Bio-wheel with no bio-wheel.

[Marconis]

While chatting this evening, a few said that the bio-wheel itself in bio-wheel filters isn't necessary. I want to hear others advice. I have a Penguin 200.

[Lonewolfblue]

If there's other media in the filter, it's not needed. But where most people remove the biowheel is in CO2 injected planted tanks, as the biowheel will gas off the CO2, making the CO2 injection ineffective.

[Tentacles]

I find the idea behind the biowheel sound, but when they are in use it just doesnt work. The wheels tend to build up bad things like ammonia and nitrates, and dont do their said job which I believe is to export nutrients. That being said, a filter without the wheels can perform its job just fine, AquaClears dont use biowheels at all and are amazing filters. The media in the Penguin is enough to build up beneficial bacteria to stabilize your system, and bio-wheels just arent necessary.

[Marconis]

What's up tentacles lol.

So tis alright to have it out? I have two filter media in it and I love how all theere is is humming and no water noise.

[Lonewolfblue]

Originally Posted by Tentacles

I find the idea behind the biowheel sound, but when they are in use it just doesnt work. The wheels tend to build up bad things like ammonia and nitrates, and dont do their said job which I believe is to export nutrients. That being said, a filter without the wheels can perform its job just fine, AquaClears dont use biowheels at all and are amazing filters. The media in the Penguin is enough to build up beneficial bacteria to stabilize your system, and bio-wheels just arent necessary.

I've never heard of that, lol. The purpose of the biowheel is as a biofilter, it builds up bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate. It doesn't cause ammonia, and does not remove nitrate. That is why you do PWC's, to keep Nitrate levels down. And it does not export nutrients, just eliminates ammonia and nitrite, when completely cycled. And yes, gunk should build up on it.

If you have a tank with no plants and are not injecting CO2, you should have it in, unless you have other biomedia in the filter as well.

[SparKy697]

The idea behind the bio-wheel is to provide the bacteria that lives in the wheel with more oxygen than they get when they are submerged in the tank. I think they do a fine job of exactly that. In fact maybe too good. In my tank the output of the filter contained a constant stream of little tiny bubbles. This always tended to make the water look "dirty" like it had little specs of matter floating around in it. While that is a good thing for the tank as a whole, it bugged the heck out of me. That and the noise made it not my favorite filter.

This is a real nice material that will fin into your biowheel filter in the second media slot. It is a very porous material that is great for biological growth. Remember that when you take the wheel out, you are removing a fair amount of bacteria and IMO need to provide a place for more to grow in the filter. The sponge that is supplied in the filter is just not enough.

[Marconis]

So it should stay in? Without it, there are no bubbles, so my "bubbles along surface" thread can be abolished.

[Lonewolfblue]

If you don't have another media source, yes, it should stay in. But as Sparky pointed out, if you put in another media source like he suggested, then you don't need it.

[Marconis]

So hmm, two filter media cartridges isn't enough?

[Lonewolfblue]

I have an Emperor 280, with the cartrige in one slot, and the basket with ceramic rings in it in the 2nd slot. That's all that's needed. But I like having the biowheel in as well, but it's not needed. As long as you have biomedia in the filter, the wheel is not needed.

Originally Posted by Marconis

So hmm, two filter media cartridges isn't enough?

Also, even carbon in the cartriges provide a place for the bacteria to live. Yes, it is enough.