biowheel not spinning!

[cherrybarbbaby]

HELP !

Sat is the day that I do my gravel cleaning on my 15gal.

I noticed yesterday that the wheel was spinning kinda slow now I went to change the filter and the wheel won't spin

I say won't because nothing is preventing it from spining. The parts are clean. Do I need a new biowheel unit?

How long do my fish have?

I've never had this problem before, I've had this filter for 4 months it should still work fine.
What newbie sin did I commit now?

please advice!!

 

[DrOizo]

Perhaps nemo put a stone in the impeler

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

I 4-got about that movie!!

Ha ha


I was going to up grade to a 28gal today but I changed my mind. I think they are mad they are not getting bigger place!

But If I need a new unit I want to get one while I'm out and not have them die on me during the night.

Do if anyone know about biowheels....

 

[freshwatergal]

Did the filter itself stop moving or just the bio-wheel?

Bio-wheels start going slower over time because of the "good stuff" building up on them. I would try to take the bio-wheel off and putting it back on. Maybe the filter pad isn't in there right and the bio-wheel is getting hung up on it.

As long as the water is still flowing, your fish are not in danger.

HTH
Tiff

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

The water is going thru just fine. The filter for this unit is in the back and does not move.
So I'm hoping everyting is ok.


I'm a newbie -only 8mos at this hobby and I've lost 3 fish so I worry alot!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Mike&Diana]

The bio-wheel will slow down and may become irregular over time. Your options are to make sure that nothing is obstructing its "rotation" and nothing is stuck on the axel. Sometimes material will build up there causing it to stop. Next step is to rinse the wheel in TANK water and try to clean off some of the grime. This won't hurt the bacteria. Good luck with it!

Mike

 

[Bol]

Has happened to me a couple of times. You didn't do anything wrong. It's very improbable that your wheel needs to be replaced. I'd check these things:

1) Take the little tips (mine are blue) off the end of the spindles. Wipe off both the spindle and the tips, and re-assemble.
2) Make sure that the groove the spindle sits in doesn't have mineral deposits caked in it.
3) Make sure there aren't mineral deposits on the ends of the wheel itself (the two plastic discs), or the surface under the housing where the discs sit.

Some people claim that their wheel-stopping problem was solved by taking off the little blue tips from the end of the spindle. Don't know if I'd recommend that. At least, if you try it, make sure to put the tips in a safe place, so you can put them back on if it doesn't work out.

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

I took off the blue tip -dropped one in my tank w/my BLUE gravel 10min later
.....no deposits on tips, nothing on the disks.
noting
I guess I need a new one....

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

took off blue caps.....wheel is spinning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THanks everyone!