Do I really need the biowheel?

[fish_freak]

Simple answer, no you don't need it.

Longer answer, it is beneficial which is why it is on the filter. It helps to create a place for nitriftying bacteria to live and thrive be being moved from the water to oxygen rich air. I have 2 tanks with bio wheels filters and three that dont and there is no difference. Honestly the Aquaclear filter is much better in most people's opinion's and it does not have a bio wheel at all. You can get all the parts you would need to get it moving again at petco. They sell new wheels and the inserts that go in the filter as well.

 

[severum mama]

True... if you replace the Biowheel, I'd float the old one in your tank for a couple of weeks just to be safe.

 

[Aussie_hippie_2]

I washed it in the tank water and it's still in it's place, just not moving. I have sand which seems to glug up the filter a fair bit, but like I said I've washed everything that could be the problem. There is easily enough current for it. Maybe I'll just get some bio-balls to replace it. It kind of sucks since I find the wheel quite relaxing to watch and listen to.

 

[Tinajo]

I bought a new filter today to replace my old one (3 1/2 years old). It was a bio wheel that stopped working. The motor wasn't even running and the bio wheel had dried out.

I bought a Marineland Bio Wheel Penguin 200 and used my existing filter cartridge. I plugged it in and it works great. Here's the problem: I can't fit the filter cover over it. There's not enough space between it and the lid of my tank. By not using the cover, the bio wheel spits water out onto the lid of the tank. And it is extremely noisy.

If I remove the bio wheel completely, I'm still getting good water movement without the mess. And the filter cartridge houses a lot of bacteria, right? I wouldn't really be losing anything would I?