Equipment - Bio filters

Print Page | Close Window

Bio filters

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=119
Printed Date: April 28 2024 at 8:19am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Bio filters

Posted By: Guests
Subject: Bio filters
Date Posted: October 19 2002 at 9:43pm

After recently talking with DutchDude we decided that this would be a good place to get some opinions on Biowheel filters.My tank is set up with a Plenum,45 lbs.of live rock,50 lbs.of crushed coral/live sand and a double biowheel.The tank is 29 gals.and my water has never tested anything but perfectly.Is the biowheel a hazard just waiting to happen or is this a safe set up?

Terry

Replies:

Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 20 2002 at 10:03am

I have recently been introduced to the popularity of biowheels. I didn't realize how many people use them. In my opinion, they are great! I think they can be added to any tank. Certainly not necessary but a great addition.

Adam

-------------
Come to a meeting, they�re fun!

Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: October 20 2002 at 5:51pm

My tank is very similar to your setup except that it's a 45g. I converted from a freshwater and kept the biowheels. I keep waiting for something horrible to happen but after 2 years, my tank is still really good. I don't know if that's the biowheel but I must be doing something right.

Posted By: Firefish
Date Posted: October 21 2002 at 9:18am

I've recently learned myself that you can keep a decent saltwater aquarium with corals with conventional filtration systems. I've got a 10 gallon tank with a little live rock a carpet anemone two clownfish and some marine algae (calerpa) with just a hang on the back filter with bio wheel and filter pads with activated carbon. But I have found that to keep everything in check I have to do small water changes about every month. However I wouldn't do that with a larger tank just because of the fact that I might have to do very large water changes if I had a bigger tank with this setup. I do top off water with just plain old tap water too. Its been going now for about 7 monthes.

Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 21 2002 at 1:42pm

In my opinion Bio-Wheels are great. They are very efficient filters. The only problem is they don't remove nitrate. If you nitrates are not high then there is not problem. If you nitrates start to raise you may want to look into a deep sand bed to go along with your Bio-Wheel, unless you already have a deep sand bed.

-------------
Jake Pehrson

Murray

http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com

http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :)

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 22 2002 at 12:50pm

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"