Removed first biowheel

[Scoot]

I removed the first bio-wheel from my dual HOB filter today. I'll be checking the ammonia every 4 hours to make sure I don't have a spike.

I've been running it without the filter media for a couple days. I've also eliminated all the other sponges from the system, except for one on the in-tank PH (which I clean daily).

If this goes well, I'll wait a day or two, and remove the 2nd bio-wheel. If _that_ goes well, I'll be able to remove the HOB for good.

For those of you following this effort, remember that my HOB Emperor 400 very badly collects food and other detrius in the back / bottom. Every time I turn it on or off, or add/remove filter media for cleaning, it spews all the crap out.

I've tried using a sponge, and even a thin layer of filter floss over the intake, but it prevents the filter from running right, apparently it can't handle much resistance on the intake.

I really think eliminating it will help any detrius settle to the substrate, or into my fuge, where my cleanup crew can get to it, rather than having it sitting and rotting in the back of the filter.

Wish me luck!

 

[roka64]

I'll wait a day or two, and remove the 2nd bio-wheel.

I waited 5 days. I would give your tank the chance to catch up. When I removed my sponges, I noticed the slime didn't spread, there was too much in there to determine if it was shrinking. That's just my personal experience. Go slow IME/O.....

My PO4 dropped in half, over 5 hours and I didn't have any spikes....

Wish me luck!

Good luck!!!

 

[melosu58]

Dont believe in luck but Good Luck

 

[Scoot]

So far so good.

I am getting a spike in temp today - I added a glass cover last night - its cranking the temperature up.

So I put a fan over the fuge, temporarily disconnected my UV (which #1 slows the return flow and #2 heats things up), until I can work out something better.

But params are still right on.

 

[melosu58]

Why did you add the glass covers. They will eventually cause you PH to go down. Poor Gas exchange.

 

[Scoot]

Added it yesterday.

I lost a fish a few weeks ago - jumped right out the back. Thought about a screen, but I thought the glass would help reflect some of the heat from my two CF lighting hoods. Turns out that its not really helping with that much. Temp has gone up.

My 20g long sump/fuge has a fan blowing over it now (a big occillating room fan, with the occillation feature turned off), should be plenty of O2 exchange going on, its strong enough to ripple the water. Maybe not. I'm hoping so.

I've already been keeping an eye on pH since adding the cover, I'm aware it can hurt gas and O2 exchange.

If pH is affected, I might start looking for screens instead, but none are available locally.

 

[roka64]

If pH is affected, I might start looking for screens instead, but none are available locally.

How about egg crate? I know it might cut down on a little of the lighting, but it should be easy to finad at hardware stores. I bought mine at HD or Lowes, I can't really remember...

 

[Scoot]

Roka64, thought about that - its ugly, but that might do the trick. I wonder if the LPS will take the glass back.

One benefit to the glass is that I don't get salt build-up on my lights...

PS - I've got temp down under control again with a fan over the sump, going to monitor pH.

Update - about 24 hours gone by since i removed the biowheel, ammonia, NH3 haven't moved from zero.

I've been running the filter on its lowest setting for some time now, also, preparing for this.

 

[melosu58]

Use egg crate