bio wheels
- Thread starter debrab1954
- Start date
C02 isn't needed at 2WPG. You need it at 2.5WPG+. It is doing more or less, nothing. And the Bio Wheel lets all the C02 go, so there's really no point.
I strongly disagree with that rule of thumb. IME, at 2W/gal., CO2 or other carbon source is useful in all my tanks. At 2.5 W/gal. it is absolutely required.
A bio-wheel doesn't remove all benefits from injected CO2 either. While it is more inefficient than say a canister filter and does cause some gas off, there is still a noticeable difference to plant growth with CO2 injection.
once again I have to agree with RTR and would just like to add that wouldn't a bio-wheel would add more surface agitation, which in turn adds to gas exchange releasing the CO2 faster? I think so.....
Once again I also have to argee with RTR. C02 is good at any rate. The Bio Wheel may de fuse some of the C02, but some is still there.
so would a canister filter be a better choice i have never used a canister filter or a co2 injector is adding co2 easy to do thanksdebrab1954 said:
Adding CO2 can be easy but a lot depends on your water chemistry. If you have a smaller tank and can find it, Flourish Excell is an economical and easy solution to adding carbon and you don't have to worry about off gasing. It adds carbon in a liquid form and not gas. But once again it all depends on your setup and water parameters which is cheapest and the best way to go.
Rather than take a guess as to what affect your Bio Wheel has on CO2 levels - I would recommend TESTING to determine the amount of CO2 in your tank with the BioWheel operating.
If you decide to add CO2 - before buying a cannister - I would operate CO2 injection for awhile with the HOB just to see how hard it is to maintain a proper CO2 level. If you find that it's impossible to do with a reasonable amount of CO2 injection - then go cannister.
But no sense spending extra $$ at this point unless you can prove you need to. Plus, it will give a scientific sense of what your HOB is doing - rather than just a best guess at what you think it should be doing.
If you decide to add CO2 - before buying a cannister - I would operate CO2 injection for awhile with the HOB just to see how hard it is to maintain a proper CO2 level. If you find that it's impossible to do with a reasonable amount of CO2 injection - then go cannister.
But no sense spending extra $$ at this point unless you can prove you need to. Plus, it will give a scientific sense of what your HOB is doing - rather than just a best guess at what you think it should be doing.