Fluval Flex Owners - Experience, Mods, Advice
- Thread starter Reef Racket
- Start date
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Hi, can you use the intank flow director without using their media basket. I have the filter pads that came with the tank and as much as I'd love to swap to the media baskets, I don't have that spare atm (January is a tough month) so was hoping to use just the flow directors for now ? Thoughts
Thanks
Thanks
KonradTO
Valuable Member
You can DIY the media baskets with little money. I did use some acrylic sheets +eggcrate. Just cut an acrylic sheet the size of the sponge and bend the last cm using a hairdrier to direct the flow, very easy, no need to glue or anything. then use eggcrate squares to keep the acrylic in place. I can upload some pictures later.
Only "difficult" part is to cut the small plastic flap inside the filter section where the water enters in the filter, you need to cut that so the acrylic can adhere to the side and prevent water from flowing.
I have the flow director piece for this tank. It has to fit in between the media basket and the false wall of the tank. Unless you're willing to glue it to the overflow slots of the tank, i would not buy it without the media basket. However, you will be able to use the InTank "surface skimmer" without the media basket.
BTimms
Active Member
Any pics? I like this idea!
KonradTO
Valuable Member
I completely forgot about the pics. I will take some later tonight! But basically its an acrylic sheet the same size of the sponge but few cm higher. You bend the last cm toward the "inside" of the filter. Basically the same as the intank baskets but with one wall only, for the sections you use eggcrate, which will press the wall in place
Balthazar
Community Member
For the time being until you can spring for the media baskets(there are also other types that people are 3d printing)
you can cut any piece of acrylic or food grade plastic to size and have the sponge hold it against the inlet side to minimize the water from going through the side of the sponge. Ive sized mine to be up to the 2nd or 3rd slot on the intake side for more surface skimming. Ive also had someone 3d print 2 snap in block offs for the lower intakes at the bottom inside the tank,also to maximize surface skimming.
Pretty much the same as the picture above but just use the sponge to hold in place.
KonradTO
Valuable Member
I plumbed a sump with a DIY overflow so I placed it in the sump. I use a reef-pi system for the ATO, if you are a bit used to DIYing I suggest to take a look at it. Cheap and reliable (unless you forget to clean the sensor from algae like me).
I also added a further safety layer with an optical sensor (you can see in the second picture on the right side) in case the overflow fails)
If you don't want to diy many people use the TUNZE ato and are super happy with it. But is PRICEY.
You can tell I am tidy from these pics xD
DE FISH
Valuable Member
I’m considering buying an aio tank because the tank I currently have was a freshwater tank and my tmc float valve does not like the high flow as it’s placed in the dt every few weeks it goes haywire and screws my salinity which shocks my corals I was hoping if I had a back chamber the flow would be lower and I could place the ato in there unfortunately a sump is out the question at the minute if It was possible I’d sump the tank I currently have
KonradTO
Valuable Member
If you use the filter chambers as a sump I would say that the central chamber where the return pump is located would be the ideal place for the ATO float/sensor. The other parts of the dt will maintain the level constant I think
DE FISH
Valuable Member
Lid would defo go but was wanting to keep the lid for the chamber on :/ what’s the dimensions of the chamber as I can always make a stand out of wood for the light and it sit behind the tank depending on the size of the chamber
Lsuhunter
Active Member
I use the XP Aqua duetto ATO in my flex. I have the sensor in the first intake chamber on one side, heater on the other side. I think putting it in the return section is a bad idea because if your filter material ever gets clogged, that will lower the return pump chamber and dump fresh water in unnecessarily. The first intake chamber is always the same water level as the dt. The fresh water from the ATO tubing dumps directly into the return chamber though.
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