Bio Wheel tank

[jacblades]

the bio-wheel is where the majority of the bacteria will live.
once a tank is cycled, you still hvae to change the water once a week-only about 20% though.

 

[Draven]

Yeah water changes I would of course still be doing. Is the biowheel a filter (like corner/undergravel), or purely a place for bacteria to grow?

 

[jacblades]

just a place for them to grow. i guess you could say it is sort of a filter since thats what the bacteria are doing. the biowheel is the biological filtration-the filter it is most likely attached to like a penguin is mechanical (actually filtering out small particles) and chemical (the carbon or other media in the cartridge)

 

[Draven]

Thanks for the info. You said that a 3 gallon is too small to cycle. Why do you think that? Does that rule out a tank with a bio wheel?

 

[Draven]

So, what do I do with my betta until the tank is ready? I currently have him in an unfiltered unheated .5 gallon bowl.

Also, am I safe to put in my plants when cycling? Java Moss/Fern? Or will this harm them?

 

[jacblades]

because a 3 gal is easy to pick up, carry to the sink and empty. also some say the amount of bacteria in a 3 is not enough to do much for the fish. it just seems kind of pointless to cycle something so small. usually you would cycle a 5 gal or more (lots o fpeople dont even cycle their 5s)

one time i asked someone on another forum if i could take established bio-chem stars (a type of media used to grow the bacteria) and put them in my betta tanks (1 gals) and they told me that it wouldnt cut down on the amount of water changes i would have to do and wouldnt do much for the betta in general. it wouldnt harm them but id just be wasting my stars.

well if your house isnt pretty hot, id get a reptile heat mat and set the bowl on that. i personally wouldnt cycle the 3 gal though

yes you can put plants in there. i have cycled with java fern in a tank before.

 

[Draven]

So just doing weekly water changes in sub 3gallon is enough to keep the fish safe? If so, I'd probably go back to looking at buying a MiniBow. The Eclipse only interested me for the biowheel which I heard good things about.

 

[jacblades]

yes. just go with the eclipse.

 

[wuvmybetta]

I'm not trying to confuse even more but I have to throw my 2 cents in...

A 3 gallon CAN indeed cycle with no problems Especially with just 1 fish in it.

Draven, you can cycle wth the betta, you'll just have to do lots of partial water changes during the cycle to keep the ammonia low, this WILL slow down the cycle but it's the best way. Unless you do fishless.

 

[Draven]

I think I would probably try a fishless cycle. Since he's at work and I can't be here all evening/night/weekends) to watch over him.

 

[luxum]

3 gallon Eclipse tanks ~can~ cycle, the biowheel provides enough surface area for the bacteria, no problem. Just do partial water changes and gravel cleaning with a small gravel vac.

 

[Mike&Diana]

3 gallon Eclipse tanks ~can~ cycle, the biowheel provides enough surface area for the bacteria, no problem. Just do partial water changes and gravel cleaning with a small gravel vac.

I agree, that's all I do with mine and it works out great.
I currently have a betta in a 3 G Eclipse and I love it...Bio-wheels are fantastic. And I really didn't cycle my tank before I put my betta in and it has caused no problem. The bacteria just keeps on growing! And as for the water flow..I've actually had two bettas that have lived in the tank and neither of them have had any problem. The current wasn't too strong though you could tell that they got a little bit of exercise swimming against it, and I think that's a good thing. I figured if they really hated it, they wouldn't go in that direction, but they did! I really like the Eclipse system.

Diana

 

[Draven]

So it shall be. Thanks everyone for the feedback. So much I've learned!

 

[SneakBetta]

I have an eclipse 6 with a biowheel! eclipse is great as well as the bio wheel! personally, I think the biowheel is a great thing!

 

[luxum]

Oh by the way, if you use one of these mini Eclipse systems, pick up a couple foam insert replacements (otherwise known as sponges) for the mini Aquaclear filters. Put those into the filtration compartment instead of the cartridges (you may need to cut them down a little) and you'll save a ton of money on the cartridges and have much better mechanical filtration. Just rinse one sponge out at a water change in dechlorinated or discard tank water. Next time rinse the other one.