Squirt Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 Hi I was looking at upgrading my filtration system on my 540L currently it has a Sunsun HW304 2000L/h. So do I add a 405 or sell the Sunsun and buy a FX5? Also can someone tell me how tall the FX5 is with room for pipes? The cabinets 56cm tall. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 There is always safety in redundancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 either way you go there are benefits and draw backs. If you add another filter you'll still have one running if one fails but you also have twice the piping, two plugs, two canister to clean. i guess it will be cheaper to buy a 405 rather than the FX5, why wouldn't you get another sunsun? I have all "CF" canisters and it's very handy having the same as you can interchange parts if you need to and spares parts i have kicking around can be used on any of them. I've never been a fan of building redundancies if you don't need to, it doesn't make sense to me most of the time. i don't think a filter is a life or death situation as if you have one and it fails you could easily go for a day or two without it, just don't feed and do regular water changes. i think which ever way you go it will work fine so there may be something that sways you either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 you could easily go for a day or two without it Which is great when I've found it usually takes a week or two to get replacement parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Which is great when I've found it usually takes a week or two to get replacement parts. buy a second filter just in case one fails if it's that bad what parts have taken that long? i have had a couple of occasions where i needed parts and they were stocked at my LFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 buy a second filter just in case one fails if it's that bad Why would I have a second filter sitting around doing nothing when I could have it running on the tank? what parts have taken that long? i have had a couple of occasions where i needed parts and they were stocked at my LFS Only parts I've ever needed to buy are impellers for Fluval 404s, Everyone had the wrong 404 impeller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Why would I have a second filter sitting around doing nothing when I could have it running on the tank? because for all you know (assuming two filters on the tank) both the filters will fail at the same time if they are both running and then where will you be :lol: for this tank i would get a FX5 and consider keeping the sunsun just in case, the FX5 can be bought for around $450 so not too bad for what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 because for all you know (assuming two filters on the tank) both the filters will fail at the same time if they are both running and then where will you be :lol: I've had the spraybar fall off one filter and the other's intake clogged at the same time before. Killed almost the entire tank of full grown SA cichlids. I'd still have them if I'd had 3. The odds of a mechanical failure of two on the same day, let's see I've had 3 CF1200s for about 5 years I think without any failures(Vs the fluvals who I've had about 4 in less than that time period). So that's 5475 operational days without a failure given that we'll say each day one filter has a 1 in 5475 chance of failure. That means the odds of two failing on the same day are 1 in 29,975,625. That's once in approximately 8 times as long as human civilization has existed. Not corrected for the decrease in reliability of 80,000 year old filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 i don't care what the odds are, it could happen and no matter how safe you are it can all turn to custard. :slfg: here's a couple of things that have happened to me in the last few weeks: 1 - My son killed two myna birds with one shot 2 - I was playing golf and hit a sparrow in flight with the ball doing an approach shot to the green. What are the odds of that?? i bet they are pretty big numbers to. funny you should mention the Cf's having no failures, i haven't had any issues with mine in 5 or 6 years so seems like they are very reliable. I also have a via aqua which is years older and it still goes sweet although it is noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Was the bird ok? :tears: I say get an FX5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Was the bird ok? :tears: I say get an FX5. Forget the bird, this is a fish forum /me DARFC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Interesting points, I will look into getting a FX5, but need to check the height, this being my main concern. :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 400mm dia. x 400mm high + 100mm for fittings, pipes 30mm dia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 So a total height of 530mm? It should be fine as long as I don't need to take it out to often :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Total height of pump is 500mm. Pipes are 30mm diameter. ( length of pipes depends on position of pump ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Was the bird ok? :tears: the sparrow almost crash landed then carried on where ever it was going so i guess so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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