Bio Wheel?

I use a sump in unison with a Penguin Hang On Back Filter (big one with water that sprays over biowheel) on my 40 gal. I use the H.O.B. for extra media (carbon) and surface turbulance along with the sump containing all of the goodies. I have heard some stuff on the biowheels building up nitrates and so on...Would it be beneficial to get rid of the wheel and run the H.O.B. without it?
-Thanks!!!!!

 

I don't know, my first thought is get rid of it but I don't have any experience with them except seeing them on freshwater setups. here's a bump for you.

 

I would think you could treat it like bioballs. just clean it with a toothbrush in some old tank saltwater every couple months if it gets nasty buildup.

 

If you have sufficient LR, it's not necessary. Unfortunately, the best way to find out if you have sufficient LR is to take it out and track your Ammonia and Nitrite levels.

 

I've ready different things on this. I don't use a bio wheel in my reef but I do use one of those bacteria pads (which is similar concept). I have a HOB filter that I use to run carbon (the "filtration" of this device is fairly worthless). However, it had those bio pads in it to begin with and I have never removed them, cleaned them or anything.

Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't, but it definitely doesn't hurt. If it's not broke, don't fix it (so I leave it be).

 

Thanks everyone!

 

I tested this over a 4 month span using an Emperor 280. At first all seemed fine but as a build up started forming on the biowheel it did raise nitrates by 5ppm. After removing the biowheel, regular 10% WC nitrates dropped back down to 0 after 1 week. I have not had any additional nitrates show up since removal of the biowheel. I suspect if you keep on top of cleaning the wheel it would remain effective. If you neglect you may end up with some build up as I encountered. I currently just use my emperor for carbon and nitrate sponge in second chamber (just started this about a month ago). Pretty much the only maintenance I do is 10% WC, clean all equipment weekly (salt creep) and replace carbon every 3 weeks.

Good luck!

 

i am getting rid of my HOB filter with bio wheel when the bio wheels were running i was a steady 10-15ppm nitrates but then i stopped them and let the rock do the filtering and i am down to 0 nitrates and what not. So to my a bio wheel filter is a waste of time and money. I have been running it for over a year. I am replacing it with a refugium which will do the tank better.

 

How do you get a build-up on the Bio Wheel? I have used them in the past on some pretty high bioload FOWLR's and never noticed any build-up. It could easily be cleaned in a bucket of tank water if it was dirty. In any case, if you decide to ditch it, at least keep the wheel floating in your sump to use on a QT.

 

You could always get a new wheel if it turns out to be pumping out nitrates.