Opening My Fluval FX-6 [It's Been a Year!!!] & *SWAPPING MEDIA!*

[@keithduwe2647]

Looks delicious!!!!! so very hard to believe it’s a year that’s incredible. That sump is doing the heavy lifting. As always, Mr. Ben, keep up the good work and keep educating us fishy folks.

[@Whips_World]

I imagine the pre-filter really helps you out a lot, too.

[@TheLegend-rb7mm]

That’s insane that it was that clean

[@BenOchart]

Several reasons why. I'm putting out a follow-up video called, "Fluval FX-6 - FULL DISCLOSURE!" Stay tuned.

[@AlgaeWhisperer]

@@BenOchart looking forward to that video !

[@jmsadms]

That Hygger algae scraper I see behind you is a great tool!

[@roberthines5597]

That's the cleanest I've ever seen a FX6 after a year, his FX looks like mines after in one mouth.

[@BenOchart]

Several reasons why. I'm putting out a follow-up video called, "Fluval FX-6 - FULL DISCLOSURE!" Stay tuned.

[@chicanitajaquez2678]

Evening great watching your videos May you and your family have a merry Christmas 🎄 and new year’s 2025

[@BenOchart]

Thank you Chicanita😀

[@paulouzman7267]

I'd imagine the sump is taking most of the heavy lifting, as opposed to the pre filter sponge on your canister.

[@BenOchart]

It turning over around 1500 gph so yes, it’s handling a lot of the load.

[@keithduwe2647]

Totally agree I think the pump so much stronger than on the FX six

[@razinfishes1918]

I did that to all my FX6 after watching your video on how you did that. And it makes a big difference

[@BenOchart]

Game changer.

[@LadyKej]

I had a fx4 for several years, but I switched it out for an Oase Biomaster and never looked back. I never had enough arm and handstrength to do the maintenance on my own.

[@glennrea4010]

The drain at the bottom where you open and close to let water out, the rubber seal in it goes also, I had to buy a new 1 of the to stop air 1 time also, the seal in the thing you turn

[@BenOchart]

I had to replace that valve (purge valve) after it started leaking. After spending the money I found out that the O ring can be replaced for a fraction of the cost🤷🏼‍♂️

[@bwood4505]

Ben the FX6 air and water leaks most likely due to you not lubing up all the o-rings or you have a loose connection somewhere. Tighten all the hose clamps on the FX hoses. Only way you can hear AIR is a leak in your system. Find the leak.

[@BenOchart]

No doubt. I have everything lubed with a food grade silicone from Husky. I'll give it a good once over when I put it back into action.

[@angelomiele2526]

Awesome Ben

[@darkshireaquatics]

Awesome video. tanks for sharing✌✌

[@XCaliKev]

👍🤠 Before I knew anything about fish keeping, I had 2 Magnum 300 canisters I would stuff it with I think cotton (I think) and let it run for too long. They looked like mud from La Brea tar pits, but they were good filters. Was my fault that they got that bad. Have a good day Ben

[@fishandfloral]

I haven’t opened my FX6 for at least a year as well. I keep meaning to do it, but I never want to do it when I’ll be out of town shortly afterwards, and we’ve been traveling a lot. Following your suggestion, I keep mine sitting in a plastic bin as well. I guess my 2025 resolution for the new year is.. clean the FX6. 😆

[@paulneuman6021]

Great work Ben

[@DiscusNT]

Never got around to those Discus, years almost over...

[@BenOchart]

You’re right. I’ve found a source for the fish, now I just need the set up.

[@Awsimilate]

Great News!!

[@HalfManHalfCichlid]

About a year ago I added a FX6 as a final polishing filter on my 500 gallon which haqs pre-filters in the sump. After 6 months the FX6 had captured and retained very little detritus compared to my big eheim. Although a good flow of water i question their effectiveness in actually removing suspended matter from my aquarium. BTW I have learned detritus in substrates and filters continue to leach phosphates into the aquarium. Although harmless in themselves, phosphates are what drives black beard algae growth.

[@tulioalopez]

Great video. I follow your advice on what you mention in a previous video. I went to home Depot and bought plastic bins for the canister filter just in case there's a water leak. In addition i replace all the o rings on my fx6. Thank you

[@BenOchart]

Good move. Also, after a while give the o rings a lube with a food grade lubricant. I use a food grade silicone from a company called Husky.

[@tulioalopez]

@@BenOchart I did and I will do this every time I clean the canisters. You are the best. Thank you.

[@mossman100]

Interesting filter I use the old eheim green cannister filters but I have sponges called poret. I discovered them years ago they have various densities. I fill mine 100% from top to bottom I also have them in my sump I think I cleaned them maybe 2 times in 6 years . Check them out it's been a game changer for sure

[@BenOchart]

Great sponges. I use blocks of them in my sumps. Eheim was considered the gold standard in canisters.

[@brianhahn3296]

Wow Ben is it plugged in lol I’ve done the same tips on my 2 fx6 and I have to clean every 6-8 months, they get super dirty

[@BenOchart]

Several reasons why. I'm putting out a follow-up video called, "Fluval FX-6 - FULL DISCLOSURE!" Stay tuned.

[@PriceTagAquariums]

Looks good, Ben! Another win for the pre sponge filter on the intake tube. What size holes did you drill into the intake?

[@BenOchart]

1/8th” - around 8 of them

[@PriceTagAquariums]

@BenOchart Ok, thanks. I was trying to remember what size I did to my fx4 and wanted to do the same to my FX2.

[@Freddy-ep4mo]

Myn is blowing micro bubbles after 3 months...than I must clean my impeller..don't you have that?

[@mikejejenich-pb5zx]

I open mine evory 4 months. 3 times a year isnt much. Especially if you enjoy the maintenance which is therapeutic for me 🐠 🐟 🪛

[@drewandres2065]

I do the same thing

[@BenOchart]

Yes, there is something therapeutic and certainly a sense of satisfaction upon completing the work.

[@miroslavivanov7220]

As always, good video! But Ben, I think you are wrong about the surface of the wavy sponge / that's what I call it /, that it has a larger surface area than the regular /flat/ sponge. Because of the depressions, the wavy sponge has a loss of surface area. This can be understood by putting two, three or more wavy sponges on top of each other and you can see the empty spaces between them because of the depressions they have. While in regular sponges there is no such empty space, since they are not concave. I hope I expressed myself correctly, since English is not my native language

[@BenOchart]

I get what you mean but imagine driving somewhere. One way is flat. A different route has several hills. Which route has more miles? I want the egg crate being hit (facing) the water flow. The water it’s hitting “hills” which is more to hit, more surface area, than if the water was hitting a flat surface.

[@miroslavivanov7220]

@@BenOchart Yes, I understand you, but the difference is that one is measured by length, the other by surface area per volume. If you have two sponges that are the same size and ppi, I definitely think the regular sponge will have more surface area than the other.

[@gerardolira8479]

I have the same kind of faucet. Does the python hose come with an attachment to connect it?

[@BenOchart]

Yes, but in some cases you might need an inexpensive adapter from the hardware store.

[@paulone65]

Wow one year later, my sun sun after 6 months is in bad shape

[@BenOchart]

Several reasons why. I'm putting out a follow-up video called, "Fluval FX-6 - FULL DISCLOSURE!" Stay tuned.

[@AlgaeWhisperer]

Ben, how often do you clean the pre-filter on this FX6 ?

[@BenOchart]

I rinse it out every 2 or 3 weeks.

[@AlgaeWhisperer]

@BenOchart thanks Ben, I'm going to add a intake pre-filter to my FX filters to try to reduce the frequency of filter removal and disassembly ... cheers

[@dennispeleg7843]

With the crushed coral, did it ever loose its buffering capability and did it keep your pH stable and up?

[@BenOchart]

Brought things up slightly. There’s crushed coral in the sump and in the tank, along with aragonite, so it’s hard to tell the impact it’s having. My tap water is very odd. Around 7-7.5, very hard with very low GH🤷🏼‍♂️

[@dennispeleg7843]

@BenOchart hmmm mine is 7.0-7.2 with a KH and GH of 3, according to the API GH/KH test kit. TDS out the tap is 65ppm on my end. Been debating on continuing to use buffers.

[@usmc187]

You don’t use any bio media? If not, just curious.

[@BenOchart]

That’s a good question and Fluval includes ceramic rings with their unit. The crushed coral and the sponges will house tons of beneficial bacteria, but my tanks rely mostly on an undisturbed deep substrate for BB and the canister is used mostly for water polishing.

[@usmc187]

@ thank you!

[@bwood4505]

Ben why are you replacing an FX6 when nothings wrong with it ? I just clean mine out and keep using it. Please explain.

[@Noxlion28]

You can’t use the same filter FOREVER. I wash mine but I also eventually replace them.

[@BenOchart]

It has a very slow leak when not running and gets air in the system. I haven't figured it out and was able to get a good deal on a new one, so I swapped it out. It can still be a good back up if needed.

[@MiamiObi]

Ben why are you changing the FX6 if it works?

[@BenOchart]

It was working but had some quirks. Now it will be an emergency back-up filter.

[@TheSalient1]

No kracken !

[@Baileee1978]

After 3 months mine is much dirtier than yours, I didn’t think my fish were that mucky either, I keep discus 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@BenOchart]

I believe it’s two things. First the pre-filter. It’s not letting big gunk into the unit. Things like food stick to the sponge and the fish peck at it, where normally the uneaten food would have been wasted and sucked into the canister. Second, the sump is turning over a lot of water. I estimate 1,500 GPH. That is doing the majority of the work. Years ago when I was using an FX-6 as the only filter on a 100 gallon peacock tank, and wasn’t using a pre filter, every 4-6 months I would service that filter and it was disgusting 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for watching!

[@chewielewie6564]

It leaks.

[@boostfrog]

My HOB looks worse than that after a week

[@BlackHeart_YouTube_Channel]

I don't get it. My FX6 is completely black full of debris after 3 month and yours look new after 1 year 😮

[@BenOchart]

The pre-filter was a game changer. Also, keep in mind there’s a sump turning over 1500 gph which is handling a lot of the load.