Magnum hot 250 question

[koipoloi]

I have a 29g community aquarium currently with an aquatech 20-40 hob filter. I am thinking I probably will need more filtration for this tank and will most likely replace the aquatech with a h.o.t. 250. My question is there seems to be 2 variations of this filter for sale online. One with a bio wheel added to the output (the pro version) and one without the biowheel. For those of you that have the filter, does the hot 250 without the bio wheel do a good enough job of biological filtration for you or should I definitely get the pro version? I realise I could keep my hob filter too but I want to minimise the number of intakes and outputs in the aquarium for aesthetic reasons. Do you think the biowheel is worth the extra cost or is it all marketing?

 

[excuzzzeme]

I feel bio-wheels do not provide as much biological development to warrant the cost.

I have 2, HOT Magnum 250's w/o bio-wheels and have no problems.

 

[Rbishop]

I prefer it without the bio-wheels..don't care for them at all.

 

[MySpace Mike]

Personally bio-wheels are a waste and once they get enough bacteria on them they actually slow down the filtration. I had a Marineland Emperor and took the bio-wheels off of it.

 

[clgkag]

Another one for no biowheels

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

concur completely and in addition the bio wheels set up is like a ball and chain for this one of a kind HOB canister who's charm is its lift off portability. Tethering it with Bios wheels takes that away.

Sort of like towing an empty trailer you cant store.

 

[koipoloi]

Many thanks for the info. I think I will go with the standard version sans bio wheel. So do all of you use any particular type of bio media in the 250?

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

It comes with everything you need. Just remember instead of dumping the carbon they provide you into the media basket raw, buy yourself two $2 small size media bags and fill each 1/2 way with the carbon provided, rinse thoroughly with tap water, and squeeze each bag into the media basket on either side. That and the blue bio sock they give you should do it unless you want to do polishing, then you whip out the micron filter they gave you, slap the puppy in and your on your way to invisible water.

 

[Chrisk-K]

The biowheel is just a marketing gimmick.

 

[Cory Keeper]

It comes with everything you need. Just remember instead of dumping the carbon they provide you into the media basket raw, buy yourself two $2 small size media bags and fill each 1/2 way with the carbon provided, rinse thoroughly with tap water, and squeeze each bag into the media basket on either side. That and the blue bio sock they give you should do it unless you want to do polishing, then you whip out the micron filter they gave you, slap the puppy in and your on your way to invisible water.

:werd:

Micron filters are the best thing EVER. only wish the 350 was quieter. And the media bags are wonderful cause that stuff gets stuck in those baskets real easy. And if you want to moderate between super clean water and a little longer service interval, fill the basket with pillow stuffing.