Penguin BioWheel 350 Question
 

I have heard mixed thoughts on biowheel filters. I was originally told to get one (I did) and I have seen them on a lot of SW tanks. Some people told me its fine to use them but to get rid of the biowheels where as I have seen a lot of SW tanks with the biowheels still on the filter. Why would you removed the biowheel, nitrates? I have a 20 gallon high. Also should I clean the biowheels? I have been told not to.


thanks

i use one on my quarantine tank. i think its fine as the load is always very light on that tank...a ten gallon. also i don't think you clean then until they begin having trouble spinning. i think most peoples gripe with them is the inability to process nitrates because they only colonize aerobic bacteria(oxygen loving). i would only use them on a small tank, which i do, because frequent water changes are the easiest and cheapest filtration on small systems. so i say use it but keep a good water change schedule. jmo.

I used one for a while on the 20 gallon I had set up for a while. I never had nitrate problems, but that was probably at least partly because I had a DSB. I did, however, have problems with the pump on the filter being very finicky (it would randomly stop working even with a perfectly clean impeller, and no other obstructions).