i kept a FRT for 18 months when i took a brake from rays
FRT eat alot of veg which means they produce alot of heavy organics which are not that good for fish but you will know that as you have done so much resurch on FRT
if you have had your FRT for 5yrs and its only 8inch disk then you have a problem and you are not feeding it right
mine used to eat prawn fish hikari algue waffers tetra reptomin and other veg
i had mine for 18 months hears is a pic when i 1st got them to when i sold one
mine came from your LFS aquatic design
i ask again what size tank do you have ?
as you can see one was in a bad way when i got them