About the Bio-Wheel Pro...

[pendragon]

Hi all. I am preparing to make the jump from my Emperor 280 power filter to a canister filter on my 46-gallon. I'm still deciding on which canister, but that's neither here nor there for the purposes of this thread.

Marineland makes unpowered Bio-wheel Pro units that are driven by either a power head or by output from a canister. I like the canister for mechanical and chemical filtration and for versatility (for things like peat) but in principle I like the idea of having a Bio-wheel for the bio-filtering. Does anyone use this "add-on" bio-wheel module, or have seen it in action? (and if so, your opinion, please?)

I'm also curious about how compatible the spraybar output of the Bio-wheel Pro is with the output flow rate of the canister. How high would the flowrate of a filter have to be before it generated more output than the spraybar could dissipate? Or is that kind of flow rate well beyond any need to worry?

Any thoughts on the matter in general are appreciated.

pendragon!

 

[vantgE]

Well for any thoughts the biowheel doesn't seem necesary just complicateing they aren't as great as everyone thinks and a canister should be more than enough anyways,

I think it would be fine based on the flow of my canister, but then I have never owned a biowheel

 

[asaint]

Pendragon,

To use the bio-wheel pro with a canister, you need to use a "T" junction in the water return line. The T junction is needed as the bio-wheel pro can't handle the full output flow of water from a canister filter.

It's a few more connections to make when setting up a canister filter. If it's your first canister filter, you may find the sheer # of connections getting a little out of hand. Remember, you need quick disconnects on your canister.

Best of luck,
Asaint

 

[pendragon]

Thank you, asaint, that's very helpful.

Another question: If I use a T-junction, would I need some kind of control valves on the two "outputs" of the T to force sufficient water through the spraybar? For instance, if the spraybar is one output and a simpe diffuser is the other, might all the water not run to the diffuser (being the path of least resistance)? Would I need valves to "choke" the flow through the diffuser just enough to get adequate flow to the spraybar?

It may very well be more trouble than I want to go to, but I'd like to consider it.

pendragon!

 

[asaint]

Pendragon,

Glad I'm being of some help.

Ok, One of the many, many filters I own and run is the Magnum 350 Pro. I'll answer your questions working from how it is setup with the bio-wheel.

The pro comes with the T junction and all the tubing needed. The split from the T junction that goes to the biowheel uses a small diameter hose then the split that goes to the tank return. What this means is the water flow is inherently controlled going to the Bio-wheel.

Asaint

 

[Iron Man]

I agree...biowheels are ok for HOB filters but they aren't necessary for canister filters. If you have so much of a bioload that you need biowheels AND a canister filter then you don't have enough of a mechanical filter with your canister being alone, either.