Replacing BioWheel

[hottie]

I have a 40gal stretch hex with live rock, a few corals and fish. I have an Emperor filter that hangs form the back of the tank that I used on my old tank. The biowheel is about 7 years old now and besides being grungy it does not spin as fast as it used to. I have cleaned the filter housing itself and the holes the wheel spins in - even the plastic pegs on the side of the biowheel. . . but it just does not want to spin consistently and without stopping inadvertenly. My LFS keeps stating not to change the biowheel . . . that all the stuff in my tank will die. . . can anyone confirm his advice . . . or does anyone else have experience with having to replace their bio wheel????

 

[laredo300c]

i just removed my penguin350 biowheels after two years in my 55g saltwater....i have bout 55lbs of live rock and live sand...hob skimmer so really and truly there is no need for the bio wheel since biological filtration is thru live rock. many people keep them to run carbon....but unless media is changed frequently ...the buildup is actually damaging your tank...after the removal of my biofilter, my tank is cleaner and easier on the eyes....

 

[hottie]

thanks for the information . . . I don't have anything real "expensive" in the tank, but me and my family are so attached to what's in there . . . didn't want to take a chance. Now that you mention it, the water in the tank is not clear, even after changing the carbon filter. Im going to change the bio wheel and see if that helps with the clearness of the water.

Thanks soooo much. . . do you think the tank is safe enough biologically without a bio wheel at all with about 20lbs of live rock and 20lbs of tonga branch? There's quite a bit of green, purple and turquoise on the rock and branch. . .

 

[laredo300c]

it is so as long as you have good water flow( since water has to pass thru the rock for filtration) and i would very highly recommend a protein skimmer. do a search on this site and see pics of the gunk that they take out of other people's aquariums...nasty looking stuff that would other wise be in the water in your tank....