Bio Wheel?

[IraqVeteran]

What are ya'lls thoughts on Bio-wheels for FOWLR tanks? Do you like them or hate them. On my 30 gal I use an Emperor 400 with both Bio-wheels in place, but I dont have an issue with nitrates? I have heard so many people say trash the Bio-wheels because they act as a "nitrate factory". What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Bifferwine]

For FOWLR tanks, they're okay. Lots of FOWLR tanks don't have enough live rock for sufficient biological filtration (I think 1 to 2 lbs per gallon is ideal), and the biowheels make up where the rock lacks. And nitrate levels are usually not an issue for FOWLR tanks (it's not imperative that they're kept low).

There are some people that use biowheels that have never had nitrate problems. But more often than not, someone is having nitrate problems, they remove the biowheel, and the problem goes away. If someone uses a biowheel, I recommend cleaning it thoroughly once a week so that it does not become a nitrate factory.

 

[fatman]

I agree with Biffer in all respects but the cleaning throughly part. I would recommend that the cleaning be done in water that you have drained from tank during a water change. Meaning, clean filter every time you do a partial water change. If you do not do a partial water change weekly then at least drain enough weekly to clean your filter. Only takes a half a gallon or so. Clean it well enough to remove any external coating on the fabric and no more. A paint brush with the paint bristles cut short enough to make the bristles stiff works great for cleaning. Do not let the bio-wheel dry out and do not use non marine water to clean it.

 

[IraqVeteran]

So basically clean it in removed water from the water change in the bucket so that you dont end up killing off all of the beneficial bacteria?

 

[fatman]

So basically clean it in removed water from the water change in the bucket so that you dont end up killing off all of the beneficial bacteria?

Yepper. It is OK to use it as a bacteriological filter , so you want is to continue to function as one, but youdo not want it to accumalate a surface layer of organic compounds thatwill slough off back into water and instantly spike your nitrates really badly. Same problem as is had withbio balls and other tricle andmechanical filter media used long term. The other problem with such filters is they rob beneficial bacteria in live rock and live sand of food leaving their numbers therfore depressed.

 

[Rcpilot]

Agree with Fatman 100%.

There's NO reason why bacterial filtration is bad. Live rocks are doing the same thing. The have AEROBIC bacteria on the surface and those bacteria break it all down to nitrates. I do not think there are very many ANAEROBIC bacteria inside live rock. A small amount, sure, but not enough to completely rid the tank of nitrates. At that point, you have several viable choices on how to get rid of the nitrates. Some people change water. Some people filter it out or use a nitrate reactor. I prefer the DSB and cheato method.

The point is:

Having aerobic (oxygen dependent) bacteria on the bio-wheel or canister filter is NOT a bad thing. Aerobic bacteria is GOOD for the tank, regardless of where they happen to reside.

Canisters and power filters become nitrate factories for the exact reason that Fatman described. People let goop build up on them and that goop falls off or works it's way through the media. It instantly dissolves in the water and causes a nitrate spike.

All you have to do with a canister, bio-balls or bio-wheel, is rinse them off in tank water when you do your water changes. Just like Fatman described. Tank water won't kill your beneficial bacteria. Scrub it lightly to remove the scum and put it back in the water in less than 5 minutes.