BioWheel question

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Bods2021

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
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In my 36 gallon tank I have an HOB MarineLand Penguin 200B filter with a biowheel. This specific filter is rated for 50 gallons. I have noticed that after going a while without changing the filter cartridge the wheel stops spinning. Im assuming this is because the build up of bacteria within the filter is minmizing the water flow. I dont want to put a brand new cartridge in because of all the good media building up in the current one. Has anyone else had this issue? Should I just replace the filter cartridge?
 
Just rinse the cartridge in some aquarium water. As you say, you don't want to dump all that good bacteria.
If the cartridge has carbon built in, find a way to remove it or change the carbon.

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the way the cartridges are built for this specific filter the carbon is built in and would be almost impossible to completely remove. i do rinse the filter weekly in aquarium water when i do my pwc's and gravel vacuums. i have attached a picture of the filter with the cartride so you can see what i mean.
16239open.jpg
 
I also have similar filter cartridges in some of my filters. What I do is remove the filter media from the the cartridge frame and sort of home brew my own without the charcoal, this way I can just rinse them and use them again.
I have heard the same issues as you have with the wheel from other people but I can't really comment on that since mine do not have the wheels.
 
I have used Marineland filters for like the past 5 years or so and this is not uncommon. Some ways to fix this are to take out the cartridge and clean and poop and gunk off it it and put it back. If that doesn't work, instead of slotting it in properly put it in at like an angle.

Also when I can afford to spend the extra money I am going to upgrade all my filters to Fluval ACs. I have two in the tank I am cycling now and they are just superior imo.
 
I have attempted to clean it off and seems to spin again for about a day and then stops. I will try putting back in on an angle. In a follow up question when/if I decide to switch the cartridge would it be a good idea to leave both cartridges in at the same time until the new one builds up some bacteria? Or would that be an overload on carbon? And kind of a side note why do people remove the carbon from the filters? I have seen this discussed often within the forum but am not really sure what the benefits of doing so are, or what the detriments of leaving the carbon in are. Thank you everyone for your help.
 
Putting in both would be fine. Carbon really doesn't do a lot except soak up meds so that should be fine.As far I know it has no detriments. The only positive thing I could think of for leaving it in is that your bacteria can grow on it.
 
I have several Marineland Bio Wheel filters and the smaller ones do this . It is because they rely on water flow to turn the wheel . Cleaning the pad is good advice and make sure the area under the wheel is clean and free of gunk and debris . I would change to an AC , Fluval C series or even a Marineland 280 . The 280 and 400 have a spray bar that keeps the wheel moving , and you get refillable cartridges with them .
 
Would getting a brand new filter cause an ammonia spike/bio crash though? The tank is well established and cycled for about 6 months now.
 
Just run the new filter with the old one for a couple weeks or so and it will get seeded then take the old one off . I do this and never had an issue .
 
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