Biowheel Woes

[RackinRocky]

I have a biowheel on a Penquin 150 that has been slowing down gradually, and finally it stopped altogether. I could get it going briefly (very slowly) but it always stopped again within a couple of minutes. I tried everything I could find online--cleaning filter thoroughly, cleaning impeller thoroughly, intake, rinsing my cartridge in tank water, swishing the biowheel in tank water, cleaning the "holders" for the ends of the biowheel, etc., and nothing helped. The biowheel was four years old, so, in exasperation, I changed it out last night, figuring there was enough BB in my filter cartridge to keep my cycle. This new biowheel is spinning just fine. I don't change my filter cartridge until its literally falling apart (at least 6 months in most cases), so will I be okay? So far, no change in water chemistry, but it hasn't even been 24 hours since I did it. I'm worried because I have a GBR in there, and I know they are ultra sensitive. Thanks!

 

[Coyne]

Was there a question in there, or were you just venting?

If you're worried about a mini-cycle, then just keep a closer eye on your parameters for the next week or so and do water changes as needed. Im sure you'll have things stable in no time.

Its a little late, but did you try greasing up the axl with petroleum jelly on your old bio-wheel? Worked for mine. Of course, mine started giving me grief after 6 months. I would've loved for it to stay spinning for 4 years.

 

[joejeff]

I gave up on the bio wheel fight. The things seems gimicky anyway. I just put some extra floss in filter chamber to give surface for Bb to grow.

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[Fresh2o]

If you still have the old biowheel then you can let it float in the tank for a few weeks. But I think you are fine because the old cartridge should be harboring a healthy colony of BBA that should "seed" the new biowheel.

 

[RackinRocky]

Thanks for the answers! I will keep a close eye on the parameters for the next week, for sure. And no, that's about the only thing I didn't try was to grease the axel with petroleum jelly. I'll have to remember that for future reference. There's a huge controversy about bioweels if you look it up online, joejeff. Some people say its a gimmick but just as many say it really does do some good. I threw the old biowheel out, Fresh, so I guess the old cartridge will just have to work its magic, and let's hope it does!