometimes helps a bit
You need to do a better job with filter maintenance. It shouldn't be that nasty. Looks like the last time you cleaned it was 4 months ago at the time of making this video. I recommend checking once every two months if not once a month. Other than that very good video. Very detailed and easy to follow. Keep it up.
Thank you so much 😊 And agreed! It's always been an area I've fallen short
Hi Kaity , I want to upgrade to another FX6 my self . The one question I have , should I put the 2 intakes on one side and the 2 returns on the other side? Or should I have 1 filter intake and return on each of its sides ?
Cancel that! Lol 20 seconds later you explain in the video lol 😂 thank you !
Awesome nice tank
How often do you clean the filters? Can you do them together at the same time? I heard of a guy who does weekly water changes on the same tank as yours and cleans both his filters every 4 months. I don't know much about this.
That's pretty much the same schedule I have. I only clean 1 filter at a time though just to limit the amount I'm disturbing the beneficial bacteria
beautiful tank , well done, and a Q, is it Australia you are from?
Best regards Anders F
Thank you! Yes, Australia 😊
great video!!!
i want to start a new tank , are 2 filters like these needed ?
Are these Malawi Cichlids?
Thanks
Thank you for all your nice comments Dany!! These are Fluval FX6 canister filters but you could use any type of canister filter, or a sump filter. And yes, these are Malawi cichlids 😊
Newbie question but can’t one just dechlorinate/condition tap water and use that to rinse sponges and bio media?
You can do that, but from what I have read if it is a new filter (only a few months running), then it's safest to rinse with tank water to preserve as much bacteria as possible
Amazing attention to details. I think fx6 baskets does not have handle and not easy to remove
Thank you 😊
Very nice video
Could you maybe get some large plastic containers outside in the garden and fill with tap water a few days before filter cleaning day. And yes still use pond water for bio media.
The only problem would be the temperature difference of the water. I could always fill up a tub with water from the tank though instead of using the water from the filter
I usually carry mine up the basement steps and dump it in the yard, spilling it every step of the way
I'm definitely part of the 'spilling water everywhere' club with you haha
Hi quick question what is better sand or gravel for the bottom
I prefer sand because they like to dig in it and waste sits on top of it, whereas with gravel the waste sometimes gets trapped in it
That waste water would be great for plants. It usually takes me an hour to clean my filter but it’s for my turtle tank and that waste water I have to pour down the toilet.
It definitely would be! I empty my tank water into the garden and the plants love it
Hey, Kaity! I heard you loud and clear about disconnecting those fitting. I have a sicce that used to give me a fit. About a year ago, I started putting Aquatop's silicone based lubricant on the shafts. Made a world of difference and is 100% aquarium safe. Makes disconnecting sooo much easier
Use oly one filter
If I clean my filter in the tub my wife will push me in the tub and make me bath in it😂
🤣🤣🤣
You are a legend if you put oring grease on the out and in its easily comes of and on from hardware store.
I'm definitely going to be doing that!! Thank you :)
LIKE
Nivel de urna
Thank you 😊
Your missing chemi pure blue and purigen in the filter
I've got some Purigen in one of them now 😄
I like you 😊
what kind of led light are you using???
They are freshwater AI Primes 😊
Great video. Greetings from Turkey
Thank you so much!
Hi just a thought on your biological media it shouldn't be that dirty and full of detritus, the 2nd and 3rd basket, means you don't have enough mechanical filtration in the top basket, remove the bio media in the top basket and have just fine sponges , get some of the fluval quick clear sponges and another of those blue sponges, the reason i mention this is you shouldn't be disturbing your biological filter media, just emptying it out like that and washing it destroys any good bacteria you had, at most your second and third basket shouldn't be touched