i have been hearing that bio wheels cause nitrates?
- Thread starter drea
- Start date
bang guy
Moderator
That's kinda true but not quite accurate. Biowheels are pretty good at converting toxic Ammonia to Nitrate so in that regard all biological filters produce Nitrate as the end product of the nitrification cycle.
If you use a deep sand bed or a lot of live rock instead of the biowheel then the nitrogen cycle goes one more step and ends with Nitrogen gas that harmlessly bubbles out of the water.
Biowheels are more efficient than live sand at converting Ammonia so if your use a biowheel most of the nitrification will occur at the biowheel.
Same is true for wet/dry filters.
If you use a deep sand bed or a lot of live rock instead of the biowheel then the nitrogen cycle goes one more step and ends with Nitrogen gas that harmlessly bubbles out of the water.
Biowheels are more efficient than live sand at converting Ammonia so if your use a biowheel most of the nitrification will occur at the biowheel.
Same is true for wet/dry filters.
ophiura
Active Member
As mentioned, they are a substrate for bacterial growth and these bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and ultimately nitrate. You WANT this to happen, and you want this bacteria.
Nitrate "problems" meaning higher nitrate levels are also not causes by biowheels. Nitrate problems are caused by overstocking, overfeeding, and not enough export (water changes, refugium, skimmer). In short, people cause nitrate problems, not biowheels.
Nitrate "problems" meaning higher nitrate levels are also not causes by biowheels. Nitrate problems are caused by overstocking, overfeeding, and not enough export (water changes, refugium, skimmer). In short, people cause nitrate problems, not biowheels.