Want more tips and tricks to care for your fish? Check out these playlists! Best Fish Keeping Tips Playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoDLeItfzOiRG8DV-1W9qNX4.html Lowering and Controlling Nitrates Playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoD-pzZaHgtIFqurG9HZn2zz.html Every Live Stream is Here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoApHjaPfc6rdr7oipfEbZ-k.html The Water Change Tips & Tricks Playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoCdEYkD0rQa0OWejFk5-bHD.html SunSun Canister Filter Playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoCiMWEpBFJFJGxTqJH_MdMg.html Fluval Canister Filter Playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLr8ew8o8WXoC8gSuqdG1c4nOzlAMFTmiD.html
I'm a firm believer in purchasing the best filtration equipment you can afford, and there's no denying that Fluval has a reputation for building some of the best. But every time I see the FX6 with its 8 separate thumbscrews for removing the cover, a pump that requires a screwdriver and 4 screws to service, not to mention that weird-ass arrangement of circular media trays, I just want to hug my "cheap" SunSun and never let it go.
I have an fx4 and I agree. The good thing is, running two big canisters i do not seevice them often. The fx4 and 6 have a cool feature of a service port to pump water in and out of the tank. There are some times this comes in handy
I can give input on the Sunsun HW3000. It's an excellent canister and pushes a lot of water and is backwards compatible to the 304/704 impeller and trays. It has a much better method of attaching to the aquarium than the Fluval. The biggest advantage of the 3000 would be the adjustable flow rate and timer for the UV bulb.
I've had fluval canister and it was a pain in the rear to clean and also had a couple of the components to break. Just bought a Sunsun and I can tell already it's going to be a huge improvement in cleaning and maintenance
I run a Sun Sun 303B with a 603 prefilter on my 30 gallons. The fish I have in it like a slower flow, so the reduced flow isn't an issue. It is doing a great job. While some things, like priming, are a little more difficult, it came down to budget. I'm happy with the Sun Sun purchase, and my fish seem to like it too.
I've been running an FX6 for over 5 years now and haven't had to replace anything to date. Very happy with it and it still runs like the day I bought it. The only fault was my own error. When you replace the motor not only should you make sure the screws are tight but also make sure the O ring is in the correct position. If not it will definitely leak. But once you work out the correct position you won't have a problem. Great video Ben!
Also, keep an eye on the small square nuts the motor housing screws into. Over time the don’t stay in place or sit at an angle and don’t allow screwing things down with enough pressure to seal the motor. I just went through this. After lubricating the motor o ring and making sure the nuts stayed in the right spot, my small leak stopped and it’s running like new.
My experience with these are love the sunsun canister no leaks, started right up, was easy to get air out and very quite. I had trouble with the Fluval. And I love the price of sunsun can't beat that when on a budget. Great video
Sunsun did a wonderful job figuring out how to make their products even cheaper and more flimsy. Just bought a 302 from amazon last week after being back ordered for a while. The screw connectors to the uptake tube and the spray bar have been done away with and now you just shove a very flimsy, cheap plastic tube inside the hose and use a cheap plastic hose clamp. I took out the impeller to check it out and it comes out in pieces. There is a plastic cap which sticks in a hole in the cover. Then a ceramic shaft pulls through the magnet as it comes apart. There is another plastic cap in a hole in the bottom of the access. After trying to get the damn thing out my impeller was in four pieces. Two plastic caps, a magnet, and a shaft. I’ve never seen an impeller just come apart like that. Most of the time the bottom cap stays stuck in the bottom and the shaft pulls through the magnet.
as a brit here, you may reach more viewers by tagging it as AllPondSolutions EF(+) it's same filter same specs and such just made for British market,. I have the 2000LPH + 9W UV bulb, on my 240l/55GAL tank, I have a huge community so I went over on cleaning power had for 6 years only needed one new impellar for housing, plus usual sponge and bio parts. does wonderful job
Good work Ben, shame about the leak, not had any issues with mine (have 2 FX6) in the 2-3 years i have had them, but bonus is if anything goes wrong getting parts for the FX6 is easy and you dont need to replace the whole system (this is Phil BTW (logo maker))
@@TechforTechs it wasn't always like that... before Sunsun got really popular, there were no impellers or replacement trays available and you had to buy another filter...but now things are better..the FX6 is a great filter too but it's really in the class of the Sunsun HW3000 not the 704b. I think the 3000 is the best overall canister filter on the market, hopefully Ben gets one in the near future.
Got the FX6 and had a leak in the same area.. 1min fix, took out the drain unit, unclipped the red gate valve lever. Cleand it and replace o ring and put it back together. Cost $1. That was 2 years ago and no further leaks👍
I used to only use Fluval pumps/filters and always had issues with the seals after time. I got a Sun Sun due to a quick need and price (thought it would be fine just to cover the need as the Fluval was leaking and I didn't have a replacement seal). That was 3 years ago.
Both of my sun sun were peices of crap they would randomly loose vacuum or would start cavitations around pumps . No problem at all with my fx6 . Only problem I have had with a fluval was a 6 series and it got a small leak around after 6 years of running
I have both brand but fluval fx6 holds more media and pump is a lot stronger. The only reason why people buying sun sun brand cause of the cost and fx6 cost 3x more but if your patient then get the fx6. If your patient every year fx6 is on sale for around $120-180 and its a better quality build then this one. Most people go with sun sun cause its decent and cheaper than eheim / fluval but be patient and get the fx6 when its on sale. I do agree if fx6 never goes on sale then i would buy the sun sun brand but when its on sale why buy the sun sun brand lol
@@huyquoctran2088 I have both too and you are right if you get that crazy stack deal fx6 is better but fx6 is not worth the msrp fluval charges. The media is more only if you include sponges. In addition the fx6 gph is misleading. Its not 900 its more like 500. The Sun Sun is close to 300 but has uv light thst keeps things crystal clear. Fx6 is "better " but not three times better as price would suggest.
My filter strategy is, i run a fx4 and a marineland 360 in my 150 cichlid tank. Good shops sell refurbed filters for around $100. Instead of spending all the money on one excellent filter, get two good ones. Then pick up a couple big used hob filters and keep them in storage as spares.
I do like my 704b's, had them since June last year and they've performed flawlessly. I also got a great deal on a Resun 2800 recently and posted a couple of pics on the Facebook group last week... It's so big that a 704b fits inside the canister bucket! Flow of 740gph is insane too, it was actually digging up the gravel at the front of my 120.
@@BenOchart I think they are available in the states but I'm not sure they're produced anymore so might be getting a bit difficult to source. I got mine for £65 and it was actually delivered from France!
Thank you the excellent explanations between the 2 filters. I’ve had fx6 for many years. Now that I have developed hand arthritis I can’t get the intake and output connectors to release! Hopefully the sun sun which comes in 2 days will work with arthritis hands. I’ve had tanks for 50+ years!
Great video Ben. I am of the belief that I don't like a shop vac for my canister. I know i am in a minority on this , but I would take 2 Sun Sun canister filters anyday over that beast.
Thank you for your honesty. I was going to purchase an FX 6 as a spare filter just in case something ever went wrong. But now I'll just buy a Sunsun instead. BTW- at the moment I'm running 2 canisters on this particular tank (high bio-load, heavily stocked Cichlid tank). I love your videos, very informative and helpful.
Regarding the UV light in the Sun Sun , it's not meant to be run full time .As far as the air getting trapped ,I had the same issue with all my Magnum canister filters .The solution is to burp them by filling it almost up to the top first,put the top on and then priming the pump several times until all the air is released fully and to also check the rubber seal and make sure it's clean , has a tight fit and no cracks. One thing I definitely don't like about the Sun Sun filters are the hose fittings and how fragile they seem to be . What they should have done is made the inlet and outlet straight like the older Magnum 330 and 350 filters without any angles. Also having a shut off valve for the filter inlet and outlet hoses would be helpful for servicing them but that's something that can be retrofitted without too much of a problem .
the sponges in the fx6 are also bio media, even if theyre mainly used to remove debris from the water, the sponges still house bacteria along with the bio media (rings balls etc) a better comparison would be say another cannistor filter of around the same size but a higher price mark likea sunsun to an aquaone etc, the fx6 would be better off compared to say a standard lowtech sump
I don't understand why people look past the fact that any surface area in a filter houses bacteria, you could just fill a filter with nothing but sponge and the bacteria would still thrive, bio media is just snake oil
Another good video Ben. I thought of a couple things while watching it. I have an FX4 and an FX6 , 3 of the 304B's and 1 404B . You mentioned that you have had some small leaks around the impeller assembly on the FX6. The large O ring that seals the housing to the FX6 main body may need replacing. O rings can go bad especially when they are being compressed often. If you were in a situation where you needed the filter to be running while waiting for a new O ring to come in the mail try doing this. Remove the O Ring from the housing and then lay something in the groove that it sits in. I have used a couple strands of yarn, then place the O Ring back into the groove and attach it back on the main unit. It doesn't take much to compress the O Ring a little bit more than normal and prevent it from leaking. Of course in a perfect world we all would have replacements of replacements on hand, lol!!! Next is about the amount of media in the FX6. The newer models come with a red tray that sits in the center of each of the larger white media trays. Never really understood the reasoning in this and I have always left them out and placed the media into main trays. This provides quite a bit of room and I recall that Pond Guru even mentioned this in one of his Pimp My Filter videos. One of the issues that I have had with the SunSun filters is the noise. I have one tank in particular that sits on an open stand and the noise is enough to keep me awake at night. It's not the impeller as I have cleaned this multiple times, applied the lubricant, even tore the lid down and removed the large blue section that you mash down on to purge the air out. The noise sounds like a vibrating noise and I thought this might be the source of it. No Dice, I am very mechanically minded and after all my troubleshooting it is clear that the noise is coming from the motor itself in the lid. Unlike the Fluval the SunSun motors are sealed in the lid and cannot be replaced, instead you must purchase the entire lid. This is a negative for folks like us that like to fix things ourselves. I will say this that SunSun has been outstanding to deal with over this noise issue. They even sent me and replacement filter complete with media at no charge, not even for shipping. Another negative for me is that UV Light. I have heard the arguments, as you have, about the flow being to fast and the light not being a high enough wattage to do much good. My issue is having the water surrounding flowing all around that glass housing under the lid. Electricity and water don't go together to well in my book, lol!!! If one of those O rings went bad on the glass housing it could be responsible for a very expensive fish fry, lol!!!! Plus that glass housing can be broken so easily when removing and replacing the lid from the filter. You need to be very careful not to damage it. Last but certainly not the least is the pre-filter that I have plumbed into the intake line. Because of the risk of damaging that glass tube on the bottom of the lid the less I have to remove it the better. SunSun makes a non powered filter canister that works excellent as a pre-filter. The housing is clear so it's very easy to see how dirty the sponges are. The water enters at the bottom of the housing and flows upward. I have this housing filled with sponges from coarse to fine in this housing. The water flows through all these sponges before it ever enters the main canister filter. This allowed me to replace all the sponges and pads in the main unit and fill this space with more Bio Home Ultimate, which is the media I prefer for biological filtration. The additional amount that this provides was even larger than I had thought it would be. By using this pre filter it means I can go much longer before I need to open the main filter housing. The pre-filter comes with shut off valves on the intake and output lines. Turn them off and the entire unit can be taken to the sink to be cleaned out. I purchased several sets of these sponges so when they eventually need replacing I will have them. I haven't noticed any negatives by using this pre-filter . I am going to order a couple more of these and I want to try them out on the FX filters as well. They are less than $25 and to me they are worth every penny. Below is a link to this pre-filter if anyone is interested. I didn't mean to write a darn novel, lol!!!! Take care my friend and keep up the great job. www.amazon.com/Sunsun-Transparent-Aquarium-Pre-Filter-Without/dp/B07K7B2G6S
Hello Kevin, Good points. Did you find that the hose diameter was exactly the same between the pre-filter and the bigger unit? Someone once commented that the sizes were different and required some adapter??? I did a video on this subject a while back. That pre-filter can extend cleaning out to six months or longer for the main unit and nearly doubles bio media. A game changer. My next Fluval video will be on adding a pre-filter. I suspect this will extend my time between needing to clean the FX-6 by several months. Sorry to hear that the sunsun made so much noise. The only things I can think of are: 1) the impellor cap wasn't screwed down entirely (it was making one of my units rattle once) and 3) baskets had too much media and couldn't sit properly and fully in place because the basket underneath was too high with media.
@@BenOchart The hose that came with the Sunsun canister filter fit the pre filters inputs and outputs perfectly, no adapter was needed. I agree that it's a game changer for sure. I will just come out and say it, I'M A FLUVAL FAN, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. But the Sunsun line of filters just can't be beat. If I were a wealthy man I would put FX6 filters on my gold fish bowl, but I'm not and I don't have any gold fish either, lol!!!! The noise on my filters isn't impeller noise, it isn't media related either. I have removed all media and the noise never changed. Been in this game a long time, it's something inside the motor assembly itself and it is caused by the vibration of the motor itself. I spent hours troubleshooting and sending emails back and forth to personnel in their design department. Their customer service is outstanding. They ended up sending me a complete 404B with media and the noise is much lower. It was something in the motors used in the 303B. If I had it in a closed stand in probably would have been acceptable. If it wasn't some of the egg crate foam on the interior absorbs noise like crazy. They use it in recording studios because of this. I am thinking of adding another pre filter to my FX4 and FX6. But first I need to buy an accurate flow meter to be sure the flow is sufficient for the larger Fluval pumps. I have read of people making their own pre filters and ended up burning the pumps up on the FX filters because the flow wasn't enough. The Fluval pumps cost more than an entire Sunsun filter, actually over double. When I get some flow numbers I can pass onto you if you want. Feel free to contact me at walknmiracle@triad.rr.com. Take care my friend. Later
I recently just got back into the hobby and bought a smaller sunsun canister for a 45 gallon tank based on Bens comments and will be sending it back. It's the noise issue. I also checked everything as you did and agree, it is the motor. It drives me crazy. I've had Eheim and Fluval in the past and they both worked well (quiet). I would go back to Eiheim but I don't like the green inside tank unless that has changed . It will probably be the new Fluval 7 series.
You don’t need sponges in the top of the fx6 fine pad sized for then entire tray diameter (basically sits on top of basket not in center exciting.. fill all middles with media.. this makes the capacity difference minimal but even still how much Messi’s do you actually need? Most filters have 1000x more surface area then what is actually needed for the tank it’s on. Most of your bio will actually be done in your substrate if your tank. Biggest drawback of fx6 is one seal that is prone to failure at motor housing where others are self contained with seal plus gasket for unit making a double seal. The biggest benefit to the fx6 is mechanical filtration. All those perimeter sponges really do help reduce maintenance and help keep water clarity up. As for gph this is counter intuitive unless all you are wanting is mechanicals filtration. Bigger slower filter for longer dwell time is really what you want. People too often confuse water turn over with filters.. a faster flowing filter isn’t filtering any better as the water is moving too fast getting less filters per pass needing more passes through the filter.. it’s a wash.. the only gain is by moving water you increase oxygen exchange. You can do this more effectively with a wave maker.. a good example is big salt tanks.. they are turning over the water 10-20x per hour with wavemakers but filtering only 2-3x per hour through their sump. Too much is overhyped and marketing in the fish hobby. 90% of tanks don’t need anything more then moving water and substrate. Want showroom quality water then add a filter with mech.. outside that it’s just how much you want to spend and what makes you feel good. I run large canisters in many tanks don’t get me wrong and they are loaded with as much media as I can get in there and still close the lid. I also clean them about once a year and that’s mostly just changing the fine pad. End result is they are grimy dirty and flow 30-40% of what they should. What this gets me is a full cycle. All that hunk clogging the sponges and media slowing down the water and creating pockets so gunned that water barely trickles through creating anoxic zones within. Bigger isn’t better.. capacity isn’t better.. gph isn’t better. I’ve been beating in this concept for years now in people comment sections. I do water changes when I replace my fine pads.. that’s it.. other then that I simply top off my tanks which need 5-10g a week on larger open top tanks cause I’m turning over so much water making evaporation greater. And my tanks are still crystal clear and I’ve not vacuumed or disturbed my 2” sand bottom in over a year now and still as clean as the day I set up the tanks.. I move a lot of water fast in the tank and the rest takes care of itself..
I have run into RECURRENT complaints online about valve failures on the Fluval FX4 and 6. This is the first bottom valve failure I have seen. The top valves are also "available" as a rather pricey replacement.
It really is ultimately about budget with these canisters. I’ve noticed no major differences in performance between sunsun and fluval canisters when I had them, although you are correct about the hose valve on the sunsun being somewhat brittle lol
@@wowdad3055 That's just it!!! Get the FX, and you don't have to "be careful" about such trivial crap!! "Ease of maintenance", just like "quality materials" is worth the extra money.
Only problem, I found in SUNSUN is their O rings, rest is value for money. I used both 304B & HW 3000 and for both I had to procure spare O rings! Just for feedback.
Do yo use a lubricant on the seals? In my experience, it makes a world of difference. My 304B has served me flawlessly for over 5 years so far. Each cleaning I remove the O-rings, (main, water in/out, impeller cover) then clean all of the surfaces and the O-rings themselves, then I coat the seals with DANCO Waterproof Silicone Grease (product #88693)[It is aquarium safe], then I reinstall them and reassemble the filter. Don't forget to clean and relube the UV tube.P.S. A thin coat of this stuff is all you need.
John King, Sr , I used petroleum jelly when I used the spare one (previously,the knowledge wasn’t available to me). So far no problem for the last 8 months (touch wood!)
I just ordered my first canister filter for Christmas. I chose the 704b over the fluval fx6 due to all the stories of the broken pipes breaking way too easily and them crapping out within days of black Friday this year 2019. It will be my first canister filter ever and got the sun sun 704b under 100. I should see it at Christmas since I'm on a receiving list for it. One of the last on the list to get one ordered in time for Christmas before a complete incoming stock on Amazon. Plus I'll be putting prescreen sponges on all my filters in my house on all tanks.
@@BenOchart that actually is a good thing. You know I was in Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving night with my family to get some early black Friday deals cause we do our Christmas shopping then. Petsmart had the FX6 on sale for half off and half of everyone in the Ben O'Cichlid group but me went and got one. By the time we got out of Wal-Mart, I was already reading the horror stories of cracked pipes on the FX6 filters. That made my decision to just research and see which one I think would be easiest to customize and which ones faired best for the cost and most common errors which to me FX6 was plastic parts errors. Sun Sun 704B was mostly human ignorance. Plus mine is definitely the pro version not home use to be used on a 60. Will be teamed with all my hang on the back crew and 3 sponge filters. Can't beat it at 96 bucks as long as it does the job.
I used to have the Sunsun on a 75gal tank it did pretty well no issues. But I now have the FS6 on a 210gal and it does a fantastic job. I agree the backflow valve seems like it could be a weak point on the unit. On my FX6 is you used the bottom two trays for just bio it holds a very good amount. It takes a little time to clean up the unit but it keeps the tank beautiful.
Great video. I bought my Fluval 306 for my 54 gallon aquarium 5 years ago. Hasn’t missed a beat. I have heard good things about sun sun as well but I probably wouldn’t change. I think it comes down to personal preference and experience. Both seem to be quality filters.
Its like comparing a low end product to a high end lol 😆. Fx6 overall better than everything compare to the sunsun brand. But it doesn’t mean you need a fx6 for your setup. I run two sun sun on my 125 gallon and its fine for most average hobbyists out there. Nothing wrong getting the fx6 since its a beast but its like 3x the price 😉🤔
Hi Ben, correct me if I’m wrong but if you push out that little valve you may find it has a seal ring inside. I had an fx4 that started leaking around the input valve, so I went onto TH-cam to see what the issues could be. I found a TH-camr showing all the seal rings I didn’t even know my canister had. He showed how to push out these valves and grease them. Well, I did that and the leaking stopped. Now, I just received my first fx6 so I’m not sure if this is the case for a seal ring, it might be worth a look to see if there is indeed a ring inside that is needing some oiling. They tend to get brittle with all the warm water going through the valves. Push out the flat end and take a look. It would be interesting to see if there is one in there. On the other hand I’m sure you don’t want to take it apart again just to have to replace it. Once you receive the other one let us us know if you found a seal ring. I would love to know. Cathy, from Edmonton Alberta Canada.
I think there is an O ring in there that got grinded down by some black sand that got into the filter. The valve is easy to remove but it's not easy to get to the O ring inside.
It’s like Rolex or timex tells the Same time. There’s always gonna be the ones that think the Rolex tells better time go figure. Same with these filters. It’s a name someone said it’s the best. So some people have to have the name to say it’s the best. The same people will most likely say a sponge filter is no good because it’s cheaper. But say the fx6 hold more sponges for better filtration because it’s more money so it has to be better. Filtration its better with a lower water flow through what ever the media is sponges Floss or type of bio media. it’s just bacteria it don’t care what is is Just because it’s the same process. No matter the cost. Ben you are correct. You have helped people understand that this hobby is not about the best of the best. But how you care for what you have.
The biggest issues with the fx4 5 and 6 are the impellars on the bottom they are guaranteed to fail in a tank with sand or small gravels in time especially with cichlids digging in it. The impellars are expensive and a pain in the ass to change. Think I have 7 of them in my filter graveyard. Not to mention the sensitivity with the knobs over tighten them and you get micro bubbles clean them too often to keep crap out the impellar seal go bad and they leak. Over all bad design.
Years ago a Fluval failed me due to a safety valve(in fact a small plastic ball, that just closed the filter). Returned after a one-day trip and it stood just still. Took out my four beautiful blue Scalar. Fluval is out of the question. Have a SunSun now, that's running for over 10 years straight without no problem at all. Can only recommend SunSun. They know, what they're doing and they do it right. Visit their website. Helluva company.
I must say that I have never run a Fluval. Started aquarium keeping on a budget and bought a SunSun on ebay and have not had any problems with it. If you can afford the $300+ price of the Fluval, I'm sure it is a wonderful canister..... for for less than $100.00, my SunSun has work flawlessly for about 5 years now....
I use silicone plumbers grease on all of my o-rings and plastic valves. Never have any problems. Ace hardware carries it (it's food safe and all that).
I’ve got a fluval fx6 I’ve had slight leaking problems from bottom valve so after I cleaned it and fixed problems I no longer use that valve in case it fails again. Main problem with fx6 is the terrible built fasteners on the top there ridiculous. About 6 broke in 2 years. Eheim are my best, Chinese canisters need replacing every year when I’ve used them don’t go cheap route anymore especially the ones with build in uv there shocking at failing. Keep up the great videos 👍
@@BenOchart i bought it back in july of last year 2018 almost a year now and so far been great .. the flow is wonderful . i love that it adjust and by a lot . it really gets the water moving . the only complaint i have is the "self priming " yea its easy but idk if its easier .. 1-6 speeds and 2 hour increments for the uv light . 1) speed says 1200L/H... 2)1600L/H 3) 2000L/H 4)2400L/H 5)2700L/H 6) 3000 L/H ive used it alone on a 29 gallon then a 30 gallon and now on a 50 that i havent showed on my channel yet i would say easy it could do a 125 no problem .. its a beast of a filter . i bought it for 135$ at that time .. ive yet to see it that low again .. best believe i would buy another !!!
Hi! Thanks for the review. I actually am running the SunSun 304B. I have read reviews reporting the plastic media trays deteriorate with extended use of the UV light. I am seeing this with mine and now only use the UV light once a month....apparently the manufacturer is aware. But the warranty is only 1 yr..and they offer replacement trays which seems quite costly...m
I was running a 704-B and ran the UV only on weekends and noticed very little impact on the trays. It's probably the same bulb in a tighter space with the 304-B and being closer impacts the plastic more.
I had a 704B before purchasing the FX6. The 704B was amazing and lasted more than 5 years. A power surge hit my house killing over 1/2 of my appliances to include the 704B. I would expect it to have killed any brand on that specific circuit. I needed to replace it so I bought the FX6. Now that I have used both for some time, I would say that you CAN NOT go wrong with either. I would give a slight performance edge to the FX6. (Maybe because the fx6 is new compared to a 704B with 5+years of use?) Combine that with all you can do with the utility valve at the bottom and the fx6 is the clear winner to me. If you factor in price/budget...... 704B for larger tanks is unbeatable. Secondary note, 704B has more space for bio media. In the real world, the fx6 has more than enough bio media space to sustain more than sufficient BB.
Great video Ben, the tip for the Fluval never touch the bottom valve, I clean my 2 fx6 and never touch that valve, not needed, my only complain is that is hard and take time to clean the 3 plastic tray, that's why I'm planning to switch to 2 eheim 2262
Hello Efrain. Before switching, try a pre-filter on the FX-6. It might double the time between cleanings. I'm doing a video on it in a couple of weeks. I got the pre-filter from Cory at the Co-Op.
Hi Ben. Greetings from Romania. Dare to say that are very rare this problems that i heard about FX6, and for me that was the main reason to buy the Fluval canister filter. I am not saying that Sun Sun are not OK, but they are more susceptible to break in a shorter time. Anyway, i like your channel. Keep it going.
Just a heads up for anyone thinking of buying an fx4 or fx6. They have them on sale at Petsmart (at least in so cal) for 200 and 239 respectively. This deal isn’t listed on their website or advertised. That’s an absolute steal for these filters.
Need to just hand tighten screws with equal pressure in a Flange Bolt Tightening Sequence. Cranking down on the screws, may break the seal, damage the o-ring, and distort the plastic housing.
I have 2 sunsuns on my 150 gallon, love having 2 so if I clean to much and kill good bacteria the other saves me, I clean them each every other month, rotating them
I have an FX6 and I think it is a great filter but i would not buy it again. If I had to do it over I would purchase two smaller filters for redundancy. Regarding the bio-filtration differences - It is interesting that many people discount the biofilter capability of sponges. I have run many tanks with only sponge filters as do many professionals. Moving the biofilter media from the FX6 into the SunSun is a bit misleading demo as the massive amount of sponges is not taken into account
@@BenOchart I would go with two Eheim Pro 4+ 600 Filters which would cost similar to a single FX-6. I would then add power heads if additional circulation was desired. The Eheim filters are pretty underwhelming when it comes to flow rate but there filtration is outstanding.
Not sure of the direction this video is going... we've already had this discussion of it doesn't matter if you have the space of a multi storey car park or a toilet roll to keep your biological media, your tank or system will only grow the beneficiary bacteria it needs... the FX filters are fully adaptable for your specific needs so anyone who says the FX series is overrated is just playing fanboy to their brand of canister. The fact that the part that leaked can be easily removed and replaced shows the product is reliable, and I'm also willing to bet that FX6 is well past its warranty... Ask any owner of an FX6 or 4/5 if they regretted having it and I'll remark I'd go out and buy another one in a heartbeat. I'd like to end on a better note that as long as your system has regular maintenance and your fish/livestock and plants are well and thriving then happy days we are all doing GREAT, I wish everyone good health and happiness in your tanks... take care
I'm sorry. They are overrated. I have 2 of them. I actually see that my eheim's are more efficient. I don't like cleaning the fluvals at all. I think the old Rena is as good as any of them. To each is own, as they say.
@@theone5404 you have an interesting opinion.. 🤔 What way do you find the eheim more efficient is it with performance, cleaning or both..? Thanks for your polite reply.. 😉😉
@@mattphillips6714 to be honest, both. The the pro3 2180 has a built in heater, a much more simple cleaning process, uses less watts, and hold beneficial bacteria better... Thusly, I use FX6 for water polishing and the Pro 3 2180 for beneficial bacteria. When it comes to holding media and customization; eheim wins hands down. As it pertains to house brand media, better sponge in the fx6, but biological, hands down, eheim excels. When it comes to flow, the fx6 has the edge. When it comes to real life flow as stated by the company, eheim wins with no question about. Personally, I don't care for the bio media in either. It's good in eheim, but if you want the efficiency, you have to get all their media, and one of them, I don't like cleaning. Therefore, I use biohome marine pure and Sera in it. I use there course foam, but pinky filter the rest of the way. I put Sera and pinky filter in the fx6's as well in the middle part. Also, the new queon canisters have great outflow too. Very powerful.
The One thanks for the in depth review I'll look into the 2180 series if my filter breaks and needs replacing. I was looking at ehiem but was put off by the cost of the filter and the media..
@@mattphillips6714 My pleasure. But yes, that cost is terrible. I played the waiting game on ebay. I only use their media in a couple of the smaller ones. However, I use what I want in the 2180 filters. The Sera siporex is really good too. Also, the 2080 is just as good as the 2180, minus the built in heater.
In my country, you can buy 6 units of 704Bs for the price of one FX6. The latter is that expensive here so I just bought a 704B as it's just a backup filter for my cichlid tank (75g).
The fluval has more mechanical filtration and you and actually make polishing foams to fit the filter. you can actually completely fill the top tray with bio media. Fluval has more surface area to madify your filtration
h HI BEN, really enjoy your channel ,have you ever thought of becoming a presenter on tv, your a natural in front of camera in your presentation style and manner.......apart from that your channel also gives honest unsponsored opinion on products. anyway if you ever get a chance try out the AQUAEL ALTRAMAX 2000 ,A great filter just one of the many brands i use at the minute .Best of luck and health to you from IRELAND .Martin.
Very nice of you Martin. I was in Ireland this past summer. Fell in love with it. I did some videos on Seahorse Aquariums just outside of Dublin. Great shop with great people.
@@BenOchart Hmm... Is it maybe brackish or are you throwing regular aquarium salt in for health and color maybe? I just know that the trays in my SunSun canister filter that's on my 55 gal brackish tank have really deteriorated, and the same filter system I've been running in my 65 gal rectangular freshwater tank for about the same number of years is still completely in tact. So I've just assumed it's the salt. That's my theory. Not positive it's correct, but not sure what else it could be? The only other thing I can think of is that one is at home and one is in my office, so perhaps it's water quality / minerals in the area? Both are on public water, but there's definitely a big difference in mineral content between the 2 different towns.
I've used many brands of canister filter and found fluval to meet my aquarium needs. The others are usually made in China don't last very and are riddle with problems especially the UV feature that leaks water into chamber short out and no longer working . I personally hate that plunger which also is very effective and they're cheaply constructed. BTW the Suisun 704b has been discontinued. The one thing that cab sometimes be a problem are the valves that the rubber gasket can sometimes leak and can't find them , so your left in having to buy a new valve.
I agree with everything you said I run both of those filters. One thing that was not examined was the hoses and intake/out. I have a problem on my intake. When the water level lowers air is sucked in. So, there is a crack somewhere in it. They just are cheap in my opinion. I have used many canisters and I think fluval have the best hoses and fittings.
@@vasiltsnaev mine bit the dust. My power went out. It started leaking and dumped about 50 gallons on the floor. It wouldn’t leak when powered only when power was off . I replaced with a cascade penn plax
Had to put my SunSun in a tub under the tank for piece of mind after it (common problem) started leaking from the lid seal. Replaced the seal and cleaned it though. Also the seal on the uv light failed corroded and burnt out the bulb. Now I don't trust it either so I leave it off. Good filter just cheaply made
+Ben Ochart, From the ending of your video the problem is quite characteristic of plastic parts. They can deform easily, even just a little and give us problems. This is of course even more evident when dealing with problems of water tight fittings. Also plastic tends to fail from "fatigue" . This is where the plastic is stressed repeatedly over a period of time. It then becomes brittle and fails, usually when you least expect it. Manufacturer's are constantly weighing these kind of problems with "Price points" to try and come up with a product that is not TOO expensive but will also last. I know from personal experience that in "Industrial" settings a lot of $$ and research is put into improving the lifespan of equipment. In the consumer world this can be a bit more difficult to pin down since for many people (not all of course) , the quality of a product is not as immediately of importance. Would you agree?
Agree. There are very few items we use 24/7 like canisters/pumps/HOBs. Eventually things will fail. When I removed it, there was some sand in there, not a lot, but enough to work as an abrasive when the valve is turned. Probably related to the problem.
@@BenOchart Sounds like you found the cause of the failure. I guess it points out the need to inspect filters regularly as well as heaters. Both are the most likely items to fail. (I had a heater fail recently, fortunately I caught it before any serious damage was done)
I bought the sunsun 3000 and it worked well but I ended up selling it because it would fill up with air and no matter what I did it would always bubble and hum. I put new rings on it tightened everything I even used thread tape on everything including the rings. I gave up and went with the 304b. It works wonderful as does my 302 but the 302 will leak if you don’t line the top up just right. I want an fx4 for my 125 because I have turtles but I don’t want to waste my money if I don’t have to. PetSmart has them for 199 for the fx4 and 149 for fx6
I have had a very similar problem with my Fluval 206 and 306 filters when the aquastop valves started leaking. Upon investigation it appears the filter has picked up fine grains of sand from the bottom of the tank and these grains of sand get trapped in the rotary aqua stop valve and they grind away at the valves tap and body every time it is operated thus causing the valve to leak. I think its down to poor design and quality control from fluval.
Good review. I've been running two sunsun filters and five FX6 filters for well over 4 years. If it is in your budget....FX6 all the way!!!! Wish you were a few states closer, I would give you a male hawk. Hate seeing someone in such agony. LOL!!!! My wife and I have had a long history with the infamous HAWKS. They are very nice!!!
Now you're teasing and being mean ... LOL! Ship me one since you hurt my feelings! LOL! Acutally I'm considering getting one of the monsters recently acquired by the Cichlid Shack. We'll see.
The SunSun filters just feel and look cheap and flimsy. You have to rock it to get air bubbles out of it? Lol. I love how sturdy and quiet the Fluval FX6 filters are. More customizable media trays, quiet, sturdy, proven. To each his own though!
next time you clean your filter once you are ready to start filter keep intake in the water, with a empty filter suck on output when you hear the filter filling up when is stops water sound turn on your filter you should get less bubbles.
Overall I give them (the SunSun) a 7 out of ten. Once the air is out (and it take around a minute) you're done. I give Fluval 8.5. The question is do you think there's a $150 difference between them in performance?
@@BenOchart you can get the FX6 at petsmart for $260 right now......and to further answer your question, YES $150 is TOTALLY worth the "ease of maintenance" the FX series will provide you when you go to service your filter. Just like anything, the easier it is, the more you'll do it.
If I could suggest one advantage of only loading the fx6 with alfagrog and the side sponges you wouldn't need to touch that filter for months even upto a year if you do that it will just build up your bacteria and you could use the Sunsun704b to fill with chemical filteration and floss etc which u could clean more often just leave the fx6 alone the advantage with runigvyhd the fx6 with more biological media its alot more powerful so the Sunsun being less L/H turnover would make it more efficient at polishing and removing impurities so I would suggest some mechanical media I.e different sponges and then maybe activated carbon or purigen other alternatives being ammonia pads phosphate pads and filter floss which can all be cut to size to fit the four trays on the sunsun it's a only an idea but every one is different but I don't touch my fx6 just leave it be full of alfagrog the less u touch the biological part the better but thanks for the video I'm considering getting the sunsun 704b it looks like a good and I bet it's cheaper then the fx6 but it would help me with my chemical or natural chemical media so I can just leave the fx6 alone
I bought the biggest sunsun with the digital screen the hole top plastic broke away after a few months allowing air to be sucked in on top of that there is a plastic cover over the screen where the buttons are. You cant remove it so buttons are not actually accessible. Yes its 3 times cheaper but you will have to buy a new one every year. The module you have did last me a lot longer but the motor did burn out.
Are sun sun filters now UL Rated? If not, that would be a good piece of info to include. Insurance not covering a "disaster" might help people make a better decision for them.
Yeah if u want to clean the impeller on the fluval you have to unscrew it but if your motor breaks you have no chance at replacing it in the sunsun. And yeah the fluval service valve is soooo flimsyy I hate it. (I have a fx4 ) and those baskets. Yikes
The only canister that rivals the 704b is my Penn Plax Cascade 1500 I run both on my 125 cichlid tank with 3 Oscar's and a huge pleco. Water is pristine. Only requires 1 50 percent water change a week.
I have an FX 4, and 6 on my 125, with a 14" long Pleco. I don't even run "fine" or "medium" pads in it....just those supplied, with biohome ultimate in the bottom tray(s). I couldn't ask for clearer water.
@@luigigreen9823 I paid (brand new at petsmart) $260 for the FX6. What I really love about the FX series is it's a JOY to service!!! Closing the valves is easy, way better then the stupid connector the 704 uses 3:44......THAT THING SUCKS!!! (and the one on my marineland 360 leaked when disconnected) The FX connectors are very high quality valves......connected to hoses that are far more flexible. And before you pry the hoses off?? Let out some water out of the bottom valve, and the canister won't "squirt" on you. Then you go to "pry" the top off.....and instead it lifts EFFORTLESSLY right off after you unscrew the tabs. I've said more then my fair share of cuss words trying to pry off those canister filters. (Yes screw you too my 406 filters.) Then lifting the trays is even simplified....just grab the bright red handles, and pull the whole lot out at once. Priming the FX filter?? You can keep that stupid blue button, my FX does it for me.
@@luigigreen9823 It's your money buddy.....you get what you pay for. I would rather pay the extra hundred for the FX over your cascade, one time....and enjoy the hassle free maintenance every time I service the filter. :)
Ben I have found that if you take a little bit of pinky an put in that valve that failed on you the pinky keeps dirt etc from getting into the gasket on the valve that turns so far it has worked for me
For more beneficial bacteria and price value the sunsun leaves the fluval for dead! sunsun power head costs only $15 so you have even more flow than the fx-6
Thinking of getting a Sunsun canister to replace a a leaking Fluval 207, every fluval I've had including several in the tank have failed in some manner. I will never buy another fluval. Have been a marineland fan but they are a bit more expenisive than the sunsun.
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I'm a firm believer in purchasing the best filtration equipment you can afford, and there's no denying that Fluval has a reputation for building some of the best. But every time I see the FX6 with its 8 separate thumbscrews for removing the cover, a pump that requires a screwdriver and 4 screws to service, not to mention that weird-ass arrangement of circular media trays, I just want to hug my "cheap" SunSun and never let it go.
lol
This is a vastly underrated reply 😂🙏🏽
I have an fx4 and I agree. The good thing is, running two big canisters i do not seevice them often. The fx4 and 6 have a cool feature of a service port to pump water in and out of the tank. There are some times this comes in handy
I've had fx6 and others and can say fluval is way overrated. I've seen homemade bucked and power head setup outperform fluval
You only have 8 thumbscrews? Where do I find that model 😂
My first Fluval canister was a Fluval 403. It worked for 12 years. It would take a massive failure to lose me as a loyal customer.
I can give input on the Sunsun HW3000. It's an excellent canister and pushes a lot of water and is backwards compatible to the 304/704 impeller and trays. It has a much better method of attaching to the aquarium than the Fluval. The biggest advantage of the 3000 would be the adjustable flow rate and timer for the UV bulb.
That's great info GP. I might check one out.
I've had fluval canister and it was a pain in the rear to clean and also had a couple of the components to break. Just bought a Sunsun and I can tell already it's going to be a huge improvement in cleaning and maintenance
I’ve been happy with my SunSuns (especially the price)😀👍🏻
I run a Sun Sun 303B with a 603 prefilter on my 30 gallons. The fish I have in it like a slower flow, so the reduced flow isn't an issue. It is doing a great job. While some things, like priming, are a little more difficult, it came down to budget. I'm happy with the Sun Sun purchase, and my fish seem to like it too.
I have the intake hose of my 303b connected directly to an ATI sponge and use that as a pre filter
I've been running an FX6 for over 5 years now and haven't had to replace anything to date. Very happy with it and it still runs like the day I bought it. The only fault was my own error. When you replace the motor not only should you make sure the screws are tight but also make sure the O ring is in the correct position. If not it will definitely leak. But once you work out the correct position you won't have a problem. Great video Ben!
Also, keep an eye on the small square nuts the motor housing screws into. Over time the don’t stay in place or sit at an angle and don’t allow screwing things down with enough pressure to seal the motor. I just went through this. After lubricating the motor o ring and making sure the nuts stayed in the right spot, my small leak stopped and it’s running like new.
Another honest and fair assessment based on your own experiences.. this is why your the man!! thanks
Much appreciated Mike!
My experience with these are love the sunsun canister no leaks, started right up, was easy to get air out and very quite. I had trouble with the Fluval. And I love the price of sunsun can't beat that when on a budget. Great video
That price point is a huge factor. The two SunSun 302-Bs on the 60 gal grow-out have been running 24/7 for 4 years and never a problem.
Do you recommend sunsun over any German make?
Try comparing the fluval fx6 and sunsuns HW 5000. They’re closer in size.
Sunsun did a wonderful job figuring out how to make their products even cheaper and more flimsy. Just bought a 302 from amazon last week after being back ordered for a while. The screw connectors to the uptake tube and the spray bar have been done away with and now you just shove a very flimsy, cheap plastic tube inside the hose and use a cheap plastic hose clamp. I took out the impeller to check it out and it comes out in pieces. There is a plastic cap which sticks in a hole in the cover. Then a ceramic shaft pulls through the magnet as it comes apart. There is another plastic cap in a hole in the bottom of the access. After trying to get the damn thing out my impeller was in four pieces. Two plastic caps, a magnet, and a shaft. I’ve never seen an impeller just come apart like that. Most of the time the bottom cap stays stuck in the bottom and the shaft pulls through the magnet.
as a brit here, you may reach more viewers by tagging it as AllPondSolutions EF(+) it's same filter same specs and such just made for British market,.
I have the 2000LPH + 9W UV bulb, on my 240l/55GAL tank, I have a huge community so I went over on cleaning power had for 6 years only needed one new impellar for housing, plus usual sponge and bio parts. does wonderful job
Cost vs performance!
Sunsun every time ! 💪🏻
I agree. I'm getting the 704B myself.
Thanks. My Sunsun will be here in a few days. Watching canister vids, learning more.
Good work Ben, shame about the leak, not had any issues with mine (have 2 FX6) in the 2-3 years i have had them, but bonus is if anything goes wrong getting parts for the FX6 is easy and you dont need to replace the whole system (this is Phil BTW (logo maker))
Getting Sunsun parts is easy too...and Sunsun models are backwards compatible to one another.
@@GSP-76 That's good, supply and demand my be different over here then as they are re-branded as All Pond Solutions here (UK)
@@TechforTechs it wasn't always like that... before Sunsun got really popular, there were no impellers or replacement trays available and you had to buy another filter...but now things are better..the FX6 is a great filter too but it's really in the class of the Sunsun HW3000 not the 704b. I think the 3000 is the best overall canister filter on the market, hopefully Ben gets one in the near future.
Got the FX6 and had a leak in the same area.. 1min fix, took out the drain unit, unclipped the red gate valve lever. Cleand it and replace o ring and put it back together. Cost $1. That was 2 years ago and no further leaks👍
I used to only use Fluval pumps/filters and always had issues with the seals after time. I got a Sun Sun due to a quick need and price (thought it would be fine just to cover the need as the Fluval was leaking and I didn't have a replacement seal). That was 3 years ago.
Both of my sun sun were peices of crap they would randomly loose vacuum or would start cavitations around pumps . No problem at all with my fx6 . Only problem I have had with a fluval was a 6 series and it got a small leak around after 6 years of running
I have both and Sun Sun has best value hands down!! Its basically one third price but its truly a workhorse!
I have both brand but fluval fx6 holds more media and pump is a lot stronger. The only reason why people buying sun sun brand cause of the cost and fx6 cost 3x more but if your patient then get the fx6. If your patient every year fx6 is on sale for around $120-180 and its a better quality build then this one. Most people go with sun sun cause its decent and cheaper than eheim / fluval but be patient and get the fx6 when its on sale. I do agree if fx6 never goes on sale then i would buy the sun sun brand but when its on sale why buy the sun sun brand lol
@@huyquoctran2088 I have both too and you are right if you get that crazy stack deal fx6 is better but fx6 is not worth the msrp fluval charges. The media is more only if you include sponges. In addition the fx6 gph is misleading. Its not 900 its more like 500. The Sun Sun is close to 300 but has uv light thst keeps things crystal clear. Fx6 is "better " but not three times better as price would suggest.
Jose Arpajon dude fx6 is better cause its x2- x3 times the price of sun sun brand 😂. Its better at that category.
@@huyquoctran2088 What is a better value Honda or Jaguar?
Jose Arpajon jaguar. Cause im rich😂. Joke man. Previous one tii
I run two sunsun 304bs and one 404 b bAck up they all run great for me. Never had a problem.
My filter strategy is, i run a fx4 and a marineland 360 in my 150 cichlid tank. Good shops sell refurbed filters for around $100. Instead of spending all the money on one excellent filter, get two good ones. Then pick up a couple big used hob filters and keep them in storage as spares.
I do like my 704b's, had them since June last year and they've performed flawlessly.
I also got a great deal on a Resun 2800 recently and posted a couple of pics on the Facebook group last week... It's so big that a 704b fits inside the canister bucket! Flow of 740gph is insane too, it was actually digging up the gravel at the front of my 120.
Wow Ben, I never heard of a Resun, is it in the states?
@@BenOchart I think they are available in the states but I'm not sure they're produced anymore so might be getting a bit difficult to source. I got mine for £65 and it was actually delivered from France!
Thank you the excellent explanations between the 2 filters. I’ve had fx6 for many years. Now that I have developed hand arthritis I can’t get the intake and output connectors to release! Hopefully the sun sun which comes in 2 days will work with arthritis hands. I’ve had tanks for 50+ years!
Oase canisters are also very hand friendly (but a bit pricy compared to SunSun)
Great video Ben. I am of the belief that I don't like a shop vac for my canister. I know i am in a minority on this , but I would take 2 Sun Sun canister filters anyday over that beast.
You know me Blimpus, I love back-up and redundancy so I tend to agree with you. Two 704-Bs used to keep my 135 spotless.
Thank you for your honesty. I was going to purchase an FX 6 as a spare filter just in case something ever went wrong. But now I'll just buy a Sunsun instead. BTW- at the moment I'm running 2 canisters on this particular tank (high bio-load, heavily stocked Cichlid tank). I love your videos, very informative and helpful.
Regarding the UV light in the Sun Sun , it's not meant to be run full time .As far as the air getting trapped ,I had the same issue with all my Magnum canister filters .The solution is to burp them by filling it almost up to the top first,put the top on and then priming the pump several times until all the air is released fully and to also check the rubber seal and make sure it's clean , has a tight fit and no cracks.
One thing I definitely don't like about the Sun Sun filters are the hose fittings and how fragile they seem to be . What they should have done is made the inlet and outlet straight like the older Magnum 330 and 350 filters without any angles. Also having a shut off valve for the filter inlet and outlet hoses would be helpful for servicing them but that's something that can be retrofitted without too much of a problem .
the sponges in the fx6 are also bio media, even if theyre mainly used to remove debris from the water, the sponges still house bacteria along with the bio media (rings balls etc) a better comparison would be say another cannistor filter of around the same size but a higher price mark likea sunsun to an aquaone etc, the fx6 would be better off compared to say a standard lowtech sump
I don't understand why people look past the fact that any surface area in a filter houses bacteria, you could just fill a filter with nothing but sponge and the bacteria would still thrive, bio media is just snake oil
Another good video Ben. I thought of a couple things while watching it. I have an FX4 and an FX6 , 3 of the 304B's and 1 404B . You mentioned that you have had some small leaks around the impeller assembly on the FX6. The large O ring that seals the housing to the FX6 main body may need replacing. O rings can go bad especially when they are being compressed often. If you were in a situation where you needed the filter to be running while waiting for a new O ring to come in the mail try doing this. Remove the O Ring from the housing and then lay something in the groove that it sits in. I have used a couple strands of yarn, then place the O Ring back into the groove and attach it back on the main unit. It doesn't take much to compress the O Ring a little bit more than normal and prevent it from leaking. Of course in a perfect world we all would have replacements of replacements on hand, lol!!! Next is about the amount of media in the FX6. The newer models come with a red tray that sits in the center of each of the larger white media trays. Never really understood the reasoning in this and I have always left them out and placed the media into main trays. This provides quite a bit of room and I recall that Pond Guru even mentioned this in one of his Pimp My Filter videos. One of the issues that I have had with the SunSun filters is the noise. I have one tank in particular that sits on an open stand and the noise is enough to keep me awake at night. It's not the impeller as I have cleaned this multiple times, applied the lubricant, even tore the lid down and removed the large blue section that you mash down on to purge the air out. The noise sounds like a vibrating noise and I thought this might be the source of it. No Dice, I am very mechanically minded and after all my troubleshooting it is clear that the noise is coming from the motor itself in the lid. Unlike the Fluval the SunSun motors are sealed in the lid and cannot be replaced, instead you must purchase the entire lid. This is a negative for folks like us that like to fix things ourselves. I will say this that SunSun has been outstanding to deal with over this noise issue. They even sent me and replacement filter complete with media at no charge, not even for shipping. Another negative for me is that UV Light. I have heard the arguments, as you have, about the flow being to fast and the light not being a high enough wattage to do much good. My issue is having the water surrounding flowing all around that glass housing under the lid. Electricity and water don't go together to well in my book, lol!!! If one of those O rings went bad on the glass housing it could be responsible for a very expensive fish fry, lol!!!! Plus that glass housing can be broken so easily when removing and replacing the lid from the filter. You need to be very careful not to damage it. Last but certainly not the least is the pre-filter that I have plumbed into the intake line. Because of the risk of damaging that glass tube on the bottom of the lid the less I have to remove it the better. SunSun makes a non powered filter canister that works excellent as a pre-filter. The housing is clear so it's very easy to see how dirty the sponges are. The water enters at the bottom of the housing and flows upward. I have this housing filled with sponges from coarse to fine in this housing. The water flows through all these sponges before it ever enters the main canister filter. This allowed me to replace all the sponges and pads in the main unit and fill this space with more Bio Home Ultimate, which is the media I prefer for biological filtration. The additional amount that this provides was even larger than I had thought it would be. By using this pre filter it means I can go much longer before I need to open the main filter housing. The pre-filter comes with shut off valves on the intake and output lines. Turn them off and the entire unit can be taken to the sink to be cleaned out. I purchased several sets of these sponges so when they eventually need replacing I will have them. I haven't noticed any negatives by using this pre-filter . I am going to order a couple more of these and I want to try them out on the FX filters as well. They are less than $25 and to me they are worth every penny. Below is a link to this pre-filter if anyone is interested. I didn't mean to write a darn novel, lol!!!! Take care my friend and keep up the great job.
www.amazon.com/Sunsun-Transparent-Aquarium-Pre-Filter-Without/dp/B07K7B2G6S
Hello Kevin, Good points. Did you find that the hose diameter was exactly the same between the pre-filter and the bigger unit? Someone once commented that the sizes were different and required some adapter??? I did a video on this subject a while back. That pre-filter can extend cleaning out to six months or longer for the main unit and nearly doubles bio media. A game changer. My next Fluval video will be on adding a pre-filter. I suspect this will extend my time between needing to clean the FX-6 by several months.
Sorry to hear that the sunsun made so much noise. The only things I can think of are: 1) the impellor cap wasn't screwed down entirely (it was making one of my units rattle once) and 3) baskets had too much media and couldn't sit properly and fully in place because the basket underneath was too high with media.
@@BenOchart The hose that came with the Sunsun canister filter fit the pre filters inputs and outputs perfectly, no adapter was needed. I agree that it's a game changer for sure. I will just come out and say it, I'M A FLUVAL FAN, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. But the Sunsun line of filters just can't be beat. If I were a wealthy man I would put FX6 filters on my gold fish bowl, but I'm not and I don't have any gold fish either, lol!!!! The noise on my filters isn't impeller noise, it isn't media related either. I have removed all media and the noise never changed. Been in this game a long time, it's something inside the motor assembly itself and it is caused by the vibration of the motor itself. I spent hours troubleshooting and sending emails back and forth to personnel in their design department. Their customer service is outstanding. They ended up sending me a complete 404B with media and the noise is much lower. It was something in the motors used in the 303B. If I had it in a closed stand in probably would have been acceptable. If it wasn't some of the egg crate foam on the interior absorbs noise like crazy. They use it in recording studios because of this.
I am thinking of adding another pre filter to my FX4 and FX6. But first I need to buy an accurate flow meter to be sure the flow is sufficient for the larger Fluval pumps. I have read of people making their own pre filters and ended up burning the pumps up on the FX filters because the flow wasn't enough. The Fluval pumps cost more than an entire Sunsun filter, actually over double. When I get some flow numbers I can pass onto you if you want. Feel free to contact me at walknmiracle@triad.rr.com. Take care my friend.
Later
I recently just got back into the hobby and bought a smaller sunsun canister for a 45 gallon tank based on Bens comments and will be sending it back. It's the noise issue. I also checked everything as you did and agree, it is the motor. It drives me crazy. I've had Eheim and Fluval in the past and they both worked well (quiet). I would go back to Eiheim but I don't like the green inside tank unless that has changed . It will probably be the new Fluval 7 series.
You don’t need sponges in the top of the fx6 fine pad sized for then entire tray diameter (basically sits on top of basket not in center exciting.. fill all middles with media.. this makes the capacity difference minimal but even still how much Messi’s do you actually need? Most filters have 1000x more surface area then what is actually needed for the tank it’s on. Most of your bio will actually be done in your substrate if your tank.
Biggest drawback of fx6 is one seal that is prone to failure at motor housing where others are self contained with seal plus gasket for unit making a double seal.
The biggest benefit to the fx6 is mechanical filtration. All those perimeter sponges really do help reduce maintenance and help keep water clarity up.
As for gph this is counter intuitive unless all you are wanting is mechanicals filtration. Bigger slower filter for longer dwell time is really what you want. People too often confuse water turn over with filters.. a faster flowing filter isn’t filtering any better as the water is moving too fast getting less filters per pass needing more passes through the filter.. it’s a wash.. the only gain is by moving water you increase oxygen exchange. You can do this more effectively with a wave maker.. a good example is big salt tanks.. they are turning over the water 10-20x per hour with wavemakers but filtering only 2-3x per hour through their sump.
Too much is overhyped and marketing in the fish hobby. 90% of tanks don’t need anything more then moving water and substrate. Want showroom quality water then add a filter with mech.. outside that it’s just how much you want to spend and what makes you feel good.
I run large canisters in many tanks don’t get me wrong and they are loaded with as much media as I can get in there and still close the lid. I also clean them about once a year and that’s mostly just changing the fine pad. End result is they are grimy dirty and flow 30-40% of what they should. What this gets me is a full cycle. All that hunk clogging the sponges and media slowing down the water and creating pockets so gunned that water barely trickles through creating anoxic zones within.
Bigger isn’t better.. capacity isn’t better.. gph isn’t better. I’ve been beating in this concept for years now in people comment sections. I do water changes when I replace my fine pads.. that’s it.. other then that I simply top off my tanks which need 5-10g a week on larger open top tanks cause I’m turning over so much water making evaporation greater. And my tanks are still crystal clear and I’ve not vacuumed or disturbed my 2” sand bottom in over a year now and still as clean as the day I set up the tanks.. I move a lot of water fast in the tank and the rest takes care of itself..
I have run into RECURRENT complaints online about valve failures on the Fluval FX4 and 6. This is the first bottom valve failure I have seen. The top valves are also "available" as a rather pricey replacement.
Just ordered my sunsun 3000 love me some sunsun lol...thanks for your responses to my questions really helped me out thanks
Glad I could help! Let me know what you think about that SunSun 3000.
It really is ultimately about budget with these canisters. I’ve noticed no major differences in performance between sunsun and fluval canisters when I had them, although you are correct about the hose valve on the sunsun being somewhat brittle lol
So you need to be more careful when doing maintenance and take your time.
@@wowdad3055 That's just it!!! Get the FX, and you don't have to "be careful" about such trivial crap!! "Ease of maintenance", just like "quality materials" is worth the extra money.
I’ve always been a Eheim and Fluval guy. Sun Sun has my attention. Thanks
Only problem, I found in SUNSUN is their O rings, rest is value for money. I used both 304B & HW 3000 and for both I had to procure spare O rings!
Just for feedback.
Do yo use a lubricant on the seals? In my experience, it makes a world of difference. My 304B has served me flawlessly for over 5 years so far. Each cleaning I remove the O-rings, (main, water in/out, impeller cover) then clean all of the surfaces and the O-rings themselves, then I coat the seals with DANCO Waterproof Silicone Grease (product #88693)[It is aquarium safe], then I reinstall them and reassemble the filter. Don't forget to clean and relube the UV tube.P.S. A thin coat of this stuff is all you need.
John King, Sr ,
I used petroleum jelly when I used the spare one (previously,the knowledge wasn’t available to me). So far no problem for the last 8 months (touch wood!)
I just ordered my first canister filter for Christmas. I chose the 704b over the fluval fx6 due to all the stories of the broken pipes breaking way too easily and them crapping out within days of black Friday this year 2019. It will be my first canister filter ever and got the sun sun 704b under 100. I should see it at Christmas since I'm on a receiving list for it. One of the last on the list to get one ordered in time for Christmas before a complete incoming stock on Amazon. Plus I'll be putting prescreen sponges on all my filters in my house on all tanks.
Mine's been a great work horse.
@@BenOchart that actually is a good thing. You know I was in Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving night with my family to get some early black Friday deals cause we do our Christmas shopping then. Petsmart had the FX6 on sale for half off and half of everyone in the Ben O'Cichlid group but me went and got one. By the time we got out of Wal-Mart, I was already reading the horror stories of cracked pipes on the FX6 filters. That made my decision to just research and see which one I think would be easiest to customize and which ones faired best for the cost and most common errors which to me FX6 was plastic parts errors. Sun Sun 704B was mostly human ignorance. Plus mine is definitely the pro version not home use to be used on a 60. Will be teamed with all my hang on the back crew and 3 sponge filters. Can't beat it at 96 bucks as long as it does the job.
@@jamiestamand4840 ii
Kai
I used to have the Sunsun on a 75gal tank it did pretty well no issues. But I now have the FS6 on a 210gal and it does a fantastic job. I agree the backflow valve seems like it could be a weak point on the unit. On my FX6 is you used the bottom two trays for just bio it holds a very good amount. It takes a little time to clean up the unit but it keeps the tank beautiful.
Fluval in general well built and reliable! So I will always go with it 👍
My dun sun has ran for 5+ years. Getting a bit noisy but still plenty of flow.
Great video. I bought my Fluval 306 for my 54 gallon aquarium 5 years ago. Hasn’t missed a beat. I have heard good things about sun sun as well but I probably wouldn’t change. I think it comes down to personal preference and experience. Both seem to be quality filters.
Its like comparing a low end product to a high end lol 😆. Fx6 overall better than everything compare to the sunsun brand. But it doesn’t mean you need a fx6 for your setup. I run two sun sun on my 125 gallon and its fine for most average hobbyists out there. Nothing wrong getting the fx6 since its a beast but its like 3x the price 😉🤔
All good points!
I have a fx4 on my 75 and it's been great
Thanks again Ben for All the information you always provide for us . It is much appreciated !!
My pleasure B!
Hi Ben, correct me if I’m wrong but if you push out that little valve you may find it has a seal ring inside. I had an fx4 that started leaking around the input valve, so I went onto TH-cam to see what the issues could be. I found a TH-camr showing all the seal rings I didn’t even know my canister had. He showed how to push out these valves and grease them. Well, I did that and the leaking stopped. Now, I just received my first fx6 so I’m not sure if this is the case for a seal ring, it might be worth a look to see if there is indeed a ring inside that is needing some oiling. They tend to get brittle with all the warm water going through the valves. Push out the flat end and take a look. It would be interesting to see if there is one in there. On the other hand I’m sure you don’t want to take it apart again just to have to replace it. Once you receive the other one let us us know if you found a seal ring. I would love to know.
Cathy, from Edmonton Alberta Canada.
I think there is an O ring in there that got grinded down by some black sand that got into the filter. The valve is easy to remove but it's not easy to get to the O ring inside.
never used the fx6, i only have sun sun canister filter and work good for me
Until the day it leaks everywhere on you. Ounce the gasket goes tons of water dumps out then you will hate that unit
@@travisconover4762
That's a general problem for all, i guess!
If you used the FX6 you'd use words like 'amazing' rather than 'good' 😝
I prefer my Eheim Classics and Eccos - some have 25 years of continuous use and still going strong!
Those old filter are better made.
That's really impressive!
wow dad same as fish tank also. Oceanic older tanks glass are way thicker than the one they have now. Down side is older tank weight so much more 😆
It’s like Rolex or timex tells the Same time. There’s always gonna be the ones that think the Rolex tells better time go figure. Same with these filters. It’s a name someone said it’s the best. So some people have to have the name to say it’s the best. The same people will most likely say a sponge filter is no good because it’s cheaper. But say the fx6 hold more sponges for better filtration because it’s more money so it has to be better. Filtration its better with a lower water flow through what ever the media is sponges Floss or type of bio media. it’s just bacteria it don’t care what is is Just because it’s the same process. No matter the cost. Ben you are correct. You have helped people understand that this hobby is not about the best of the best. But how you care for what you have.
A filter basically boils down to water flow over surface area, it's that simple.
The biggest issues with the fx4 5 and 6 are the impellars on the bottom they are guaranteed to fail in a tank with sand or small gravels in time especially with cichlids digging in it. The impellars are expensive and a pain in the ass to change. Think I have 7 of them in my filter graveyard. Not to mention the sensitivity with the knobs over tighten them and you get micro bubbles clean them too often to keep crap out the impellar seal go bad and they leak. Over all bad design.
Years ago a Fluval failed me due to a safety valve(in fact a small plastic ball, that just closed the filter). Returned after a one-day trip and it stood just still. Took out my four beautiful blue Scalar. Fluval is out of the question. Have a SunSun now, that's running for over 10 years straight without no problem at all. Can only recommend SunSun. They know, what they're doing and they do it right. Visit their website. Helluva company.
I must say that I have never run a Fluval. Started aquarium keeping on a budget and bought a SunSun on ebay and have not had any problems with it. If you can afford the $300+ price of the Fluval, I'm sure it is a wonderful canister..... for for less than $100.00, my SunSun has work flawlessly for about 5 years now....
what i see is that people buy cheap filters and they rough handle them if you are careful they last long time.
I use silicone plumbers grease on all of my o-rings and plastic valves. Never have any problems. Ace hardware carries it (it's food safe and all that).
I’ve got a fluval fx6 I’ve had slight leaking problems from bottom valve so after I cleaned it and fixed problems I no longer use that valve in case it fails again. Main problem with fx6 is the terrible built fasteners on the top there ridiculous. About 6 broke in 2 years. Eheim are my best, Chinese canisters need replacing every year when I’ve used them don’t go cheap route anymore especially the ones with build in uv there shocking at failing. Keep up the great videos 👍
Thanks for watching Matt!
i have the sun sun 3000 and love it !!!! i have not even looked at the fluval
How does the adjustable flow control work? No issues and strong output?
@@BenOchart i bought it back in july of last year 2018 almost a year now and so far been great .. the flow is wonderful . i love that it adjust and by a lot . it really gets the water moving . the only complaint i have is the "self priming " yea its easy but idk if its easier .. 1-6 speeds and 2 hour increments for the uv light . 1) speed says 1200L/H... 2)1600L/H 3) 2000L/H 4)2400L/H 5)2700L/H 6) 3000 L/H
ive used it alone on a 29 gallon then a 30 gallon and now on a 50 that i havent showed on my channel yet
i would say easy it could do a 125 no problem .. its a beast of a filter . i bought it for 135$ at that time .. ive yet to see it that low again .. best believe i would buy another !!!
Hi! Thanks for the review. I actually am running the SunSun 304B. I have read reviews reporting the plastic media trays deteriorate with extended use of the UV light. I am seeing this with mine and now only use the UV light once a month....apparently the manufacturer is aware. But the warranty is only 1 yr..and they offer replacement trays which seems quite costly...m
I was running a 704-B and ran the UV only on weekends and noticed very little impact on the trays. It's probably the same bulb in a tighter space with the 304-B and being closer impacts the plastic more.
@@BenOchart thank you for your reply!!
I had a 704B before purchasing the FX6. The 704B was amazing and lasted more than 5 years. A power surge hit my house killing over 1/2 of my appliances to include the 704B. I would expect it to have killed any brand on that specific circuit. I needed to replace it so I bought the FX6. Now that I have used both for some time, I would say that you CAN NOT go wrong with either. I would give a slight performance edge to the FX6. (Maybe because the fx6 is new compared to a 704B with 5+years of use?) Combine that with all you can do with the utility valve at the bottom and the fx6 is the clear winner to me. If you factor in price/budget...... 704B for larger tanks is unbeatable.
Secondary note, 704B has more space for bio media. In the real world, the fx6 has more than enough bio media space to sustain more than sufficient BB.
I agree. The 704-B will get the job done (on a budget) but if one wants a battleship, and has the budget, then the FX-6 is the way to go.
Great video Ben, the tip for the Fluval never touch the bottom valve, I clean my 2 fx6 and never touch that valve, not needed, my only complain is that is hard and take time to clean the 3 plastic tray, that's why I'm planning to switch to 2 eheim 2262
Hello Efrain. Before switching, try a pre-filter on the FX-6. It might double the time between cleanings. I'm doing a video on it in a couple of weeks. I got the pre-filter from Cory at the Co-Op.
@@BenOchart thank you Ben, can't wait to see the pre filter video
Hi Ben. Greetings from Romania. Dare to say that are very rare this problems that i heard about FX6, and for me that was the main reason to buy the Fluval canister filter. I am not saying that Sun Sun are not OK, but they are more susceptible to break in a shorter time. Anyway, i like your channel. Keep it going.
Hello Marius in beautiful Romania. Thank you for watching.
Just a heads up for anyone thinking of buying an fx4 or fx6. They have them on sale at Petsmart (at least in so cal) for 200 and 239 respectively. This deal isn’t listed on their website or advertised. That’s an absolute steal for these filters.
Good tip!
Fluval fx6 all day everyday ❤
Need to just hand tighten screws with equal pressure in a Flange Bolt Tightening Sequence. Cranking down on the screws, may break the seal, damage the o-ring, and distort the plastic housing.
I have three sun sun and 2 FX6 on my 10 gallon hermit crab tank💪
Very informative video!Thanks !
I’m glad you thought so😀👍🏻
I have 2 sunsuns on my 150 gallon, love having 2 so if I clean to much and kill good bacteria the other saves me, I clean them each every other month, rotating them
Interesting review and comparison. I personally would not choose either. Eheim classics are my choice.
You're not alone in this comment thread. Thanks for watching Mister B!
SunSun for me, thanks.
I have an FX6 and I think it is a great filter but i would not buy it again. If I had to do it over I would purchase two smaller filters for redundancy. Regarding the bio-filtration differences - It is interesting that many people discount the biofilter capability of sponges. I have run many tanks with only sponge filters as do many professionals. Moving the biofilter media from the FX6 into the SunSun is a bit misleading demo as the massive amount of sponges is not taken into account
Which two smaller (for redundancy) canisters would you go with, instead of an FX-6, if you could do it over?
@@BenOchart I would go with two Eheim Pro 4+ 600 Filters which would cost similar to a single FX-6. I would then add power heads if additional circulation was desired. The Eheim filters are pretty underwhelming when it comes to flow rate but there filtration is outstanding.
Great video as always Ben 👍👍👍
watch in x2 speed if ur in rush like me grate video very clear and informed
Not sure of the direction this video is going... we've already had this discussion of it doesn't matter if you have the space of a multi storey car park or a toilet roll to keep your biological media, your tank or system will only grow the beneficiary bacteria it needs... the FX filters are fully adaptable for your specific needs so anyone who says the FX series is overrated is just playing fanboy to their brand of canister. The fact that the part that leaked can be easily removed and replaced shows the product is reliable, and I'm also willing to bet that FX6 is well past its warranty... Ask any owner of an FX6 or 4/5 if they regretted having it and I'll remark I'd go out and buy another one in a heartbeat. I'd like to end on a better note that as long as your system has regular maintenance and your fish/livestock and plants are well and thriving then happy days we are all doing GREAT, I wish everyone good health and happiness in your tanks... take care
I'm sorry. They are overrated. I have 2 of them. I actually see that my eheim's are more efficient. I don't like cleaning the fluvals at all.
I think the old Rena is as good as any of them. To each is own, as they say.
@@theone5404 you have an interesting opinion.. 🤔 What way do you find the eheim more efficient is it with performance, cleaning or both..? Thanks for your polite reply.. 😉😉
@@mattphillips6714 to be honest, both. The the pro3 2180 has a built in heater, a much more simple cleaning process, uses less watts, and hold beneficial bacteria better... Thusly, I use FX6 for water polishing and the Pro 3 2180 for beneficial bacteria. When it comes to holding media and customization; eheim wins hands down. As it pertains to house brand media, better sponge in the fx6, but biological, hands down, eheim excels. When it comes to flow, the fx6 has the edge. When it comes to real life flow as stated by the company, eheim wins with no question about. Personally, I don't care for the bio media in either. It's good in eheim, but if you want the efficiency, you have to get all their media, and one of them, I don't like cleaning. Therefore, I use biohome marine pure and Sera in it. I use there course foam, but pinky filter the rest of the way. I put Sera and pinky filter in the fx6's as well in the middle part. Also, the new queon canisters have great outflow too. Very powerful.
The One thanks for the in depth review I'll look into the 2180 series if my filter breaks and needs replacing. I was looking at ehiem but was put off by the cost of the filter and the media..
@@mattphillips6714 My pleasure. But yes, that cost is terrible. I played the waiting game on ebay. I only use their media in a couple of the smaller ones. However, I use what I want in the 2180 filters. The Sera siporex is really good too. Also, the 2080 is just as good as the 2180, minus the built in heater.
It's refreshing Ben that you can have a very productive and polite response with people who watch your videos..
I try Matt :) Thank you for stopping by and supporting the channel!
Things wear out over time great video. Thank you so much.
I can buy 3 sun suns and have money left over for media for the price of the Fluval. It is a better filter though, but the sun sun isn't bad either
The sun sun 704b is also only rated for 75 gallons over the 400gallons of an fx6...
In my country, you can buy 6 units of 704Bs for the price of one FX6. The latter is that expensive here so I just bought a 704B as it's just a backup filter for my cichlid tank (75g).
The fluval has more mechanical filtration and you and actually make polishing foams to fit the filter. you can actually completely fill the top tray with bio media. Fluval has more surface area to madify your filtration
Great video Mr. Ben. Like all your videos always 👍. Greetings from Germany
Hello Francesc and thank you for visiting the channel.
h
HI BEN, really enjoy your channel ,have you ever thought of becoming a presenter on tv, your a natural in front of camera in your presentation style and manner.......apart from that your channel also gives honest unsponsored opinion on products. anyway if you ever get a chance try out the AQUAEL ALTRAMAX 2000 ,A great filter just one of the many brands i use at the minute .Best of luck and health to you from IRELAND .Martin.
Very nice of you Martin. I was in Ireland this past summer. Fell in love with it. I did some videos on Seahorse Aquariums just outside of Dublin. Great shop with great people.
I watched that video. Really glad you enjoyed your time in our part of the world. Keep up the good work. Hope you got into a pub or two aswell .👍👍
What breaks down the plastic media containers is salt. (Not the UV sterilizer bulb) I have this problem even with my brackish corner tank
Interesting. Even in a fresh water set up?
@@BenOchart Hmm... Is it maybe brackish or are you throwing regular aquarium salt in for health and color maybe? I just know that the trays in my SunSun canister filter that's on my 55 gal brackish tank have really deteriorated, and the same filter system I've been running in my 65 gal rectangular freshwater tank for about the same number of years is still completely in tact. So I've just assumed it's the salt. That's my theory. Not positive it's correct, but not sure what else it could be? The only other thing I can think of is that one is at home and one is in my office, so perhaps it's water quality / minerals in the area? Both are on public water, but there's definitely a big difference in mineral content between the 2 different towns.
I've used many brands of canister filter and found fluval to meet my aquarium needs. The others are usually made in China don't last very and are riddle with problems especially the UV feature that leaks water into chamber short out and no longer working . I personally hate that plunger which also is very effective and they're cheaply constructed. BTW the Suisun 704b has been discontinued.
The one thing that cab sometimes be a problem are the valves that the rubber gasket can sometimes leak and can't find them , so your left in having to buy a new valve.
I agree with everything you said I run both of those filters. One thing that was not examined was the hoses and intake/out. I have a problem on my intake. When the water level lowers air is sucked in. So, there is a crack somewhere in it. They just are cheap in my opinion. I have used many canisters and I think fluval have the best hoses and fittings.
Hey bro, have you solved this problem, because with my filter is the same and it is getting me crazy.
@@vasiltsnaev mine bit the dust. My power went out. It started leaking and dumped about 50 gallons on the floor. It wouldn’t leak when powered only when power was off . I replaced with a cascade penn plax
Had to put my SunSun in a tub under the tank for piece of mind after it (common problem) started leaking from the lid seal. Replaced the seal and cleaned it though. Also the seal on the uv light failed corroded and burnt out the bulb. Now I don't trust it either so I leave it off. Good filter just cheaply made
I've had them both and now use nothing but Eheim. Get a 2260 and you'll never look back.
+Ben Ochart, From the ending of your video the problem is quite characteristic of plastic parts. They can deform easily, even just a little and give us problems. This is of course even more evident when dealing with problems of water tight fittings. Also plastic tends to fail from "fatigue" . This is where the plastic is stressed repeatedly over a period of time. It then becomes brittle and fails, usually when you least expect it. Manufacturer's are constantly weighing these kind of problems with "Price points" to try and come up with a product that is not TOO expensive but will also last. I know from personal experience that in "Industrial" settings a lot of $$ and research is put into improving the lifespan of equipment. In the consumer world this can be a bit more difficult to pin down since for many people (not all of course) , the quality of a product is not as immediately of importance. Would you agree?
EXACTLY. Any plastic part that requires you to wiggle? Will break soon. It's not even defensible that they would make tabs like that.
Agree. There are very few items we use 24/7 like canisters/pumps/HOBs. Eventually things will fail. When I removed it, there was some sand in there, not a lot, but enough to work as an abrasive when the valve is turned. Probably related to the problem.
@@BenOchart Sounds like you found the cause of the failure. I guess it points out the need to inspect filters regularly as well as heaters. Both are the most likely items to fail. (I had a heater fail recently, fortunately I caught it before any serious damage was done)
I have a sunsun hw-3000 and i have not had any problems with it so far. Just a note the buttons are tuch.
I bought the sunsun 3000 and it worked well but I ended up selling it because it would fill up with air and no matter what I did it would always bubble and hum. I put new rings on it tightened everything I even used thread tape on everything including the rings. I gave up and went with the 304b. It works wonderful as does my 302 but the 302 will leak if you don’t line the top up just right. I want an fx4 for my 125 because I have turtles but I don’t want to waste my money if I don’t have to. PetSmart has them for 199 for the fx4 and 149 for fx6
I have had a very similar problem with my Fluval 206 and 306 filters when the aquastop valves started leaking. Upon investigation it appears the filter has picked up fine grains of sand from the bottom of the tank and these grains of sand get trapped in the rotary aqua stop valve and they grind away at the valves tap and body every time it is operated thus causing the valve to leak. I think its down to poor design and quality control from fluval.
I did find some sand in there when I removed it. One fellow said he reached in the can and shoved floss in there to keep sand out.
Good review. I've been running two sunsun filters and five FX6 filters for well over 4 years. If it is in your budget....FX6 all the way!!!!
Wish you were a few states closer, I would give you a male hawk. Hate seeing someone in such agony. LOL!!!! My wife and I have had a long history with the infamous HAWKS. They are very nice!!!
Now you're teasing and being mean ... LOL! Ship me one since you hurt my feelings! LOL! Acutally I'm considering getting one of the monsters recently acquired by the Cichlid Shack. We'll see.
Thanks for the review was considering a Fluval we'll get Eheim
The SunSun filters just feel and look cheap and flimsy. You have to rock it to get air bubbles out of it? Lol. I love how sturdy and quiet the Fluval FX6 filters are. More customizable media trays, quiet, sturdy, proven. To each his own though!
next time you clean your filter once you are ready to start filter keep intake in the water, with a empty filter suck on output when you hear the filter filling up when is stops water sound turn on your filter you should get less bubbles.
Overall I give them (the SunSun) a 7 out of ten. Once the air is out (and it take around a minute) you're done. I give Fluval 8.5. The question is do you think there's a $150 difference between them in performance?
@@BenOchart you can get the FX6 at petsmart for $260 right now......and to further answer your question, YES $150 is TOTALLY worth the "ease of maintenance" the FX series will provide you when you go to service your filter. Just like anything, the easier it is, the more you'll do it.
If I could suggest one advantage of only loading the fx6 with alfagrog and the side sponges you wouldn't need to touch that filter for months even upto a year if you do that it will just build up your bacteria and you could use the Sunsun704b to fill with chemical filteration and floss etc which u could clean more often just leave the fx6 alone the advantage with runigvyhd the fx6 with more biological media its alot more powerful so the Sunsun being less L/H turnover would make it more efficient at polishing and removing impurities so I would suggest some mechanical media I.e different sponges and then maybe activated carbon or purigen other alternatives being ammonia pads phosphate pads and filter floss which can all be cut to size to fit the four trays on the sunsun it's a only an idea but every one is different but I don't touch my fx6 just leave it be full of alfagrog the less u touch the biological part the better but thanks for the video I'm considering getting the sunsun 704b it looks like a good and I bet it's cheaper then the fx6 but it would help me with my chemical or natural chemical media so I can just leave the fx6 alone
I bought the biggest sunsun with the digital screen the hole top plastic broke away after a few months allowing air to be sucked in on top of that there is a plastic cover over the screen where the buttons are.
You cant remove it so buttons are not actually accessible.
Yes its 3 times cheaper but you will have to buy a new one every year.
The module you have did last me a lot longer but the motor did burn out.
Sunsun is vary cheaply made fragile plastic.
Are sun sun filters now UL Rated? If not, that would be a good piece of info to include. Insurance not covering a "disaster" might help people make a better decision for them.
What does this mean?
Fx6 all the way the maintenance feature is awesome
Indiana, which feature are you referring to?
@@BenOchart how you can drain using the hose and fill the tank.
Yeah if u want to clean the impeller on the fluval you have to unscrew it but if your motor breaks you have no chance at replacing it in the sunsun. And yeah the fluval service valve is soooo flimsyy I hate it. (I have a fx4 ) and those baskets. Yikes
The UV light on 2 of my sunsun 304b's melted the trays. Had to get replacements. They aren't meant to be on all the time i guess.
I run mine on weekends and have not noticed any damage, but I have heard several reports like yours.
mine melted too. I just replaced the whole unit with a fluval
GREAT VIDEO 😎👍
The only canister that rivals the 704b is my Penn Plax Cascade 1500 I run both on my 125 cichlid tank with 3 Oscar's and a huge pleco. Water is pristine. Only requires 1 50 percent water change a week.
I have an FX 4, and 6 on my 125, with a 14" long Pleco. I don't even run "fine" or "medium" pads in it....just those supplied, with biohome ultimate in the bottom tray(s). I couldn't ask for clearer water.
@@Sahadi420 I could literally buy 2 704bs and fill them with biohome ultimate for cheaper than buying one fx6...
@@luigigreen9823 I paid (brand new at petsmart) $260 for the FX6. What I really love about the FX series is it's a JOY to service!!! Closing the valves is easy, way better then the stupid connector the 704 uses 3:44......THAT THING SUCKS!!! (and the one on my marineland 360 leaked when disconnected) The FX connectors are very high quality valves......connected to hoses that are far more flexible. And before you pry the hoses off?? Let out some water out of the bottom valve, and the canister won't "squirt" on you. Then you go to "pry" the top off.....and instead it lifts EFFORTLESSLY right off after you unscrew the tabs. I've said more then my fair share of cuss words trying to pry off those canister filters. (Yes screw you too my 406 filters.) Then lifting the trays is even simplified....just grab the bright red handles, and pull the whole lot out at once. Priming the FX filter?? You can keep that stupid blue button, my FX does it for me.
@@Sahadi420 I'll take the sunsun and penn plax cascade all day.
@@luigigreen9823 It's your money buddy.....you get what you pay for. I would rather pay the extra hundred for the FX over your cascade, one time....and enjoy the hassle free maintenance every time I service the filter. :)
UV just seems a waste, it would be better if they could integrate a heater into the filter.
Ben I have found that if you take a little bit of pinky an put in that valve that failed on you the pinky keeps dirt etc from getting into the gasket on the valve that turns so far it has worked for me
That's a real interesting solution. Do you use the valve regularly to drain the unit? How often do you pull out the pinky and replace?
Lubricate all the O rings with cooking oil that will stop all leaks
Didn’t think of cooking oil. I’m currently using “food grade” silicone
For more beneficial bacteria and price value the sunsun leaves the fluval for dead! sunsun power head costs only $15 so you have even more flow than the fx-6
I like my fx5. It’s really old. I bought it used and runs well.
Thinking of getting a Sunsun canister to replace a a leaking Fluval 207, every fluval I've had including several in the tank have failed in some manner. I will never buy another fluval. Have been a marineland fan but they are a bit more expenisive than the sunsun.
I too have had some issues with Fluval and had to replace expensive valves. This SunSun is a proven workhorse and a good bargain: amzn.to/2D0UDxG
Greatt review!. Purchase 350gallon (8ftx3ftx2ft ) well stock tank.. Was wondering how many canisters would I need for that size tank?
2 + a hang on back would be my choice. That a lot of water to keep clean.