Biowheel Question

[dc3]

Hi
I seem to have one filter too many and being the filter-hog that I am don't want to give it up. The filter's Penguin 200 and the biowheel has been in circulation since december so i reckon nicely coated in bacteria... If I were to anchor it down to something in the tank, would that keep the bacteria alive? I really don't have anywhere to stick this filter short of putting it on
a 20g that's already filtered with an Eheim Liberty 200 - and this would be a bit of overkill.... How do you keep your biowheels "active" when the filter is not in use... tks
DC

 

[Waterbox]

I had the same dillemma a few weeks ago. I am floating mine in the tank as we speak, but I was thinking about it and I do not think much of the bacteria will survive. The reason so much bacteria grows on the wheel while it is in the filter is because it has huge amounts of water with ammonia constantly passing over it and a large oxygen supply which creates a large colony of the bacteria. I figure if you just have it floating or anchored in a tank, most of the bacteria will die eventually because not as much nourishment (ammonia) or oxygen is passing over it as when it was established. I am sure some bacteria will survive, but not nearly as much because of the loss of oxygen and ammonia they once had. But if you ever put the wheel back to use, the wheel will at least have SOME bacteria on it, and that will help start a new colony, so I say just keep floating it. That's what I am doing with mine until I set my next tank up.

Or I guess you could put in in an empty tank of any size you wish, run the filet, and keep putting ammonia in to keep the bacteria colony alive, but I don't know if you want all that trouble.

 

[dc3]

Thanks for the info - I kinda suspected that not having aeration would kill off the bacteria... I am looking for someone to "lend" the filter to I guess. Most of my friends think I am crazy for running multiple filters....

run the filet,

<<<<<<<<<<---------------- My angels keep asking me to do that - well actually they're singing that "pass the guppy on the left..."

 

[raptorrex]

Thanks for the info - I kinda suspected that not having aeration would kill off the bacteria... I am looking for someone to "lend" the filter to I guess. Most of my friends think I am crazy for running multiple filters....

why get rid of it? its almost impossible to over filter a tank. lol your friends may think you are crazy, but you are likely to have the most healthy tank. and that is all we want when fish keeping. if you really don't want it, rinse out the bio section in you tank water, so you don't lose any bacteria, give it a good clean and sell or store it. i still feel you would be better to keep it going!

 

[dc3]

I just thought that having another bio-wheel as well as an Eheim 2215 AND an Emperor 400 on a 75 along with a couple of sponges would be overkill. I'm gonna take your advice and keep it running. Tks