What’s the difference between Fluval 407 and Fluval FX4?

If you are looking for a canister filter for your fish tank, then you may have ran into the 407 Performance Canister Filter and FX4 High Performance Canister Filter. So which of these best suit your needs?

You can find out in this comparison guide at Aquarium Blueprints.

Quick Summary

The FX4 High Performance Canister has a much better flow rate and internal filter circulation when compared against the 407 Performance Canister. The FX4 is clearly the better choice if you are planning to use a canister filter on a fish tank that is more than 100 gallons (or 500 liters).

We also recommend getting the FX4 if you want a high flow rate in aquariums that can hold 100 gallons or smaller. For smaller tanks, you may want to reduce the water flow if your fish prefer slower moving currents.

With that said, the 407 Performance Canister is more affordable, and still a great filter, if your fish tank is 100 gallons or less. If you don’t need a high flow rate, then the Fluval 407 may be a better choice due to its affordability and lower energy costs.

407 vs. FX4 Comparison Chart

Dimensions

The Fluval FX4 is quite a bit bigger when compared to the Fluval 407. You can find the full measurement stats below:

• Fluval 407: 9.5″ x 7″ x 19.3” (or 24 cm x 18 cm x 49 cm)
• Fluval FX4: 15.75″ x 15.75″ x 16.5″ (or 40 cm x 40 cm x 42 cm)

Aquarium Capacity

The FX4 High Performance Canister has a major advantage when it comes to aquarium capacity.

The FX4 has been rated for up to 250 gallons, 150% more than the tank capacity of the 407, which has been rated for a maximum of 100 gallons.

In terms of liters, the FX4 has been rated for up to 1,000 liters, 100% more than the aquarium capacity of the 407, which has been rated for a max of 500 liters.

Pump Output

The Fluval FX4 High Performance Canister Filter also provides a much higher flow rate when compared against the Fluval 407 Performance Canister Filter.

The maximum pump output for the FX4 is 700 gallons per hour. This is 82.77% more than the 407, which is capable of 383 gallons per hour.

When it comes to liters, the FX4 can output 2,650 gallons per hour. This is 82.76% more than the 407, which is capable of 1,450 liters per hour.

Filter Circulation

The Fluval FX4 also has much better performance when it comes to circulation from within the canister.

The FX is capable of circulating 450 gallons per hour, 83.67% more than the performance of the 407, which is capable of 245 gallons per hour.

For liters, the Fluval FX4 circulate 1,700 liters per hour, 82.8% more than the 407, which is capable of 930 liters per hour.

Included Filter Medias

Both canister filters come with filter medias that provide biological, chemical and mechanical filtration.

Although it may appear that the Fluval 407 has more media if you are looking strictly at the count, the media sizes aren’t identical. In reality, the Fluval FX4 holds more media and, is therefore, better when it comes to filtering your fish tank.

You can take a look at the included filter medias for both products below.

Fluval 407:

• 2x Bio-Foam Pre-Filter
• 2x Bio-Foam Max Pre-Filter
• 2x Bio-Foam+ Sponge
• 2x Quick-Clear Water Polishing Pads
• 2x BioMax Ceramic Ring Bags
• 4x Carbon Bags

Fluval FX4:

• 2x Bio-Foam Pre-Filter
• 1x Bio-Foam+ Sponge
• 2x BioMax Ceramic Ring Bags
• 1x Carbon Foam

Other Included Parts

You can also take a look at the other included parts for both products below.

Fluval 407 Performance Canister:

• AquaStop valve
• Filter canister
• Media basket
• Media basket cover
• Media basket handle
• Output nozzle
• Pre-Filter basket
• Ribbed hosing
• Rim connectors
• Instruction manual
• Intake tube
• Intake strainer
• Intake Stem with intake strainer
• Suction cup (30 mm)
• 2 rubber hose connectors

Fluval FX4 High Performance Canister:

• 1/2 media baskets
• Drain cap
• Filter accessories
• Filter canister
• Filter lid
• Intake stem
• Lid fasteners
• Media baskets
• Output nozzle
• Power cord
• Pump unit (motor)
• Ribbed hosing
• Rim clips
• Rim connectors
• Rim suction cups
• Rubber feet
• Utility hosing
• Utility valve

Optional Filter Media

You can also use optional filter media for both canisters.

The Fluval 407 Performance Canister Filter supports the following:

• Fluval Ammonia Remover (Premium Natural Clinoptilolite)
• Fluval Aquatic Peat (Compressed Granules)
• Fluval Carbon (Premium Bituminous Carbon)
• Fluval ClearMax (Premium Grade Resin)
• Fluval Pre-Filter Media Rings (Premium Mechanical Filtration)
• Fluval Nitrite Remover
• Fluval Phosphate Remover
• Fluval Sea Total Clear
• Fluval Zeo-Carb (Super Activated Zeolite and Carbon Mix)

The Fluval FX4 High Performance Canister Filter supports the following optional medias:

• Fluval Ammonia Remover (Premium Natural Clinoptilolite)
• Fluval Aquatic Peat (Compressed Granules)
• Fluval Carbon (Premium Bituminous Carbon)
• Fluval ClearMax (Premium Grade Resin)
• Fluval Max-Clean (Superior Mechanical Filtration)
• Fluval Pre-Filter (Premium Mechanical Filtration)
• Fluval Sea Total Clear
• Fluval Zeo-Carb (Super Activated Zeolite and Carbon Mix)

To find out more about the aforementioned optional filter medias, you can check out our Fluval 06/07 Series filter media guide and Fluval FX Series filter media guide.

Wattage

One advantage the Fluval 407 has over the Fluval FX4 is that it is more energy efficient. The 407 uses 23 W at 120V/60Hz and 20 W at 230-240V/50Hz. The FX4 uses 30 W at both 120V/60Hz and 230-240V/50Hz.

Pricing

The 407 is also more affordable when compared to the FX4. You can check out the currently price tags for both products on Amazon with the following links:

• Fluval 407 Performance Canister Filter
• Fluval FX4 High Performance Canister Filter