What Kind Of Filters Are These

[peathenster]

Saw this on CL and am seriously considering it. Problem is that the seller doesn't know anything about the setup (except for the tank dimensions). Can anybody take a quick look and see what kind of filters these look like, and are they any good?

This is what the seller emailed me - "it has 2 large filters that hang off the back & several small- in comparison- that stick to the glass and pushed alot of water". Hope it means something to you experts

Thanks!!

 

[waterdrop]

Those look like Hagen Penguin Biowheel HOB (Hang on Back) filters that have been taken apart and set down in the tank. The principle is that the water that has already gone through sponges for mechanical/biofiltration and optionally carbon (only if you need chemical filtration) is being pushed back over the back edge of the aquarium in a waterfall and the "biowheel" is mounted like an old-fashioned waterwheel in an old grist mill. The water movement spins the wheel, which has zig-zag media (looks sort of like an air filter on a car) and the wheel becomes a "wet/dry" filter for added biofiltration. The advantage of a wet/dry filter is that even more bacteria is supposed to grow because of the added oxygen access. A minor disadvantage of a biowheel is that if you lose electrical power and are not there to float the wheel in water, the bacteria can dry out and die quickly. The bacteria in your picture look to be completely dried out and dead, thus you would need to buy new biowheels (probably fairly cheap, its just media) to fit to the tops of the filters.

This is just my guess. There are probably other things in the picture besides the biowheel filters.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[peathenster]

Thanks so much waterdrop. They have been dry for 8 months and I guess I'll need new ones. Not having a good feeling about this setup...