Ben, Awesome video. Because of you I also bought prefilters for all my HOBS as well. I added them to all my Tidal filters. The only one is the tidal 35 because it doesn’t have a tube intake. I also plan on putting a prefilter on my fx6 and my other canister filters. They sell the intakes now that are prefilter instead of putting a sponge on them. They make them for the Fluval canister filters. It has way way smaller holes so enough for water and very small stuff in the water to pass through.
2000 gallons per hour with your pumps in the sump is absolutely amazing. The FX 6 being used as a polishing filter is incredible. Love the channel, Mr. Ben, as always keep educating us fishy folks.
I've always loved the way your 40G breeder sump is set up. Since watching your channel, I've also gravitated towards deep substrate, and it has done wonders for me!
Hey Ben, great video, and I added a pre-filter sponge to my fx6 today cause I cleaned mine today at the 2 year mark between cleaning, I only have 6 turquoise severam, and one is a breeding pair. 4 small grow out babies. I don't go crazy with the feeding . I hope to go 2 more years without cleaning it again 😊.
Ben I think far too often people get so focused on the filter, they forget the whole tank with plants and hardscape are also filtering. There are people like Lucas, who have figured that out, though their bio-load is less than a large tank of Cichlids, it still shows the potential for beneficial bacteria outside of your filtration.
Very true and I'm glad you pointed out ACs as something somewhat different. With a heavy bio-load and no plants the game is a bit different. Thanks for watching and commenting.
My 180 is setup very similar I have the custom aquariums seamless sump. And my FX6 as a polishing as well with the prefilter on it. Now my 125 has an FX6 with a prefilter along with a title series 100 on there that was get a little dirtier because I have no sump
I learned about poret sponges years ago its a gamechanger my eheim cannisters are filled completely with them, plus my sump is totally packed with poret I use a 10PPI for the big particles they are both filled with 20 PPI and use a 30 PP as last sponge for polishing in sump but I do clean the 10 and 30 every few weeks . When water flow slows down on cannisters about once a year I clean thein the sump maybe every few years its a living ecosystem I think its called Demetrius in which I though was evil in the hobby we're always learning luv your show!!
Well that explains alot ! ... 2000gph sump filter would do most of the work for sure, thanks for explaining Ben,.. HOWEVER during your explanation of the beneficial bacteria you mentioned that you had hundreds of pounds of " gravel & ARAGONITE " ... so the water is being buffered in your 300gal tank, can you tell us what your your tap & tank water KH,GH & PH is please as your fish look very look healthy, also do you use any sort of malawi buffer or salts ? ... FYI ive just recently changed my 75gal tanganyikian tank substrate & decor to aragonite and decor to coral & feather rock to raise the ph& hardness ... changes to water hardness was almost immediate and I noticed changes to my Tropheus & Julidochromis colonies within less than a week which I am very happy with... cheers ..
My tap water is an odd mix. It's hard water with a pH of around 7.5 and a very low GH. An odd combination that I try to adjust with all the crushed coral and aragonite I'm using. I do add Malawi Lake Salt (trace minerals) from Seachem and I have some buffer lake salt from Fritz that I might try out. I prefer to have the fish adjust to my water instead of trying to raise pH with buffers. But I do try to influence things with coral and aragonite.
I don't have a sump, but I tend to use multiple filter types on every tank, and every one of them look like a "Hippo had a baby in it". 😂 I'm going to try this pre-filter idea and see if that doesnt help me out a little... or a lot.
All my large tanks have essentially no substrate. The nitrifying bacteria in my set-ups are primarily in the sump sponges. I have proven for going on 10 years that sponges alone (no substrate) provides more than enough nitrifying bacteria.
Obviously that's working for you. I just don't like the look of a bare bottom and get a lot of joy out of the antics fish get into with substrate. Thanks for watching and commenting. You are appreciated.
@@BenOchart I have aquadecor bottom mats that look like a rock/slate bottom. I sprinkle in just enough sand and gravel that my Geos can sort through it when in the mood. I have two 54 gallons withoutcompletely. Or matz but are heavily planted such that the roots and attached stones hide the bare bottom comletely.
You said you don't gravel vac. I'm guessing you have enough water movement to push a lot of the detritus up into the filter intakes. Otherwise you may get algae depending on your lighting.
Yes, lots of water movement between the filter outputs (FX-6 and 2 sump pump returns) and a wave maker in the back right on a timer. It suspends detritus so that it gets taken in by the filter inputs.
![Opening My Fluval FX-6 [It's Been a Year!!!] & *SWAPPING MEDIA!*](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/usuLo1ambfI/mqdefault.jpg)
i'd love to have a fish room where an FX6 is a "polishing filter" 💚💚✌✌ tanks for the upload🙌🙌
Ben,
Awesome video. Because of you I also bought prefilters for all my HOBS as well. I added them to all my Tidal filters. The only one is the tidal 35 because it doesn’t have a tube intake. I also plan on putting a prefilter on my fx6 and my other canister filters. They sell the intakes now that are prefilter instead of putting a sponge on them. They make them for the Fluval canister filters. It has way way smaller holes so enough for water and very small stuff in the water to pass through.
2000 gallons per hour with your pumps in the sump is absolutely amazing. The FX 6 being used as a polishing filter is incredible. Love the channel, Mr. Ben, as always keep educating us fishy folks.
Thank you Keith for both watching and commenting. Always appreciated.
I've always loved the way your 40G breeder sump is set up. Since watching your channel, I've also gravitated towards deep substrate, and it has done wonders for me!
Thanks Buddy! It really simplifies things and provides, in my opinion, a more stable set-up.
@BenOchart Yes, I agree 👍
"A hippo had a baby it." Good one!
That explains everything thank you!!
Thanks for the follow up video, personally I forgot about your sump
Hey Ben, great video, and I added a pre-filter sponge to my fx6 today cause I cleaned mine today at the 2 year mark between cleaning, I only have 6 turquoise severam, and one is a breeding pair. 4 small grow out babies. I don't go crazy with the feeding . I hope to go 2 more years without cleaning it again 😊.
2 years is totally possible with a light bio-load and a pre-filter.
Turquoise severums are beautiful.
Thanks for the follow up explanation 👍🏼
Ben I think far too often people get so focused on the filter, they forget the whole tank with plants and hardscape are also filtering. There are people like Lucas, who have figured that out, though their bio-load is less than a large tank of Cichlids, it still shows the potential for beneficial bacteria outside of your filtration.
Very true and I'm glad you pointed out ACs as something somewhat different. With a heavy bio-load and no plants the game is a bit different. Thanks for watching and commenting.
My 180 is setup very similar I have the custom aquariums seamless sump. And my FX6 as a polishing as well with the prefilter on it. Now my 125 has an FX6 with a prefilter along with a title series 100 on there that was get a little dirtier because I have no sump
I learned about poret sponges years ago its a gamechanger my eheim cannisters are filled completely with them, plus my sump is totally packed with poret I use a 10PPI for the big particles they are both filled with 20 PPI and use a 30 PP as last sponge for polishing in sump but I do clean the 10 and 30 every few weeks . When water flow slows down on cannisters about once a year I clean thein the sump maybe every few years its a living ecosystem I think its called Demetrius in which I though was evil in the hobby we're always learning luv your show!!
Well that explains alot ! ... 2000gph sump filter would do most of the work for sure, thanks for explaining Ben,.. HOWEVER during your explanation of the beneficial bacteria you mentioned that you had hundreds of pounds of " gravel & ARAGONITE " ... so the water is being buffered in your 300gal tank, can you tell us what your your tap & tank water KH,GH & PH is please as your fish look very look healthy, also do you use any sort of malawi buffer or salts ? ...
FYI ive just recently changed my 75gal tanganyikian tank substrate & decor to aragonite and decor to coral & feather rock to raise the ph& hardness ... changes to water hardness was almost immediate and I noticed changes to my Tropheus & Julidochromis colonies within less than a week which I am very happy with... cheers ..
My tap water is an odd mix. It's hard water with a pH of around 7.5 and a very low GH. An odd combination that I try to adjust with all the crushed coral and aragonite I'm using. I do add Malawi Lake Salt (trace minerals) from Seachem and I have some buffer lake salt from Fritz that I might try out.
I prefer to have the fish adjust to my water instead of trying to raise pH with buffers. But I do try to influence things with coral and aragonite.
I don't have a sump, but I tend to use multiple filter types on every tank, and every one of them look like a "Hippo had a baby in it". 😂
I'm going to try this pre-filter idea and see if that doesnt help me out a little... or a lot.
All my large tanks have essentially no substrate. The nitrifying bacteria in my set-ups are primarily in the sump sponges. I have proven for going on 10 years that sponges alone (no substrate) provides more than enough nitrifying bacteria.
Obviously that's working for you. I just don't like the look of a bare bottom and get a lot of joy out of the antics fish get into with substrate. Thanks for watching and commenting. You are appreciated.
@@BenOchart I have aquadecor bottom mats that look like a rock/slate bottom. I sprinkle in just enough sand and gravel that my Geos can sort through it when in the mood. I have two 54 gallons withoutcompletely. Or matz but are heavily planted such that the roots and attached stones hide the bare bottom comletely.
I run a pre filter and I rarely change my filters
Pre-filters are game changers. Thanks for watching and commenting.
You said you don't gravel vac. I'm guessing you have enough water movement to push a lot of the detritus up into the filter intakes. Otherwise you may get algae depending on your lighting.
Yes, lots of water movement between the filter outputs (FX-6 and 2 sump pump returns) and a wave maker in the back right on a timer. It suspends detritus so that it gets taken in by the filter inputs.
Hey Ben, where did you get those fake plants at for the 300, I would like to add a couple to my big tank as sight blockers for my Peacocks and Haps?