Leaving Top Off A Biowheel Filter

[trianglekitty]

I have a biowheel style filter on my 5.5 gallon tank. The filter doesn't sit properly on the tank's back because it's too big for the tank. The end result is that I have to balance the cover for the biowheel sort of over the filter instead of properly on it.

It's not working well- any little shift means the cover hits the wheel and stops it from spinning. I just checked on it, and the wheel wasn't spinning...I don't know for how long, or how it got shifted out of position, but clearly this isn't good. I have enough other filter media so I don't think it'll completely kill my bacteria colony, but still...not good.

So...can I just ditch the cover? Is there any issue leaving a filter open to the air? I'm thinking like fungus colonizing it, or (bad) bacteria somehow.

 

[fluttermoth]

It'll be fine; if you think about it, even with the cover on it's hardly sealed or airtight, is it?!

You might notice that you lose a little more water through evaporation, but that'll be all.

 

[trianglekitty]

It'll be fine; if you think about it, even with the cover on it's hardly sealed or airtight, is it?!

You might notice that you lose a little more water through evaporation, but that'll be all.

Yeah, I kind of knew I was being silly, but I keep mentioning I'm paranoid and this is what I'm talking about!

I just hope the cat won't try and take a drink out of the filter...knowing him, he totally will.