Who Has A Penguin, Biowheel Filter?

[The chilly dipper]

after some carefull concideration of the type of filter for my new tank.
i was wondering if anyone had a penguin filter,and what do you think of them???

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I currently have one cycling. A friend of mine has used on a turtle tank (you know how messy they can be) and it works well. I'm a little upset (mostly with myself though) because I bought a 350, hoping it would fit on my new 56 gallon tank, but there is a brace in the middle and it doesn't fit. I am currently trying to contact Marineland to exchange the 350 for two 200s.

I like the fact that the 200s and 350s both have two slots for cartridges or other filter media. Personally, I plan to put a cartridge in the "back" slot and then use ceramic media to hold even more biological filtration. With my two filters, I should have no problem with cleaning one.


BTW, in the US: Foster and SMith are offering them on sale AND there is a rebate coupon available as well. I don't know if that is the case in the UK.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I have a couple of them, and frankly, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, as far as the wheels are concerned. The theory is sound, but unless they're perfectly "tuned" they don't always spin around and do their job. Not that they fail as filters altogether, just the biowheel part.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I currently have one cycling. A friend of mine has used on a turtle tank (you know how messy they can be) and it works well. I'm a little upset (mostly with myself though) because I bought a 350, hoping it would fit on my new 56 gallon tank, but there is a brace in the middle and it doesn't fit. I am currently trying to contact Marineland to exchange the 350 for two 200s.

I like the fact that the 200s and 350s both have two slots for cartridges or other filter media. Personally, I plan to put a cartridge in the "back" slot and then use ceramic media to hold even more biological filtration. With my two filters, I should have no problem with cleaning one.


BTW, in the US: Foster and SMith are offering them on sale AND there is a rebate coupon available as well. I don't know if that is the case in the UK.

no i do not believe that is the case over here mate.

and from what i have seen an average filter is not up to the job with cleaning a turtle tank so i know they are messy little critters.

is there anyway around you problem ?
can you post a link to a picture of your tank please.

i hope a penguin will fit onto a jewel rio

I have a couple of them, and frankly, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, as far as the wheels are concerned. The theory is sound, but unless they're perfectly "tuned" they don't always spin around and do their job. Not that they fail as filters altogether, just the biowheel part.

hmm i hear that problem is to do with the bearings or the part where the wheel connects to the filter unit.

apperently a quick clean of the spindles,can sort out the spinning issue.

do they cycle quicker ???

 

[This Old Spouse]

I've cleaned mine ad nauseum and they still don't work quite right all the time. But still, they do a good job of filtering and I also like the compartments in the back that allow for additional filter media.

A note ... I got mine used, which I'm sure has a great deal to do with the problems I've had.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I've cleaned mine ad nauseum and they still don't work quite right all the time. But still, they do a good job of filtering and I also like the compartments in the back that allow for additional filter media.

A note ... I got mine used, which I'm sure has a great deal to do with the problems I've had.

how important is the spinning motion?

will the media in the back do a good enough job of ammonia removal?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I currently have one cycling. A friend of mine has used on a turtle tank (you know how messy they can be) and it works well. I'm a little upset (mostly with myself though) because I bought a 350, hoping it would fit on my new 56 gallon tank, but there is a brace in the middle and it doesn't fit. I am currently trying to contact Marineland to exchange the 350 for two 200s.

I like the fact that the 200s and 350s both have two slots for cartridges or other filter media. Personally, I plan to put a cartridge in the "back" slot and then use ceramic media to hold even more biological filtration. With my two filters, I should have no problem with cleaning one.


BTW, in the US: Foster and SMith are offering them on sale AND there is a rebate coupon available as well. I don't know if that is the case in the UK.

no i do not believe that is the case over here mate.

and from what i have seen an average filter is not up to the job with cleaning a turtle tank so i know they are messy little critters.

is there anyway around you problem ?
can you post a link to a picture of your tank please.

i hope a penguin will fit onto a jewel rio

I have a couple of them, and frankly, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, as far as the wheels are concerned. The theory is sound, but unless they're perfectly "tuned" they don't always spin around and do their job. Not that they fail as filters altogether, just the biowheel part.

hmm i hear that problem is to do with the bearings or the part where the wheel connects to the filter unit.

apperently a quick clean of the spindles,can sort out the spinning issue.

do they cycle quicker ???

A note on the biowheel... all biowheels have an inherent issue, the wheel needs to be "light" to turn properly, but as they are such a great home for the bacteria, they can accumulate too much and become too heavy to turn properly. All biowheel manufacturers mention that you MUST rinse them off in tank water when they slow down too dramatically, otherwise they may stop turning at all (also they state that they should be floated in either the tank or the bucket when the filter is off so that it doesn't dry out), and that leads to bacteria death - and a recycle.


That is PART of the reason I am going to be adding ceramics to the back of mine, as a fail safe to a power outage. The ceramics will always be submerged and the bacteria will survive, but the biowheel will not.





As far as the cycling goes, I am on Day 22, and am nearly finished phase 3 - just awaiting the last blips on the radar to stop occuring to start a qualifying week (see the thread "Bacterial Additives" for more information. I don't think the additive did much, if anything, but the biowheel REALLY does seem to be a factor. As a side note, I am running JUST the biowheel, not the cartridge at the moment. So, any bacterial growth is only on the wheel, not anywhere else.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I currently have one cycling. A friend of mine has used on a turtle tank (you know how messy they can be) and it works well. I'm a little upset (mostly with myself though) because I bought a 350, hoping it would fit on my new 56 gallon tank, but there is a brace in the middle and it doesn't fit. I am currently trying to contact Marineland to exchange the 350 for two 200s.

I like the fact that the 200s and 350s both have two slots for cartridges or other filter media. Personally, I plan to put a cartridge in the "back" slot and then use ceramic media to hold even more biological filtration. With my two filters, I should have no problem with cleaning one.


BTW, in the US: Foster and SMith are offering them on sale AND there is a rebate coupon available as well. I don't know if that is the case in the UK.

no i do not believe that is the case over here mate.

and from what i have seen an average filter is not up to the job with cleaning a turtle tank so i know they are messy little critters.

is there anyway around you problem ?
can you post a link to a picture of your tank please.

i hope a penguin will fit onto a jewel rio

I have a couple of them, and frankly, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, as far as the wheels are concerned. The theory is sound, but unless they're perfectly "tuned" they don't always spin around and do their job. Not that they fail as filters altogether, just the biowheel part.

hmm i hear that problem is to do with the bearings or the part where the wheel connects to the filter unit.

apperently a quick clean of the spindles,can sort out the spinning issue.

do they cycle quicker ???

A note on the biowheel... all biowheels have an inherent issue, the wheel needs to be "light" to turn properly, but as they are such a great home for the bacteria, they can accumulate too much and become too heavy to turn properly. All biowheel manufacturers mention that you MUST rinse them off in tank water when they slow down too dramatically, otherwise they may stop turning at all (also they state that they should be floated in either the tank or the bucket when the filter is off so that it doesn't dry out), and that leads to bacteria death - and a recycle.


That is PART of the reason I am going to be adding ceramics to the back of mine, as a fail safe to a power outage. The ceramics will always be submerged and the bacteria will survive, but the biowheel will not.





As far as the cycling goes, I am on Day 22, and am nearly finished phase 3 - just awaiting the last blips on the radar to stop occuring to start a qualifying week (see the thread "Bacterial Additives" for more information. I don't think the additive did much, if anything, but the biowheel REALLY does seem to be a factor. As a side note, I am running JUST the biowheel, not the cartridge at the moment. So, any bacterial growth is only on the wheel, not anywhere else.

hmmm nice idea with leaving just the wheel in the filter.

where did you get your ceramics from?
do they come in a teabag form?

i like that idea matey.penguns do seem to have a wide scope of possiblities.

with customising the media.
i may have to get one.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I haven't got the ceramics yet, but I am looking at this one.

I don't know if this is ideal, but if it is a porous bag like the front shows on the back, then it looks perfect. If not, I think I will just put them into a old onion bag or something similar.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I haven't got the ceramics yet, but I am looking at this one.

I don't know if this is ideal, but if it is a porous bag like the front shows on the back, then it looks perfect. If not, I think I will just put them into a old onion bag or something similar.

this looks great, i think the onion bag idea is godd also or some stockings maybe.

i have seen this stuff in my LFS and may have to price up a penguin after hearing all this.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I haven't got the ceramics yet, but I am looking at this one.

I don't know if this is ideal, but if it is a porous bag like the front shows on the back, then it looks perfect. If not, I think I will just put them into a old onion bag or something similar.

this looks great, i think the onion bag idea is godd also or some stockings maybe.

i have seen this stuff in my LFS and may have to price up a penguin after hearing all this.

The stocking might get gunky. A garlic bag would be good though. I should mention that the cartridge should be in front of the ceramics in the filter.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I haven't got the ceramics yet, but I am looking at this one.

I don't know if this is ideal, but if it is a porous bag like the front shows on the back, then it looks perfect. If not, I think I will just put them into a old onion bag or something similar.

this looks great, i think the onion bag idea is godd also or some stockings maybe.

i have seen this stuff in my LFS and may have to price up a penguin after hearing all this.

The stocking might get gunky. A garlic bag would be good though. I should mention that the cartridge should be in front of the ceramics in the filter.

you mean the carbon filter in front of the ceramic media?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yeah, as you look from the top, the order would be cartridge, then ceramics, then biowheel.


Personally, I don't plan to use the carbon cartridge. I saw a link for a place that sells carbon free replacement cartridges that fit the Penguin. They are also cheaper. I will save the carbon cartridge for if I need them to remove medicine or similar down the road. I'll see if I can find the link and post it here.

 

[The chilly dipper]

Yeah, as you look from the top, the order would be cartridge, then ceramics, then biowheel.


Personally, I don't plan to use the carbon cartridge. I saw a link for a place that sells carbon free replacement cartridges that fit the Penguin. They are also cheaper. I will save the carbon cartridge for if I need them to remove medicine or similar down the road. I'll see if I can find the link and post it here.

hmm yes please,i am seriously concidering getting 1.
and also why is carbon and zeolite used so much?

why would you wanna deprive the A BACS of dinner?
since this is the purpose of the carbon and zeolite.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Carbon and zeolite are used because it helps folks who DON'T properly cycle their filter.



Here's the link. $1.40 each plus shipping...