"Bio Wheels" are they effective?

[yogosans14]

Hello everyone, I'm new here.

I am a big goldfish lover, pretty much that's all I keep lol. As most of you know goldfish are huge waste producers so I wanted a cheap but good HOB filter for mainly bio filtration. But I recently got a penguin 350 by marine land on sale for 50$ at Petco and was wondering how effective and how much surface area is available for beneficial bacteria to colonize on them?And is it possible to add extra media in the filter like ceramic rings?

 

[jarrod0987]

Most of the over the counter bio wheels suck because they stop turning all the time. Usually from mineral deposits. If it was not for that, they should actually be really awesome and efficient. I once did an experiment with a small 10 gal power filter with a bio wheel. Every day I made sure it was moving. Tried for 3 months to get the tank to start cycling with just the bio wheel. Nothing, no nitrites or nitrate after 3 months. Took it off and put in some ceramic bio media and took the wheel off. Within 6 weeks I was fully cycled. The bio wheel should have still done something so I'm not sure what happened. I haven't used them since. I do believe there theory is sound though. Some professional places have bio wheels that are driven by a motor, not the water. I think power filters are a nice , cost effective option. The wheel is not that important imo.

If you want something with a lot of surface area this stuff is the up and comer. I don't know if it is hype or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sintered+glass+bio+media&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=911&tbm=isch&imgil=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%253A%253BwMwa3_GR6mvA6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.tropicalfishforums.co.uk%25252Findex.php%25253Ftopic%2525253D143114.0&source=iu&pf=m&fir=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%253A%252CwMwa3_GR6mvA6M%252C_&usg=__iGeP-pBKupCBHfTOeAAd7oJGTWc%3D&ved=0CHEQyjdqFQoTCOv8_J397ccCFUXUgAodqq0GFQ&ei=RULyVavGN8WogwSq25qoAQ#imgrc=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%3A&usg=__iGeP-pBKupCBHfTOeAAd7oJGTWc%3D

 

[yogosans14]

Most of the over the counter bio wheels suck because they stop turning all the time. Usually from mineral deposits. If it was not for that, they should actually be really awesome and efficient. I once did an experiment with a small 10 gal power filter with a bio wheel. Every day I made sure it was moving. Tried for 3 months to get the tank to start cycling with just the bio wheel. Nothing, no nitrites or nitrate after 3 months. Took it off and put in some ceramic bio media and took the wheel off. Within 6 weeks I was fully cycled. The bio wheel should have still done something so I'm not sure what happened. I haven't used them since. I do believe there theory is sound though. Some professional places have bio wheels that are driven by a motor, not the water. I think power filters are a nice , cost effective option. The wheel is not that important imo.

If you want something with a lot of surface area this stuff is the up and comer. I don't know if it is hype or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sintered+glass+bio+media&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=911&tbm=isch&imgil=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%253A%253BwMwa3_GR6mvA6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.tropicalfishforums.co.uk%25252Findex.php%25253Ftopic%2525253D143114.0&source=iu&pf=m&fir=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%253A%252CwMwa3_GR6mvA6M%252C_&usg=__iGeP-pBKupCBHfTOeAAd7oJGTWc%3D&ved=0CHEQyjdqFQoTCOv8_J397ccCFUXUgAodqq0GFQ&ei=RULyVavGN8WogwSq25qoAQ#imgrc=kH8Pqd4EQbwBbM%3A&usg=__iGeP-pBKupCBHfTOeAAd7oJGTWc%3D

Dang, I should have gotten the aquaclear. Hopefully I can take this thing back for store credit.

 

[brennae]

It's not a bad idea to have a backup filter if they won't take it back.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[jarrod0987]

It's not a bad idea to have a backup filter if they won't take it back.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

If not you can still use it. Just put a sponge (made for aquariums) in it. If it has really large bio wheels it might be OK too. The one I tested only had a 1 inch across wheel. Just make sure it doesn't get stuck all the time. If it does, I'd skip the wheel part to save maintenance.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Most of the over the counter bio wheels suck because they stop turning all the time. Usually from mineral deposits. If it was not for that, they should actually be really awesome and efficient. I once did an experiment with a small 10 gal power filter with a bio wheel. Every day I made sure it was moving. Tried for 3 months to get the tank to start cycling with just the bio wheel. Nothing, no nitrites or nitrate after 3 months. Took it off and put in some ceramic bio media and took the wheel off. Within 6 weeks I was fully cycled. The bio wheel should have still done something so I'm not sure what happened. I haven't used them since. I do believe there theory is sound though. Some professional places have bio wheels that are driven by a motor, not the water. I think power filters are a nice , cost effective option. The wheel is not that important imo.

If you want something with a lot of surface area this stuff is the up and comer. I don't know if it is hype or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sin...d4EQbwBbM:&usg=__iGeP-pBKupCBHfTOeAAd7oJGTWc=

I actually really liked the "bio-wheel" itself on the filter, but in my case of a marineland like you said, they are pretty crappy filters IMO and I did face the problem of the mineral deposits.


Caleb

 

[yogosans14]

If not you can still use it. Just put a sponge (made for aquariums) in it. If it has really large bio wheels it might be OK too. The one I tested only had a 1 inch across wheel. Just make sure it doesn't get stuck all the time. If it does, I'd skip the wheel part to save maintenance.

It has 2 very large bio wheels.

In the back where the cartidges go I'm only using 2 of them and there is still a good bit of space left for media, can I some bio media there like sponge or biomax?

 

[mikey5290]

It has 2 very large bio wheels.

In the back where the cartidges go I'm only using 2 of them and there is still a good bit of space left for media, can I some bio media there like sponge or biomax?

Absolutely you can. Stuff it full of whatever you prefer, sponge, ceramic media, pot scrubbies.
This extra media is also helpfull if you need to kick start a cycle on another tank.

I like the bio-wheels, and haven't had any issue so far with them stopping, unless I let the water level get way too low.

 

[yogosans14]

I cycled this filter with tetra safe start which always works for me, but after letting it cycle for 2 1/2 weeks I was getting 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and .10 nitrates. I did a 100% water change because I had to move my tank to a different part of my home and now I'm getting .25 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate. Looks like my cycle crashed I don't think these bio wheels really colonize much, I might just take them off and just use bio max.

 

[jarrod0987]

It has 2 very large bio wheels.

In the back where the cartidges go I'm only using 2 of them and there is still a good bit of space left for media, can I some bio media there like sponge or biomax?

I would probably use the bio max so that I didn't have to clean the sponge all the time. Some people "clean" there bio max in tank water but I never did. Never had any issues. I would say your all set with that approach. Some people say that during a wheel stoppage the bacteria dry out and die, other people say this is false. I say....If you have some bio max under the water it doesn't really matter Just think of the Wheel as a back up system.