Bio Wheel.....

[Seratuki]

Hello all....

I've been reading several posts on here, and I must say I've learned an awful lot, but I do need something clarified for me, if you all don't mind....

I've got a 55 gallon tank with a biowheel filter...(came in a kit, marineland) the tank holds a medium sized chunk of live rock...a clown fish, a goby, a cowfish, and 2 tangs..(yes...I know, will be upgrading ASAP...bad advice from LFS...

I've been doing daily water changes to keep levels low, as I added fish MUCH too soon. But I've just read on here on another post that Biowheels are bad?
Is this true?
If so, can I remove the biowheel wheels and add live rock to the canister? I would like to keep the filter for water movement, and aside from an airstone I recently added, I don't have any other water movement...


Thanks!


Sera Tuki

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, what exactly are your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels? How old is the tank, and how long has that biowheel been running? Do you know the weight of your liverock or its approximate dimensions?

 

[drag]

i had been runing my marineland penguin 280 powerfilter (with bio-wheel) for about 8 or 9 months when it was a fish only tank. wich is ok because i had no live rock , corals, or inverts. the bio wheel is made for fish only tanks where it has no live rock to nitrify the ammonia (very toxic) of fish waste. so the bio wheel grows nirtifing bacteria that when tank cycles you have no wories of ammonia toxins( during this cycle only one or two hardy fish are recommended to start the growth of nitryfing bacteria on the bio wheel). nitrates are not very stressful for fish but are extreamly stressful for inverts and corals.
when i started adding LR and corals and inverts i was eventually advised to get rid of the bio wheel because it builds up nitrates on it that it cannot break down. LR can go one step better and turn some of it into a gas. ive had no problems since taking the bio wheel out. the LR does it all.
IMO if you plan to add corals and inverts ,id get some more cured LR at least another 50# as a minimum( you can never have enough live rock). mean while, id keep running the bio wheel just in case the lr has some die off on it and causes ammonia spike. monitor your paramiters especialy ammonia. then after a couple of weeks if you still want to use the powerfilter just take out the bio wheel part of it( thats how i have mine now). so my powerfilter still running and turnig over water, also it sprays those streams of oxigen enriched water( as the manual says) that used to turn the bio wheel. and has the carbon media in it for clearer water.



if you dont plan to add corals or inverts your fine w the bio wheel. just do your partial water changes.