I Hate Fluval 405/406

[b125killer]

My sister got my Fluval 405 with the tank I gave her, I did warn her about there down falls. she got a ammonia spike because the filter wasn't pumping water. She does clean it at least one a month but there was something blocking the return tube. She found out when her L264 pleco died. I told her not to worry to much about one fish but the next day she told me her discus were at the top gasping. I did tested here water and sure enough there was ammonia. I had her do 50% water changes and tear her filter completely apart. she found the blockage. the next day she lost half her cory cats. and the discus wouldn't eat. she also said it looks like one of here discus was melting. So I had her get a new filter. It's a sun sun with uv. I have been running my sun sun for a long time with no problems. After the new filter and lots of water changes things were staring to look better. she did lose two discus from the problem. After a few weeks without anything dying and her water tested came out clean I gave her one of my discus I got from Liz. I still hate fluval 405/406. I don't have them filters anymore but I found some replacement parts for them. It's sad when you need to keep spare parts for your filters because they break down so much.   

[Mugwump]

..that stinks....I'm not a fan of canister filters anyway......I'm glad all's working out for the better now tho.....

[JR]

I love my fluval FX6 have not had any problems with them.

[b125killer]

I have heard a lot of good things on the fx5/fx6. I think i would set up a sump before I used a fx6.

[LizStreithorst]

I have a canister filter on my 125 at the shop.  It's an Eheim.  Maintenance it easy.  It works like a charm.  I prefer sponges in the fish room but for a display tank it is a good filter.

[b125killer]

I like canister filters over hob filters. I don't really like the water fall noise. I still have sponge in my tank. I was thinking of putting a sponge filter in the saltwater tank. But I'm not to sure how well it would work. Also I don't think there is a need for it.

[Mugwump]

I like canister filters over hob filters. I don't really like the water fall noise. I still have sponge in my tank. I was thinking of putting a sponge filter in the saltwater tank. But I'm not to sure how well it would work. Also I don't think there is a need for it.

....nope, don't..........why?.....well because I have never, ever seen a sponge in a salt tank.....good enough for me...LOLOLOL...somebody knows something..

....I imagine because of the sponge being a 'bio' colony in itself, and can't sustain itself in salt water....if so, a seeded sponge would crash and cause an ammonia spike....??..a new sponge would never seed....being starved for the nitrite/nitrates .... too few fish, and less feeding of the salt fish..

[LizStreithorst]

I've never seen a sponge in a SW tank either.  Surely there is a reason.

[BallAquatics]

Lord, but you people lead sheltered lives.....

More saltwater sponges than you can shake a stick at   
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVr7n_a9Wj2oAozonnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Saltwater+Sponge&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Dennis

[Mugwump]

Lord, but you people lead sheltered lives.....

More saltwater sponges than you can shake a stick at   
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVr7n_a9Wj2oAozonnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Saltwater+Sponge&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Dennis

....not sure that was what he meant......LOL.....but ok...that's a sponge too...

[b125killer]

A sponge filter not a sponge animal lol. And yes you can use them in saltwater. But there is a problem with the splash from the bubbles creating excessive salt creep. They do have sponge filter blocks that you put in your sump. But there's debate on whether they help or cause nitrate and phosphates to spike. It's a never ending battle with phosphates.
Of course they would need to be new or from a established saltwater system. If you put a seeded freshwater sponge filter in a saltwater system it would probably crash the system.

[Mugwump]

A sponge filter not a sponge animal lol. And yes you can use them in saltwater. But there is a problem with the splash from the bubbles creating excessive salt creep. They do have sponge filter blocks that you put in your sump. But there's debate on whether they help or cause nitrate and phosphates to spike. It's a never ending battle with phosphates.
Of course they would need to be new or from a established saltwater system. If you put a seeded freshwater sponge filter in a saltwater system it would probably crash the system.

hence vodka dosing..... ......the splash?...ah..makes sense...crashed sponge is what I surmised.....you're further into this than I am for sure....good work, Scott..

[BillT]

I would think a sponge filter in a salt tank would do better in a sump with no light lest it get clogged up with that encrusting pink algae or maybe something else.

By the way I have been interested in, but never had a freshwater sponge:
https://www.google.com/search?q=freshwater+sponges&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTrNnYmdjKAhVQy2MKHYYMDwAQ_AUICCgC&biw=1283&bih=770