sticking Bio-wheel

[Apache]

Hi All,
We have a Penguin filter (for our 30 gal tank) that has a filter pad and bio-wheel. Our tank has finally cycled (yeah!), but the bio-wheel has started to stick, and quits rotating 'round for about 5 seconds and then moves on for abit, then sticks again. The water continues to flow, just the bio-wheel doesn't turn. At first it wasn't sticking too bad, but now it's gotten worse, this morning it was stuck, not turning at all. So I took it out and wiped off the edges where it clips in, and that seemed to help.

Do I need to be worried about this? I don't want to have to replace it, since it has all the good bacteria! Is there a way to clean it up a bit? Or??? Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[digital_run]

Dont worry...as the filter matures the wheel will turn slowly and almost seem to stop. I think it even mentions it in the instruction manual that comes with the filter.

 

[BobK]

You probably just have to clean the bearings - the points where the bio-wheel rests on the filter housing. Just brush them off as well as the parts of the bio-wheel that rotate w/in the bearings. It is in the owners manual. Just be sure not to clean the actual bio-wheel. digital_run is correct, as the wheel matures it will slow down. It should never stop though. If it stops parts will dry out and the bacteria will die.

 

[LoneWolf1Seven]

I had that happen to me one to many times. I do weekly water changes along with cleaning the intake tube, impeller and its housing each change, but it still slowed and soon stopped(within 2 days). I was then told that the water level was to low. After 2 days since the water change my water level was still high enough. Sitting there watching the wheel bind and stop I thought back to my days as a mechanic, things that have a bearing and bind is usually a bearing problem, so I pulled the wheel out along with its bearings and spun it in my hand, it spun freely until the bearings got close to the wheel.
I put it back in its housing and it stopped right away, so I took it back out, took the bearings and filed them down a 1/32nd on each side making a 1/16th gap in between the wheel and its bearings.
What was said in other posts is true, as the wheel matures it will gain weight as more bacteria will collect on it, but keep in mind its a wheel and the bacteria should be evenly dispersed.
When the wheel collects bacteria and gets heaver its putting a heaver load on the bearings, the plastic that is the housing the wheel will bend caused by the weight bringing the bearings into the wheel.
So if after you clean the intake tube, impeller, impeller housing and keeping the water level high enough and you still have a problem, the bearings are the cause.......

 

[LoneWolf1Seven]

Opps I did forget to mention that since filing down the bearings my wheel is flowing smothly as the day it was new.......hope this helps.......

 

[Apache]

LW1S, Thanks, I'll keep an eye on it... Those are good things to consider. I'm kinda (OK, totally) clueless about the more mechanical stuff dealing with fish (i.e. the workings inside the filter etc.), that's my hubby's job, and he's currently in Iraq... so I may be e-mailing you for more detailed instructions when/ if the time comes! Thanks!

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Your husbands in Iraq? Sorry to hear about that. My wife is floating around somewhere in the Mediterrian Sea right now a month and a half into a 6 month deployment. Sucks when they are away doesn't it? Sorry about the off topic. )

 

[a1wonder]

I had a very similar problem happen to me and it took be over a week to figure it out. As perviously mentioned it does have to do with the water level, but the water level in the filter. If you adjust the filter caterage either up or down to much then the wheel wont turn properly. The top of the black plastic need to be at the same level (not lower) than the plastic that holds it in place. If it's lower the water will just spill over and the wheel wont turn. I hope this works for you and gives you less of ahead ach then it gave me.

 

[BlueIce]

I "rinse" mine by swishing it around in a container of water taken from the same tank. That "cleans" it without killing off any of the good stuff.

 

[BobK]

If the water level in the filter is too high then the filter cartridge is clogged and needs to be "cleaned" (unclogged) in aquarium water (not in the tank).

 

[Apache]

OK, so I tried the simplest thing first, and that was the raise the filter pad abit like a1wonder suggested, and it seems to be working... yeah! Hopefully that will solve the problem... Thanks y'all!