Hello everybody! I'm new to this forum as well as the aquarium hobby. I have had my 40 gallon freshwater aquarium for about 1 1/2 months now. I have a penquin 200 biowheel filter installed that was working perfectly until today, the biowheel stopped spinning!!!! I don't know what to do!!! HELP:help:
Help!!!
- Thread starter Mendoza_C
- Start date
Have you changed the filter cartridge lately? It might be clogged up. Also, unplug it and take it apart and really give it a thorough cleaning. My biowheel has stopped twice, and both times it was just gunked up at the bottom, and cleaning it (you'll need a toothbrush or some sort of pipe cleaner) well got it back and running.
Yes the pump is still running, thankfully!! I will try the toothbrush cleaning. I changed the cartridge 3 days ago, and it was running fine....even this morning when I fed them it was spinning perfectly. But when I got home, it had stopped spinning. I have to go get a new toothbrush to clean it, so will there be alot of damage if it stays like this until I get home from work tomorrow?
Try sticking a needle in the holes where the water sprouts out to move the wheel.That might give you a temporary fix.
This is actually normal. Mostly my biowheels spin, but occassionally then spit and sputter. I Googled this, and the manufacturer actually states its normal.
The suggestions above are all good ones.
Now if the wheel simply does not move for a prolonged period, then yes there is an issue (check that it is seated correctly), but still not a big deal IMO. The wheel probably has enough bacteria on its underside to do fine for at least a day.
I know you have a new tank, but after a month and a half, but is your tank cycled yet? If it is your substrate will have a very healthy bacterial colony that can probably suport your tank for a short time with no issues (i.e. should you get a power outage).
As your tank ages, however, the substrate will eventually become your greatest source of beneficial bacteria.
i found that my biowheel would keep spinning more reliably when I kept my water level as high as possible. If my water level dropped at all it would slow down and stop. also i used a qtip to clean around the pins that sit in the cups that hold the biowheel which helped.
