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Filter Your Fish Tank Like a Pro!

Ben Ochart

4,555 views

Set up and use your aquarium filter like a pro! Here are my best tips and hacks for the 4 most popular fish tank filters: Sumps, Hang-on-Backs, Canisters and Sponges. Let's roll!

#aquarium
#tropicalfish
#aquariumfiltration
#fishtank

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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 SUMP FILTER SYSTEMS
06:25 CANISTER FILTER
14:01 HANG ON BACK FILTERS
18:40 SPONGE FILTERS

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Remember that fish keeping is truly a fluid situation and what works for one set-up might not work for another. Do plenty of research gathering information from several reliable sources before making any changes in your aquarium.

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16 Comments

@jfg6639 6 months ago

I’ve got a fx6 all bio media and a course sponge on top - an aquaclear 110 with sponge, little bit of bio, polishing floss. I run chemical in the 110 when needed easiest way for me. Great talk Ben!

@heavenish7360 5 months ago

Thank you !!!

@HalfManHalfCichlid 6 months ago

Great tips Ben. Backflow prevention valves on sump returns get blocked with time- causing sump overflows as you demonstrate. I learned the hard way.

@BrackenFamilyLife 5 months ago

You deliver great information, as always. On my 110 tank, I have lots of filtration. My FX2 is running fluval sponges only, it works amazingly well.

I filter heavily and turnover more than 10x tank volume per hour. 4x canisters and 2x HOBs.

@NitroStarGT 6 months ago

I have used a homemade wet dry filter on my 150 gallon freshwater that has been set up since 2002. I used the Sterilite brand drawers and ordered a 5 gallon box of coral life blue bio balls. I have modded this setup slightly thru the years but all I have to do is pull the top drip tray drawer out and take it out to spray it clean and spray out the blue/white filter pad out and slide it back in. I can reuse the blue and white filter pad about 3 times before just replacing it. Very trouble free. The tank has a built in corner overflow box with two holes in the bottom of the tank that use 1" bulkheads. I use both to go down to filter and have two pumps to pump back to opposite side of the tank. I have figured the flow to be around 1200 gpm

@dt45er 6 months ago

I used them all, sump filtration is the way to go. Easiest and most efficient. I grow pothos in my sump as well.

@rockk973 6 months ago

I have a DIY sump on my 75 it has been amazing. I also use a HOB for polishing .

@bretburt7317 5 months ago

I'm kind of lucky that one of my 55g tanks backs up to my garage. I have an FX6 in the garage plus a HOB with a ton of filter floss. I wanted to go overkill so that I can upgrade my tank (hopefully 150-200g) down the road and also have a heavily stocked tank. The cabinet for a 55g wouldn't have been deep enough for the FX6.
I live in Central Florida so I get my fish by driving down to the Everglades and catch my own. Still hoping for a small Jaguar Cichlid. Every one I catch is to big.

@caravann26 5 months ago

I run 2 fx5 on a 300 kielsa furcifer tank 1 all coarse sponge. The other all bio media thats hidden behind decoration/ fake rock .when those fish start making craters the one fx picks up most but the hidden bio i only check twice a year and its normally not bad and I run an ancient marine clear(yellow now) pool canister with many replacement rings for polish and floss😅

@zmaust15 6 months ago

I’m running two sunsun hw3000’s full of matrix and sponges and ceramic rings on my 75 gallon. Also have a seachem tidal 75 for polishing. Just got an fx6 and filled it with k1 to make it static as an experiment. Heard it works great in a static bed because of the surface area.

@stuartberkowitz8598 6 months ago

Hey Ben, I remember you’ve recommended socks in the past, have you changed your mind?

@dosser1969 5 months ago (edited)

Hi I run pre filters on my 2 Fx6 the same ones I've seen you use before I think there the Oase ones grey 2 sponges in each, I find them very good, but I seen you use different fx6 ones now with large sponge on the out side, my question is do you find these better and easier to clean I do mine every wk water change day,, if you find them better do you have a link so I can try them please,, ps loving your videos very informative

@MoldsAndMachinery 6 months ago

Nice video. I also have the aquarium coop pre filter adapter and large sponge on a 407. Do you know if they have an adapter for the 207 and a sponge for that size? Thanks

@srf6161 6 months ago

Never used a sump....

@NitroStarGT 5 months ago (edited)

Advice please for the best mechanical filtration upgrade:
I've got a 150 gallon with a home made wet dry with 5 gallons of bioballs that can handle a ton of bio load. It has a 10" x 12" drip tray. I want to double this drip tray size for the extra water flow I've added with a 2nd sump pump by buying a Pro Clear 400 wet dry sump, or should I install a Fluval FX6 canister filter for extra mechanical filtration due to adding Peacock Cichlids to my 6 Clown Loaches that I've had for years. Thanks for any suggestions.

@jamesbeckett639 5 months ago

Hi ben
I have a question. I couldnt find a contact for you, so i will send the question on this comment section. What kind of hose? is on the return pump in your sump that was shown in this video