Used Filter Media (biowheel)

[soritan]

I bought a lot of aquarium stuff at our local second hand store. It was a 5.5g tank stuffed to the brim with various aqua-junk, that I couldn't quite see. In it were 2 aerators and 1 filter, which I later discovered to be a Biowheel 150. It still has all its parts, I haven't tested it yet to see if it works, but it was labeled as 'working'. I don't get paid for another week, so I can't buy new filter media for it. It came with a new, sealed filter pad, but the wheel itself was obviously used. Do you think it's OK to use the filter with a used wheel, or should I hold out until I get paid before installing this bad boy to my 20g?

I feel so stupid for asking. Part of me thinks that it's probably safe, it's just discolored... and part of me says that I ought to get a new wheel before adding anything to it.

This lot was such a good find for me. A steal at $15, with the two aerators, thermometer, silk plants, bag full of ugly old gravel, gravel vac, filter, hood, and tank. I hope whoever owned it wasn't using the Biowheel filter on the 5g, that seems like that'd be massive overkill, it's advertised as being good for 30g tanks.

 

[Tolak]

You could either run it without the wheel until you get a new one, or clean the old one with a 20:1 mixture of water & bleach. I would try running it on a bucket of water with the wheel to see if it is still working, if it seems worn, toss it & get a new wheel.

Sounds like you found a sweet deal. Even if you have to get a new wheel you still made out big time.

 

[soritan]

The 20:1 solution! Hah, for some reason my mind didn't register that I could use it on the wheel. I need to clean a tank anyways, I might just soak the two together and give it a whirl. I guess I just assumed that the filter would somehow soak and hold the bleach solution, and my mind didn't register that dechlor would work on it as well as anything else.

It's a very sweet deal. I didn't actually want the tank, but I could partially see what was in it, and although I'm terribly broke at the moment, something in me just told me to risk it for the contents. After I saw the filter, I knew it was worth it. I'll just cinch my belt a little tighter until payday.

 

[soritan]

It works! And it's very quiet, it doesn't add to the existing noise at all. Awesome. I think I'll keep all my filters going on that tank. At the moment, I have a sponge filter on the airstone, an Aquaclear 20, and now this. I can probably remove the Aquaclear 20 in a couple weeks, but I doubt I'll be motivated to do so. I won't be so paranoid about my inches of fish anymore.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

well, you dont really need to clean the wheel. the wheel turns brown after a month. the darker it is, the better itll work.

 

[soritan]

One would imagine that after sitting, empty and dry, in a second hand store for 2+ days (and who knows how long at the previous owner's home), that all the beneficial bacteria has died by now.

I suppose my only concern would be, "What sort of diseases can survive in a dry environment, that the previous owner's fish could possibly have died of?"