This is grouchy Mark.
Adam is going to say, there goes Mark again!
I think biowheels are a waste of money if you already have a 3-4" sand bed, which is all that anyone really needs unless you like to overload your ecosystem.
I kept a 10 gallon tank in a south facing window with a 1-2" sand bed and an airstone for 2 or 3 years. The only time the algae got out of control was when I added fish without regard for what was going to control the algae, hense my article in the Sea Star, Herbivores vs Carnivores. I did get the algae back under control when I added sufficient herbivores. The algae grew, absorbed nitrogen compounds and the herbivores ate the algae! (Oh, the reason for the shallow sand bed is that an airstone gives very little water movement so the bottom of the sand was more anoxic than a system with forced water movement.)
Seahorses did well until they ate all the food they could catch. Some food was faster and smarter than the seahorses so I gave them away rather than see them starve.
I want to commend everyone for utilizing this forum, and the time, $ and lifesaving resources of the WMAS.
Mark 296-1563 (call me for a free personal consultation :-)
"laugh it up furball"