I took it out and the bearings spin freely. I took out the filter cartridge and it didn't help. I can spin it with no resistance while it's in the filter. It *might* move about 1 cm every 10 minutes. Should I get a whole new filter? The tank is established and the cartridge is not new so if the wheel wasn't working as a bio home would it matter since I have the other sources? I really don't want to buy a new filter, although I have had this one for a while.
My bio wheel isn't moving
- Thread starter gale
- Start date
If the compartments of your filter are filled with decent media for bacterial colonisation, then you will have some biological activty. The thing with biowheels is that the design assumes that the majority of the biological activity will happen at the wheel, so I am wondering if the compartments are large enough to grow a sufficient colony, I suspect not.
If the filter was rated for say 100 gallons with the wheel, it will almost inevitably be good for less, possibly a lot less, without.
I would try to fix the wheel. If it is spinning freely, then something else is not right.
If the filter was rated for say 100 gallons with the wheel, it will almost inevitably be good for less, possibly a lot less, without.
I would try to fix the wheel. If it is spinning freely, then something else is not right.
Actually, Lateral is wrong in this sense if it is a MarineLand one. They still follow the same guidelines they did on non-biowheel filters for size of the filter due to the mechanical filteration.
But, you still want the Bio-Wheel. When I had this problem MarineLand told me to put the Bio-Wheel in the tank and leave it there until it sank evenly. Basically allowing it to become fully saturated with water. The problem is they are light initially and don't have enough weight to sit down and force the water to move them. By putting it in the tank and letting it become saturated it gains the weight it needs.
But, you still want the Bio-Wheel. When I had this problem MarineLand told me to put the Bio-Wheel in the tank and leave it there until it sank evenly. Basically allowing it to become fully saturated with water. The problem is they are light initially and don't have enough weight to sit down and force the water to move them. By putting it in the tank and letting it become saturated it gains the weight it needs.
I merely point out that a filter of uncertain make, that is designed and rated to work with a biowheel may well not be good enough without the biowheel.
OK I'll try putting the wheel in the tank. This am it was spinning, but pretty slow, but this afternoon it is stopped. I hadn't really been watching it so who knows how long it wasn't spinning.
It is a fairly new wheel btw. The filter unit is old but I had to replace the wheel.
It is a fairly new wheel btw. The filter unit is old but I had to replace the wheel.
blue_ram
Fish Crazy
May be there isn't enough water flow? Mine stops when the filter needs changing.gale said:
BobK
Fishaholic
Gale, is it an Emperor or a Penguin. Their bio-wheels are set up differently. If it's an Emperor, a spray bar sprays unfiltered water onto the bio-wheel to spin it. The holes in the spray bar clog up often and this could be your problem. If that doesn't help both Emperor and Penguin bio-wheels rotate by spinning w/in a bearing on each end. You said you cleaned the bearings before. There is actually two things to clean. First, clean the bearings with a brush. The bearings are the two plastic things on each end of the filter housing where the ends of the bio-wheels are seated. I find these get gunk in them and slow down the rotation of the wheels. Next, make sure you clean the pins at either end of the wheels. These pins are seated and rotate w/in the bearings. I believe the Penguins have the same pins/bearings as the Emperors. Hope this helps.
Oh, one more thing. When my bio-wheels slow down I take them out of the filter and tilt them on one side over the tank for a few seconds. Then replace them in the filter. Sometimes they get more water on one side than the other and spin irregulary. They usually spin much faster for a couple of days after doing that, assuming everything else is clean.
I do all this weekly during my water changes.
Oh, one more thing. When my bio-wheels slow down I take them out of the filter and tilt them on one side over the tank for a few seconds. Then replace them in the filter. Sometimes they get more water on one side than the other and spin irregulary. They usually spin much faster for a couple of days after doing that, assuming everything else is clean.
I do all this weekly during my water changes.
BobK
Fishaholic
I'm not that familiar with the Penguin 330 but I don't think they have the additional media baskets like the Emperor. Are you talking about the rite-size filter cartridge? W/O it you have no mechanical or chemical filtration. The bio-wheel only provides biological filtration. Depending on your stocking level this may be sufficient assuming you do weekly water changes and gravel vacuumings. I'd still recommend using the filter cartridge though. After 2-4 weeks when the carbon is dead you can cut it out and continue using the cartridge for mechanical filtration.
Is this what you're talking about? If not let me know.
Bob
Is this what you're talking about? If not let me know.
Bob
Polardbear
Fish Addict
The Penquin 330 has 2 seperate internal baskets that can be used to hold additional media as well as having 2 filter cartidges and of course the 2 bio wheels. The 2 baskets are optional as to whether you use them or not. You can leave them empty or fill them with carbon (if you use it) or even put filter floss in them for extra filtration.
BobK
Fishaholic
Oh, okay. They are totally optional. I leave mine in and fill them with floss for additional mechanical filtration. You can leave them in empty and it should be fine, either way actually. I personally would leave them in as it is more surface area for bacteria to colonize although with the bio-wheels probably not enough to make a difference.
Nisha
Fish Crazy
From what I've read it doesn't really matter if the bio-wheel is moving or not. It should be just as effective since the water still flows past it and the bacteria will thrive in it. I personally wouldn't worry about it, it's quite normal for the bio-wheels to slow down or stop altogether.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
The flow is strong enough that the little bubbles are going almost all the way to the bottom of the tank. I also took the filter cartridge out completely and it didn't make any difference. I haven't done anything about it-it does move a little every so often and the tank is fully cycled with old media and lots of gravel so I think it's not anything big to worry about.RamJet said:
BobK
Fishaholic
Gale, are you sure the bearings are clean as well as the pins on the ends of the biowheel that fit into the bearings. As long as those are clean I've never had a problem with the wheel spinning, especially if the flow is strong. Perhaps your biowheel is damaged (misshapen). If they are misshapen it might throw the wheel out of balance where it doesn't spin correctly. If it's damaged you can replace it and float the old one in the water until the new one is established.
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