Fluval FX6 High Performance Canister Filter

Installed this on a 600L setup and it’s been flawless. Prime it once, plug it in, and it just runs. Flow rate’s strong without blasting the fish, and the multi-stage filtration keeps water crystal clear. Handles heavy bioloads—ideal for cichlids, goldfish, or planted tanks with messy eaters. Maintenance is straightforward: shut-off valves, easy-lift baskets, and a purge valve for draining without lifting the whole unit. I’ve cleaned it out monthly and it’s never clogged or dropped flow. ⚙️ Specs & Features Flow Rate: 3500 L/h Tank Size: Up to 1500L Media Baskets: 6-stage filtration (mechanical, chemical, biological) Footprint: Compact for the power—fits under most cabinets Smart Pump Tech: Auto air purge every 24h to maintain efficiency Drain Valve: Bottom purge for easy water changes 🔇 Noise & Build Runs near silent—just a low hum if you’re close. No vibration, no rattle. Build quality’s solid—thick casing, tight seals, and heavy-duty clamps. Feels like pro-grade kit, not hobby gear. 👍 Pros ✅ Massive flow—handles big tanks with ease ✅ Multi-stage filtration—crystal clear results ✅ Easy maintenance—quick access and purge valve ✅ Quiet operation—ideal for living spaces ✅ Durable build—long-term reliability 👎 Cons ❌ Pricey—but worth it for serious setups ❌ Large footprint—check cabinet space ❌ No media included—buy your own to customise ❌ Heavy when full—drain before moving 🧭 Personal Verdict If you’re running a big tank and want gear that just works, the FX6 is a beast. I’ve used it for months—no leaks, no noise, no stress. It’s not cheap, but it’s built to last and keeps water spotless. Ideal for anyone who wants pro-level filtration without babysitting the kit.

This filter is superb. I have it running on a Fluval Roma 240 tank. Which originally came with the Fluval 306. A good filter in its own right, but this is the next level. It’s really easy to maintain and due to its size and filtration ability I only clean mine out once very 5-6 months, where as with the 306, this I had to clean almost weekly. The intake and output can both be independently adjusted, so you can reduce the flow if it’s really stirring up your tank. It came with filter media and having had this running for well over 5 years now, I still have the original media in place and have no need to replace it any time soon. Mine came with a free gravel vac, although this was more of a novelty than a bonus. I just use a normal gravel vac as part of my water changes so the one included isn’t of any use as the water stays within the system. After years of constantly being on, it has been faultless but quiet it is not. There is a continuous humming noise coming from it and if the tank was in a bedroom you would not want the filter running. Keep this in mind before you buy as it is not silent. Our tank is in the living room and the filter sits in a cabinet, but it’s still quite loud, butit doesn’t bother us, however if it we’re silent running it would be an amazing and faultless filter. It includes a small tap that allows you to drain out water direct from the filter, this makes water changes incredibly easy. However, if you’re filling the tank back up you need to ensure it’s dechlorinated water so as not to harm the fish or filter bacteria. Other than the noise, I really can’t complain about the filter at all and would highly recommend it. If you cover your filter Inlet with pond filter sponge, you can protect fish and shrimp from being sucked in and prolong the gap between cleaning the filter out. Which is what I do and it works wonders.

First class filter 100% love it couldn’t ask for better great water flow noise levels next to nothing great power value for money

These filters are so good. Have 2 running my 475L tank and the water change through the filter system is just a complete game changer. So good

It is the strangest of things, Before continuing, the retailer has absolutely no responsibility for the way in which , this so called “ flagship “!of Fluvals range. I have and indeed continue to trust this brand very much , from its bug bites range all the way up to this widely regarded pinnacle of Fluvals high end engineering. The above photos will hopefully demonstrate why I am beyond askance at how this particular FX6 made it past quality control. As already stated, this is in no way the retailer’s fault because Fluval Filters come security sealed. I have sent the above photos to Fluval and they sent me a letter NK in response to customer services that , regrettably seems an unresponsive re direct. That aside, This Filter Put ko can quite correctly infer that this is indeed the Daddy of all Canister Filters. So anyhow, you are going to be paying , at the very least £250 or $300!… Its still a no brainer, this canister filter exchanges my aquarium, approximately, 5 the mes an hour. Don’t be fooled by what it says on the box because that filtration rate is under optimconditions and of course sans any media. As difficult as it is believe , I love this filter, its the best filter I have ever ow. A little aside here. Turn it off when it’s feeding time because your food will end up in your filter and not your fish . Yes, it really is a strong filter. As some of you may know, the 07 series intake sports a very useful ball intake which adequately prevent bigger d brid from finding its way into your filter and thus reduce ce flow and of course filtration. The patented anti-clog Glenn Miller Microphone intake sports no such anti clog ball Basically speaking, anything’s by that can be taken into the FX6 will be drawn into the filter. I would suggest that this is quite possibly why the FX6 is quite correctly seen as the top filter. And it is , the best filter I personally have ever used. However, as previously alluded. The anti clog intake will indeed take anything into the filter. Uneaten food, brilliantly ant that’s an A star right there because no one wants uneaten food going Gorgonzola in their set up. Alas, and its all about trade offs , more regular filter maintenance is brought about. Still not a criticism incidentally. this is a beast of a filter which , if optimally maintained will well prove why it as and remains one of the best, if not the best, canister filters you can buy. So, because it absolutely sucks every last piece of detritus up there’s absolutely nothing to prevent it from clogging that lower ring of sponges in short order , thus increasing filter maintenance. To prevent this you can and possibly should of use a pre filter sponge on the nd of the intake to prevent the almost immediate accumulation of gunk on the sponge’s inside the filter, because as you will know , a tinker up filter will reduce flow and therefore efficiency. Further, From the manufacturer, at least in my recent FX6, there is not nearly enough silicone grease on the rubber seals/gaskets. (Of which there are a few). You really don’t need to pay a lot for Silicone grease incidentally but a good seal will save you in more ways than I care to describe. This thing pumps out water after all. Spare parts, which you absolutely must have are a bit pricey. That doesn’t trouble me at all, the filter requires proper and diligent maintenance. Mai in summary. Not enough Silicone grease on the seals and gaskets. No way of stopping those wandering Malaysian Trumpet Snails getting, at length , into your Impeller and alas, because they are Malaysian Trumpet Snails , damaging your impeller. So basically, get rid of Buddy Holly’s Microphone intake. Stick a good sized sponge on the back brake and prevent whatever might otherget into your filter itself. Obviously the benefits of this simple step alone will cut down on your filter maintenance too which is a win. Anyway this is my honest review. The FX6 is the best at what it does but you do have to give it a leg up with a decent coarse intake sponge .

Well this arrived I didn't think it would look like a certain kind of hoover lol ,I greased all the o,rings don't forget to do it and propeller , I changed some media I put in some bio plastic pond media in with the media it came with I have plants no fish , it is realy quiet but I thought it would be more powerful for its size with my 4ft aquarium, thou it's powerful enough it's doing it's job il not know fully till fish are in it after a month of cycling the aquarium , the purge pipe outlet seems very fragile it's not tough plastic and you kind of get scared of putting it all together in case it snapsand instructions are to small to read but it's not rocket science to figure it out just look at the picture , I'm happy with it overall and I am surprised it realy quiet I hear the water more than the pump I would recommend to anyone else make sure you put it in another plastic container just in case of leaks or when you want to clean it out and have enough room at the side ,underneath or back of your tank to put it, the purge tap is a great idea of fluvals but a fast water change of a few jugs you don't need itbut great when you will ,I am glad I own iti only wish the pipes where better quality and not cheap plastic thou the purge pipe is better quality than the other pipes, a size down from the fx6 would also be suitable for a tank my size of 4ft but I'd rather this size to be right depending on the choice of fish and what they eat if you have guppies or tetras this is fantastic or even African rock chiclids mubuna,s choose this your choosing right fluval do great products thanks fluval they have been going long enough to know there reliable well my opinion I've not had problems touch wood,has thus for a while now no problems all is good its keep my tank very clean 4ft tank water is clear may need clean it in a month or two the idea of keeping it clean don't over feed feed only twice a day and hzvd cory Dora cat fish yo help clean it and dori g onions with roots in the water gor removing ammonia from water and see how they grow.

I purchased this filter for use with my daughters Christmas present a 250 litre fish tank. The main reason I purchased this was because it helps with water changes. My daughter is 12 and I didn't want her interest in fish keeping to become a chore. It hasn't. With the turn of two valves the filter will empty water out of the tank. And with the addition of a length of hose and a nearby downstairs toilet and the smart use of some Hozelock dual control valves the entire process of emptying and filling is now done without buckets. There is in my opinion some serious downside with this filter. It doesn't come with anywhere near enough medium. However, if you're prepared to invest in a seriously great media product I'd recommend Biohome Ultimate. I've added a canister filter to the in-line side of the filter. This is simply a mechanical filter. I've removed the mechanical filters from the bottom of the FX4 and used the entire bottom of the filter to house 3kg of Biohome. And I now have nitrates that appear at between 1 & 3ppm. Apart from that sadly missed opportunity by Fluval this is an excellent filter. It's robust and sturdy. It's quiet. If you want to understand how to "pimp" this filter I'd suggest you go to You Tube and search for "pimp my filter" by Pond Guru. I've no affiliation with Fluval, Biohome or Pond Guru. I don't leave many reviews on Amazon. I genuinely hope this is one that offers some help for others.

Ordered on a Monday morning and received an email saying delivery wasnt going to be till the following Tuesday. As my current filter was broken then this was not good news and i was conserdering cancelling. However it arrived the same week on the Thursday and that was a very welcome suprise. Amazon and it's suppliers in my opinion are very good at this. I had been eying up this filter for months because of the great reviews everywhere on the internet so as my current filter was now broke it was a perfect opportunity to purchase the FX6. All my local fish shops had sold out of the FX6 which makes me think there may be an upgrade on the horizon. Maybe? Amazon sold it to me about £6 cheaper than my LFS. The filter is extremely easy to set up for a standard tank. Just assemble the parts in the filter as per instructions after a quick wash of the media etc, attach the hoses to the filter and the other end in your tank and away you go. It stops after a minute or so to allow trapped air be removed automatically and that's a nice feature. Be warned, this filter is big and powerful. This filter is designed for large tanks. Ensure you have enough room underneath or around your tank as it is a large filter. It only just gets through the cabinet doors and under my Trigon 350 tank. The filter itself is fantastic and justifies the great reviews around the internet. The reason for only 4 stars is the same for every fluval filters that i have purchased, the hoses that are supplied are never long enough. The cost of the hose supplied must be pretty minimal to fluval so why not give another metre or so. Fluval must assume everyone has a very basic set up. I had to buy a separate hose and another pack of rubber connectors to complete my set up at a further cost of £24 with delivery just for the sake of another metre of hose. Obviously then the rubber connectors have a weak spot where leaks can occur as they are not factory sealed to the hose. Also, although it comes with media which is great as many other filters, fluval included do not usually include media, there is not enough. You will have to purchase more. If i'm paying nearly £240 for a product, then i expect the everything, especially the essentials to be adequate in quantity to start with straight away. One more gripe although its not really Fluval's fault but there is no inline heater on the market to fit the 1"inch hose that the FX6 requires. My tank has a decorative backing plate with a full CO2 planted set up which utilizes a Hydor inline heater that now doesn't fit the FX6 hose. The last thing i want is a heater on show. So i've had to be inventive and use a Tee piece pipe which allows me to and convert the 1"inch hose to 3/4"inch that i had bought extra for my previous filter so i can use my heater without putting back pressure on the filter pump. It works a treat. Finally, it came with a voucher for a free Gravel Vac (supposedly worth £50) which i registered online as requested. Expected delivery was 4 weeks from registration but mine came within 4 days. The vac uses the filter to clean the tank and there are demonstations of its use on Youtube. The vac is good, loads more powerful than with a standard siphon Gravel Vac and is easy to use and does the job fairly well. Because its so powerful, the gravel gets pulled up into the Vacuum easily and blocks it up. I've only used it once so maybe there is a better technique than what i tried but will certainly persevere with it. Some critical components to the Gravel Vac appear a bit flimsy and care must be taken not to break any as they integral to its operation. Overall, i fully recommend this filter and is by far the best aquarium filter i have owned. The filter itself is 5 stars, but if you have a big tank expect to purchase some extra hose and extra media.

The Fluval FX line of filters is a real work horse which rarely goes wrong if you do the upkeep on it. I use one on the tank I have my turtle in, and it keeps the water crystal clear, even though the old boy digs a lot an tries everything he can to cloud up the water. If I take it off line for cleaning (which is a breeze) or maintenance, it will get the water clear again within an hour if the turtle has been very active while it was off, and much sooner if he wasn't moving around too much. He's a very active turtle, and a very messy eater, but he's neither active enough nor messy enough to overwhelm the FX-6. I also use an FX-6 on my hillstream tank which requires a lot of flow. It pushes the water through at a very good clip so that the stream has a pretty good current for my hillstream loaches and for my rainbow shiners to run in when they're getting ready to spawn. I have the FX-4 on a 20 gallon tank which is probably just a bit overpopulated, But again, it is a good enough filter that it keeps the water quite clean. With surface skimmers on my tanks, even the water's surface is clear. To clean the filter media, all you need to do is lift the media baskets out, the use the filter's bucket to clean the sponges and reusable media, replace the media which has broken down too much to be reused, or which uses chemical treating, then either empty the old water out and replace it with fresh clean, or keep the old water if it's not too bad (it is almost always too bad). The reason you clean the media in the water the filter bucket has in it is so that you don't loose any of the beneficial bacteria which is growing in it. The FX series of filters have variable flow valves, which is a nice feature, though many filters have that. If you close the valves before opening the lid of the filter, you don't have to worry about draining the hoses, and they will be good to go when you turn the filter back on and open the valves. No priming needed. Everything in this filter is easily repairable if something goes wrong. If something happens which wears out the impeller, it's very easy to take the old impeller out, and drop a new one in. It's also easy to replace all the O-rings when they get old and start to loose their ability to seal the unit. If you're unlucky, you might need to do that once a year, but it's more likely that you'll just need put new lubricant on them. I am mechanically challenged, so if I find it easy to take care of, I'm sure just about anyone will be able to do it. I have had problems with several of the other big brands of filter makers, but I have never had a Fluval FX series filter go south on me. I recommend them to anyone who wants to keep their fish's environment clean and healthy. If I ever start another tank, I'll definitely be buying another Fluval FX.

Très bon filtre, utilisé pour 2 tortues d'eau, le bruit est résonnable, l'eau reste clair et très propre, le débit est correcte. Le montage est vraiment facile, tout est expliquer en français et detailler avec des illustrations. Pour le nettoyage, rien de plus simple, on peut brancher un tuyau sur la sortie vidange pour vider le contenu et il peut se remplir avec l'eau de l'aquarium, franchement c'est super pratique. La pompe, toute les 12h chasse l'air contenu dans la pompe, tout est automatique, même l'amorçage ! On le branche et ça démarre. Pour l'instant aucune fuite, tout fonctionne très bien , livrer avec des joints en supplément. C'est peut être un peut cher mais côté pratique et gain de temps et performance, je ne regrette rien.

Llego a timpo y en perfecto estado, ya lo instalé y es un gran filtro no tan solo por su potencia sino también por ser muy silencioso

Fluval FX6 ha risolto i mimei problemi di poca dimensione del filtro nell'acquario. Acqua pulita, cristallina e niente più alghe. Le vecchie stanno sparendo e il fondo non ha più residui. Potente e silenzioso. Comodamente riposto nei vani di un Juwel Rio 450 (o Vision 450). Comodo da pulire. Qualche adattamento da fare nella parte superiore dell'acquario (lo ho preferito a fare fori nel vetro). I tubi possono (devono) essere migliorati come estetica e qualità del tubo da parte del produttore, sono grandi, ma gli attacchi rapidi sono ottimi e dotati dei rubinetti di chiusura e apertura. Nulla che dire ottimo investimento. La pulizia del filtro è facile, finalmente niente bagnato o stracci ovunque. Speriamo duri nel tempo.

Es un filtro brutal, con una salida de agua tremenda, bastante espacio para material mecanico y biologico, tambien puedes añadir quimico sin problema, por poner alguna pega, la bandeja del material biologico baja demasiado hasta encajar en la otra y no permite llenarla entera, aun asi cabe bastante, es recomendable aunque sea pesado no poner el material tirado como caiga, se pone en vertical uno a uno y cabe mas, con el que trae esta bien, pero yo he añadido mas. Los cierres no me gustan porque son pesados para abrirlos y se ve un plastico normalillo que no malo. No se puede regular y los tubos son un poco rigidos. Recomendado