Bio-wheel filter questions

[OneCuteShasta]

Hi! I have an Emperor 400B bio-wheel filter system that I'm having trouble with. The water isn't being sucked up the intake tube, but it's being pressurized into the misting tubes. I dry ran the filter (shame on me!) and found out that the impellor is running. Any ideas as to what's wrong with it? I need it ASAP for a set-up. Also, I heard that someone is making a kit that turns regular power filters into a bio wheel type filter. Has anyone else heard of this and where I can get these kits? I'm also in dire need of a diatom filter. Please let me know if you can help! Thanks!

 

[Dorkhedeos]

is it primed?

 

[pendragon]

Is your water surface level too far down the intake? Your water surface must reach a minimum height up the intake or else the pump cannot produce sufficient pressure to suction the water in the filter. I had this problem with my Emperor way back when I started.

I've not heard of anything that converts any power filter into a bio-wheel filter, but Marineland does make an unpowered bio-wheel assembly you can either attach to the output of a canister filter or run with a powerhead.

pendragon!

 

[OneCuteShasta]

Hi! Someone on another forum alerted me to what was wrong. The grey lever to recycle the water had somehow got pushed all the way down. So all my filter was doing was recycling the water frome the filter, back into the filter. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[vantgE]

Also, I heard that someone is making a kit that turns regular power filters into a bio wheel type filter. Has anyone else heard of this and where I can get these kits? I'm also in dire need of a diatom filter.

I have read DIY articles turning ac's into biowheels, you can by some of the parts as repacements at a lot of stores then figure it out yourself, but just so you know in most cases a the biowheel is just hype mostly bs. The limiteing factor to eficiency in a filter tends to be surface area not oxyegenation thats why canisters are so much more eficient then HOBs, in most cases all the biowheels do is take the biological filtration from the traditional place and put it outside the filter in a very complicated manner that improves efficiency but is limited by space and is not as effective as a normal style hob such as ac

What makes you think you need a diatome, i'm just intrested never used one or talked to someone useing one before

 

[sub.42]

Hi! I have an Emperor 400B bio-wheel filter system that I'm having trouble with. The water isn't being sucked up the intake tube, but it's being pressurized into the misting tubes. I dry ran the filter (shame on me!) and found out that the impellor is running. Any ideas as to what's wrong with it? I need it ASAP for a set-up. Also, I heard that someone is making a kit that turns regular power filters into a bio wheel type filter. Has anyone else heard of this and where I can get these kits? I'm also in dire need of a diatom filter. Please let me know if you can help! Thanks!

I think that the closest you are going to get is this.

Hydor Bioflo.

We've discussed this one before, It's really only any good for surface film removal, but the makers claim it can remove a resonable level of ammonia per hour too. I am running the medium size bioflo and have had good results from it in terms of surface film control. Oh, and my Cons think it's great when my pellets get stuck in the outer foam, they have to work for it!

sub.

 

[OneCuteShasta]

Thanks for the link! I'll look into if it'll work with my set up!

 

[weswest]

FYI - The intake tube sometimes comes loose from the impler setup, I have had this problem before. It was an easy fix by snapping it back in firmly, although it did take some time and frustration to figure this out.

 

[Iron Man]

IMO I don't think wet/dry filtration is necessary. Certainly a good thing, but not necessary. If you have an AC500 and feel the sponge isn't enough bio filtration, get another AC500. I think setting up a custom bio wheel system is way more trouble than its worth. I have had an Emperor 400 for a long time now and I must say that its an excellent filter all around, though it could be a little quieter. But those bio wheels can only handle so much of a load, and if you ask me....I don't think they can handle more than any similarly sized HOB filter such as the AC500.

Don't feel bad about that grey lever....I've done that before. lol