BIO wheel!?

[brewski4u1]

ok i have been fighting a cloudy tanks for a week now i have a skimmer 250 and its just not doing the job and keeping my tank clear! i have asked befor and didnt really get aany answers so i have beed reading everything i can ! what i have done is added a drop in carbon bag has been in there almost 4 days gonna take it out soon! and still i have little particels all over my tank! and its crazy annoying b/c i want it crystal clear!
so i went out today and got a superdeal on a huge HOB filterlike 350gph and it has a bio wheel. i rember reading somewhere about them and i cant rember for the life of me what is said so can someone help are they ok to use or no take it out asap!

 

[michaeltx]

To start the tank they help but in the long run the are a problem waiting to happen. I dont suggest useing the biowheel part of the filter.
what other filtration do you have on the tank.
Mike

 

[brewski4u1]

i still have the skilter on the tank and a powerhead in the tank thats it ! other then the 45lbs of LR

 

[michaeltx]

you can use the hang on filter to filter out the big stuff but you may want to find out what the specs are some are just natural in the system either way the filter should take care of it. I wouldnt use the wheel because of what was said above though.
mike

 

[brewski4u1]

ok the bio wheel is gone! and i am going to keep the skilter on there for a day or so and then take it off! maybe make it into a hang on fuge or something we will see ! this is my last weekend i have to work so we will see

 

[buffett]

i have nothing but good sucess with the bio wheel i had in the past and with the one i have now, just my 2 cents

 

[pontius]

brewski, describe the situation exactly. is this a newly setup tank or has it been up for a while and suddenly become cloudy?

 

[mombostic]

Is it possible that these are micro bubbles? They can really mess up the look of a nice clean tank--trust me, I know. I got a new skimmer and it is still in it's alledged "break-in" period, otherwise defined as the period when it puts all kinds of tiny bubbles in my tank! They look just like little specks, and they can make the whole tank look cloudy. It looks like particles of something, but it's really bubbles. Skimmers are the cause of the lots of times. Maybe the skilter is the problem. Is it adjustable or does it need cleaned? I don't think skilters are the best. Maybe you should look into a different skimmer.

 

[helpme74]

just say no to bio wheel and bio balls

 

[newtankman]

I have a bio wheel, why are they bad? should i look to remove mine.

 

[brewski4u1]

its not so much cloudy as i can see stuff fling around my tank like little peices of debris i'm almost positive its not micro bubles i'll see what the tank looks like this afternoon when my lights come on right noww it looks pretty good but the Night lights are on so who really knows!
o and yes its a new tank little over a month old !
heres a link to all my info on the tank!
My Tank

 

[reefkprz]

bio wheels and balls are not bad, this is a huge misconception. if they arent rinsed preiodicly they can build up gunk and help produce nitrates. PROPER MAINTINENCE FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT. its like running a sponge or mechanical filtration, if you dont remove the gunk from them they are bad but if properly maintained biuo balls and biowheels can be a great addition to any system, the excellent air to water ratio provided by these devices make great aerobic bacteria growth and can allow more offgassing of ammonia so it doesnt stay in the system to break down. there are almost no other filteration methods that can provide as much offgassing as biowheels and bioballs.

 

[mombostic]

The bubbles in my tank are much more visible with the lights on because the light is reflecting off of them. With the night lights my tank looks great! I suggest turning off that skilter for an hour or so and seeing what happens. That's just my opinion--it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[michaeltx]

bio wheels and balls are not bad, this is a huge misconception. if they arent rinsed preiodicly they can build up gunk and help produce nitrates. PROPER MAINTINENCE FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT
I have to disagree with the bio wheels part of this and here is why.
When a biowheel is setup on a tank it will get saturated with bacteria That is a good thing the problem is that the bacteria will slowly start to cause the tank to become dependant on the biowheel. This wouldnt be a bad thing but as soon as the water stops the bacteria starts to dieoff and it doesnt take long for them to completely dieoff. This will cause the tank to cycle again becuase the bacteria load is lowered and the smallest of things can cause major problems.
Mike

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
I have to disagree with the bio wheels part of this and here is why.
This wouldnt be a bad thing but as soon as the water stops the bacteria starts to dieoff and it doesnt take long for them to completely dieoff. This will cause the tank to cycle again becuase the bacteria load is lowered and the smallest of things can cause major problems.
Mike

that falls under proper maintinence, or malfunction, the only way I can see removing a biowheel causing a whole new cycle of high readings is if you have no other forms of Biological media such as live rock. its just like if a heater malfuntions sticking off and the temperature plummets causign die off you get a spike. the biowheel does not cause this a malfunction does. its like some one was saying not to use a bag of seeded CC to start a tank because the tank would rely on the bag and not the actual sand bed or LR in the tank. I'm sorry but everything is going to get covered with biofilm and a biowheel just doesnt have the capacity to remove enough through die off to crash any but the smallest of small tanks. true you are going to expirience a removal of some bacteria (IF the unit malfunctions), but will pulling out one piece of live rock cause a cycle? no. I think your giving biowheels way to much credit in form of capacity in their ability to support bacteria.

 

[michaeltx]

OK well I did some more research and come up with some other thoughts on biowheels.
one is that biowheels do a very good job at removing ammonia converting nitrite and nitrites to nitrate but unlike LR and a tank with a sump/refugium that there is nothing to export the nitrates effectively turning it into a TRUE nitrate factory even when cleaned properly cause it cant support anything to remove it so it continously makes nitrates.
I think if it was setup properly and maintained preoperly and nothing ever went wrong with it there eventually still have a problem with it slowing or stopping because of laden issues. after awhile it will stillg et so heavy it wont go no more LOL
I will do some more research on it though because I dont want to say HEY dont do this because of this rather have alittle more back up on it.
Now one other thing I would like to add if there is a reef tank that is setup right then there is absolutley no need for it right?
Mike

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
OK well I did some more research and come up with some other thoughts on biowheels.
one is that biowheels do a very good job at removing ammonia converting nitrite and nitrites to nitrate but unlike LR and a tank with a sump/refugium that there is nothing to export the nitrates effectively turning it into a TRUE nitrate factory even when cleaned properly cause it cant support anything to remove it so it continously makes nitrates.
true to a point they also offgass amonnia wich leaves less to actually break down some thing LR doesnt do. I agree tha aerobic only isnt a complete system, if you look back to my first or second post You'll note I said a great addition to a system. never once indicating that it was in anyway a complete system.
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
I think if it was setup properly and maintained preoperly and nothing ever went wrong with it there eventually still have a problem with it slowing or stopping because of laden issues. after awhile it will stillg et so heavy it wont go no more LOL
nah if you clean them they are as good as day one. there is nothing to weigh them down, bacteria weighs very little. and the side bushings are replaceable if they should ever wear out.
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
I will do some more research on it though because I dont want to say HEY dont do this because of this rather have alittle more back up on it.
Now one other thing I would like to add if there is a reef tank that is setup right then there is absolutley no need for it right?
Mike
I'm glad I got you thinking!

If a reef is set up properly sure there is no dire need persay but its like buying a skimmer that is oversized for your tank. there is no need. but its a good idea, why subsist on the bare minimum?

 

[michaeltx]

I'm glad I got you thinking! If a reef is set up properly sure there is no dire need persay but its like buying a skimmer that is oversized for your tank. there is no need. but its a good idea, why subsist on the bare minimum?
always this hobby is always changing and if you are not open to the change it doesnt do any good.
mike

 

[aztec reef]

I'm gonna have to disagree there ReefkprZ, I was the One that said that the tank will start to depend on the CC.

But as i recall i also said that i was thinking on a bigger scale(if that was the only filtration).
Personally, i would take the biowheel and throw it out. Yeah i know that poor maintanance is what makes them "Bad" but if you don't have it from the get go then there is no need for maintanance. If you take out the biowheel you get the same effect cuz you're left with the trickle bar & the cascade effect.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
always this hobby is always changing and if you are not open to the change it doesnt do any good.
mike
I remember when I though a HOB stock with hot pink colored gravel under actinics would be the coolest for a marine tank! Everchanging ever learning. I really like these discussions where we seriously discuss issues or potential issues that could arrive from various aspects of the hobby, not only does it break me out of linear thinking but gets me looking for facts that support either side I would rather be wrong and know it than be wrong and not.