The BIO-Wheel

Weekly water changes.... using the siphon to suck poop off the bottom.... using declor in your new water.....dont add in extra chemicals via "medicines"...rinse your filter media in some old tank water every other week or so....test your water paramaters

How are your fish acting? If you are maintaining the tank well, you can tell alot by observing your fish. Are they timid and hide alot? Might need to add more cover for them. Do they never stop pacing along walls of the tank? THey need more space to swim in. Let us know!
 
NeonFlux said:
.Usually i would shake the tank water up a notch and suck up the dirt and poop.
Click to expand...

do you mean you "stir" the water before you suction it out? You should just start the suction at the bottom and move the tube around to get the obvious. No need to stir things up more.
 
Suure thiing,TheZoo girl ;)
 
NEW V.S. OLD BIO-WHEEL

P1010001.jpg
 
I'm not sold on Bio Wheel... I'm sue the O2 exposure helps, but I'm not sold that it's any better than another. Most people I know swear by them. But my personal experience hasn't been favorable.
 
why didnt you find them as good as everyone says? any particular reason (cloudy water after the tank should have been cycled, ongoing ammonia or nitrite problems, etc.)?
 
First, I want to say that I'm answering a question, I'm sure the bio wheels work great.. I know people who will use nothing else, I've seen their tanks and they look great! But to answer the question as to why I wasn't sold... it's been my Personal experiences?

I've very displeased with my Eclipse 12. It took forever to Cycle compared to other tanks I've done using Aquaclear and Canisters. Then it finally DID cycle and I replaced the filter pad, I went through another mini cycle which took another 2 weeks. Apparently most of the bacteria were on this pad, which left me to question the effectiveness of the bio wheel.
(I also find the eclipse a pain to work withm though the acrylic does look nice). Even now, the wheel is sometimes noisy, sometimes stops. I want to get rid of this tank. I will say this... I've never had cloudy water.

My experiement with the Emperor proved to be noisy(defective impeller?). I replaced it and found that the water return as much noisier than the Aquaclear... even with the water all the way up. This was true with the wheel installed AND removed. I also found it quite bulky, and in appearance the media configuration looks weak on Mechanical filtration(though I haven't seen cloudy water). The wheel is another moving part, if it stops and dries out, you may have a mini cycle if you don't catch it in time. The emperor has spray bars to help out, but I see this as another item to get clogged/be cleaned.

I don't know... after my experience with the eclipse, and my first encounter with the emperor, I just exchanged it for an Aquaclear. I'm sure it would work just find though. People who I strongly value their opinions swear they are the best HOB filters available. But I'm not sold that the biological filter is any better, if as good as 2 sponges in an aquaclear.
 
Last edited:
well im not a big fan of aquaclears, but i see your point and i would probably hold the exact same opinion if i went through what you did. i dont like using the all inclusive in the hood setups because i cant add to the filtration, therefore cutting down on my ability to overstock. hopefully your emperor was abnormally noisy. i have a fluval 404 that rattles because of some problem stabilizing the impeller, so if this was the first fluval i had used i would think they were probably all just as noisy. the exposure to the higher oxygenated air allows the bacteria to function more efficiently (faster), but im sure you have heard why they are so good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom