Removing bio-wheels?

[pyro383]

When should I remove my wheels? I believe I have enough rock and live sand including a protein skimmer. I have the emperor 400 with nitrate remover and carbon along with filter floss. So I will keep the unit for that and turnover of water. I read that at some time I can remove the bio wheels as they are not needed anymore and may cause excessive nitrates. Thanks

 

[turbo21]

we have 2 of those filters on our reef tank and we were told not to remove ours i really see no reason to remove them i really dont think that the biowheels will cause any nitrates or other wise why would they moke the filters like that. we have had our tank running for over a year and we never have nitate problems we have alot of sand in ours our sand bed is about 4" deep now and we have 140lbs live rock and i read somewhere that after a while you can remove your filters but i say well to leave them on could only help right

 

[mpgt]

You probably don't need them. I usually remove mine now, due to the noise they make.

 

[pyro383]

Ok, I just don't want to produce anymore nitrates. I spike at times with trates, I have to feed daily due to the boxfish otherwise he goes after the snails & hermits

 

[steamboat1569]

Word of caution: If you need to remove them, remove them one at a time. Remove 1, then wait a couple weeks, and remove the other. You guys don't realize the ammount of beneficial bacteria these have in them. I have only had to replace 1 wheel in the almost 6 yrs I've had it, but, you may indeed have a small spike if you remove 1, that can easily be dealt with, with a water change. Let your system catch up, then remove the other.
If you remove both at the same time, you may regret it.