# Advice



## Jaycee (Jan 10, 2010)

I just purchased a 180 gallon tank with a 30g used aquarium that was intended to be used as the sump. This tank was a saltwater/sump setup with appropriately drilled holes and plumbing in the tank itself.

Since I am already partially committed the the sump setup, I have decided (as is my personal preference anyway) to continue in that direction with my freshwater tank.

The issue I have is that I have an unused, just-like-new fluval fx5 canister filter and media that was included in the package which ended up being (depending on how you look at it) very low in cost. The original owner intended to use it as a reactor...

My question is: Should I keep the fx5 as a pump/co2 intake? Or should I sell it and get maybe $100 for it?

I already know what I want to do really barring extreme ignorance. I am more curious if someone was in the same situation or better, what any suggestions would be here going forward.


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

You could sell it for $200 easy, but I'd personally hold on to it for back up.


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

I personally would throw it on the tank. It will not hurt and you will have an established backup which is great. But if you sell it for $100 i will purchase it right now!


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

HGI said:


> You could sell it for $200 easy, but I'd personally hold on to it for back up.


Agree. You could also put it on this tank too and stock it with bio media.


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

I agree, I would remove the top two baskets from the canister and only leave the bottom one. Then I would fill the canister almost completely with bio media. However, I would not use the fluval rings that they sell, I would probably go with the seachem brand.


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## Jaycee (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My worry about setting up the extra filter is more a looks issue than a practical filtration issue and is overkill on filtration with a sump as well as far as I understand. I already have a PVC etc. network consistent with a sump operation and add the heaters and the gear for fx5 on top of that, and it seems that the back of my tank would be littered with unsightly aquarium equipment. Or do I misunderstand what you mean?


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm sure you know you can put your heaters in the stump, that's 2 things.

If you really don't want to use your fx5 I'll more than happily buy it off you for $100


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## Jaycee (Jan 10, 2010)

HGI said:


> I'm sure you know you can put your heaters in the stump, that's 2 things.
> 
> If you really don't want to use your fx5 I'll more than happily buy it off you for $100












I'm somewhat of a noob when it comes to internet aquarium buy and sell, same time I got my current setup for next to nothing in a market where such deals just don't happen that often, if ever quite like this. The $100 thing was tongue-in-cheek a bit. Like I know what it is worth new, and what I would ask for, but your market is only as good as the demand for such things. That is my point I guess- it might not be worth the trouble of selling.

Couldn't I just not buy a pump and use my fx5 as a pump +?


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

Don't think you can use it as a pump, not 100% sure on how the fx5 actually works but my best guess is the water pushing down from the tank is a huge part of how the impeller gets the water back up into the tank... That's why it works best if placed under the aquarium rather than beside it(like if you put it beside the sump). If it was placed under the sump you for sure use it as a pump taking water from the sump -> Fx5 -> tank... that would be sweet, you'd just have to make sure you don't exceed the lengths of hoses the fx5 can handle.


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## Jared35 (Sep 15, 2009)

I'll give you 200 for it : )


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