Filter Change Question (Penguin Biowheel)

Aptos

Aptos

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Sep 15, 2008
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Hey all,

It's been a month since my 20L tank has cycled. I have a Penguin 150 Bio Wheel Power Filter (for up to 30 gallons). The filter is looking gunky and I want to know how I should go about changing it.

I've heard that the filter is where the beneficial bacteria is, so I don't want to just switch the old one out for a new one and have to cycle again.

How should I go about changing the filter?

P.S.: Just to be clear, I'm talking about the filter, not the bio wheel.
 
I have the same filter...I haven't touched the Bio-wheel since I set it up (looks slimy through the cover though), but every week with my water change I rinse my filter's media...

So what you do it go about your water change...before you dump your old tank water, take your filter's "Rite-Size" cartridge out from the filter (it's the square thing that's blue nylon mesh on one side, and a black plastic on the other you should have seen when you set up the filter), throw it in the bucket of old tank water and shake it around a little bit...sometimes I rub it a bit with my finger in the especially grimy areas, and it should look fairly clean (but not as clean as a new one) when you're done...

After about a month or so of doing this, depending on how the filter looks after cleaning it, I may decide that the cartridge has had it...at this point (as per the manual) you replace it with a new one...just make sure you rinse the new one before putting it in :)

Some people will remove the blue pad and replace it with a new one...save (some) money...some people will remove the carbon (there's carbon between the blue pad and the black plastic) before using a new one...it's all up to you, and if that couple bucks a month is worth it.
 
And dumb me, I just re-read your question...

Yes, there will be beneficial bacteria on your filter pad...there's also some all over your filter bay, your bio-wheel, every surface of your aquarium will have some of the bacteria, and let me tell you, they're horny little buggers...you can replace your filter cartridge and any that you lose from the old cartridge will be replaced before you notice it...If you're especially paranoid about it, you could switch them out in stages, I know our filters have 2 slots for cartridges...

So put 2 cartridges in...after 2-3 weeks, the back one should be dirtiest, so pull it out, put the cleaner one in back, and put a new on in the front slot...that way you'll always have an old pad and a new pad filtering your water...personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it, the bacteria will multiply and you shouldn't notice any spikes.
 
Yep, if you have multiple trays of biomedia or multiple cartridges, replace only at a time. The older cartridge will seed bacteria into the new one. You can also easily rinse the mechanical filter stage of debris in a bucket filled wit tank (not tap) water. This will prevent the bacteria living within the foam to remain, but still allow for regular cleaning.
 
I have two filters on my 20g at work.

I replace the filter media in one, then 2-3 weeks later, depending, I'll change out the other one. That way I don't have to worry about any ammonia spikes or mini-cycles.
 
Once a tank gets really established, say after 6-8 months or so, you can get away with rinsing a few of the things off every time you change water. I personally can't stand the sight of really gunky uptake tubes and will occasionally rinse and brush those out - even using tap water - without causing any problems with the bio filter. Same with the rest of the filter parts. The thing is, I never do the entire filter system at the same time. So, like if I'm cleaning out uptake tubes, I make sure I'm not changing my filter media or messing with any of that at the same time.

Your milage will vary, but it seems to me that the older the tank, the more tolerant they seem to be of that kind of thing.
 
the biowheel is really meant as the main place in the filter for the bacteria two grow, so a very large portion of the bacteria are there now. that said, i would not replace both cartridges at once. rather, it sounds like a better idea to replace one at a time as in LesbianChap's system.

i used to run two 150's on my 37 gallon tank, but i recently switched them out for a C-360...i'll never go back to HOB's after switching to a canister. the Penguins did a pretty good job filtering the water, but the C-360 canister does a much better job. therefore, consider replacing your Penguin 150 with a C-160, the C-360's little brother.
 
jm1212 said:
consider replacing your Penguin 150 with a C-160, the C-360's little brother.
Click to expand...

Is there a link you can provide me with so I can check out the C-160 filters?

What are the advantages of the canister over the HOB?
 
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