# My Fx5 Set Up,



## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

Been a lot of talk about how people set up their Fx5, and after I finally get my hands on a new camera I thought it'd be a good idea to snap some photos and share. Enjoy, and if there's any questions ask! and if you have a fx5 feel free to post up photos of how you got your rigged up, and why you recommend it.

Here's how dirty my tank is after a week, just before I do my water change and vac.

























Intake guard, It gets taken out and rinsed under tap water every week, yes it really dose collect a lot of junk.

































I find the best way to remove the guard from the tank after you turned the filter off is to place a plastic bag around it before disturbing it as a lot of junk will be released back into the water while trying to get it off and out.

The Media, I rinse mine every 10 to 12 month with tank water.









Output nozzle,









I noticed once I replaced the output nozzle and took out all the white prefilter sponges I got a noticeable change in flow rate for the filter, I recommend setting up the filter this way for a few reasons. 1) Stops you from actually opening and closing the filter all the time causing wear and expands the life of the filter and parts, 2) Give you a much higher bio load compactly with all the extra amount of ceramic rings, 3) More flow, it's what we all want, a higher gph rate, 4) It takes 2 min to take the guard apart and clean the sponge and would take a lot longer to open the filter and clean all the prefilter sponges to find that you got some food/plants decaying inside the filter.

Only thing I still need to do though I'm not in a rush to get it done is to replace the stock hosing to clear braided vinyl hose, the ribbed fx5 hose collects a lot of junk between the ribs and also reduces the filters flow where the hose bends.


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## PhantastickFish (Dec 29, 2006)

looks good. im going to be plumbing my fx5 and a 404 i just picked up together. custom hard piping all around.


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## philbert (Mar 8, 2007)

PhantastickFish said:


> looks good. im going to be plumbing my fx5 and a 404 i just picked up together. custom hard piping all around.


that will slow down the flow. there is no way the 404 will keep up to the fx5.


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