Bio Wheel filters

[jules11vb]

I have a Penguin 350 biowheel filter and I was wondering when, if ever, am I supposed to change out the biowheels? Sometimes they don't spin very much anymore. I've also had alot of green algae growing lately and I am wondering if the old wheels might have something to do with it.

 

[bamachamp92]

Julie, you are not supposed to change them they build up your denitrifying bacteria, that being said you are not really supposed to use them on a reef because they build up nitrates, I have the emperor 400 on the 75 with my rock in it but I threw the biowheels away. Wait and get some more input, but I would take the biowheels out.

 

[rarelyseriousb]

no wheels on a reef. IF you have no sump or fuge Id get an aquclear and make a HOB fuge.

 

[jimmybling31]

no wheels on a reef. IF you have no sump or fuge Id get an aquclear and make a HOB fuge.

I'm gonna agree with you there. I used a emperor400 for a week with just chemical filtration in it to get the phosphates down in my tank. I wouldn't use it for actual filtration

 

[Tswifty]

Ditch the wheel. No place for it in a reef. Your LR should provide all the filtration you need.

 

[moto826]

no need for wheel it wont cause alegy

 

[steri]

I would not use a biowheel in a reef. It's just a nitrate factory which is bad for most reefs. Biowheels enhance bacteria growth in freshwater tanks, and they can do it for SW as well, but that the cost of becomign a nitrate factory. I would avoid using this.

However, I turned an old penguin into a Hang on the Back Refugium for my tank. I took off the Biowheel, added some LR to the back (don't use the sponge pad thing either). I them added some cheato and a small little light and walla! I got a HOB refugium for under $30. Just in case you are ever interested :tongue:

 

[HAudioSolutions]

Agree... get rid of the wheel(s)

 

[killingseed2000]

the filter is good for carbon still , the wheel might be and issues over time. however, you could add a small light to it and add algea to it and make it a refuge for algea.

 

[tangdiver]

The wheel could be good for airation also, if no skimmer is present.

 

[whyzee429]

i'm about ready to dump my two wheels now. learned something new

 

[gparr]

To the trash with the wheel. TangDiver, I would suggest that the amount of aeration provided by a biowheel would be trivial in comparison to that provided by effective water movement in the main tank. In addition, that little bit of biowheel aeration is more than offset by the negative factor of nitrate production.
Gary

 

[beaslbob]

Bio wheels provide a place for algaes/cyano the thrive helping balance and stabilize the system. Much the same as an algae truf scrubbers.

Sure you should clean them out to keep the turning.

But although unpopular for reefs, some locals here report 0 nitrates running bio wheels.

but the same thing could happen with refugiums with macros or algae truf scrubbers.


my .02

 

[gparr]

Bio wheels provide a place for algaes/cyano the thrive helping balance and stabilize the system. Much the same as an algae truf scrubbers.

I've never heard of anyone using a biowheel as an algae-growing substrate. I'd be most curious to hear from someone who has. Also, can you elaborate on the benefits of growing cyano (I assume you mean cyano bacteria) on a biowheel. Typically that's an organism reef people work long and hard to eliminate not cultivate.

Gary