Ditch the bio wheel?

[MadamePoisson]

I have had my Tidepool 2 and tank running for about 13 months. I am seeing lots of stuff saying that bio wheels are bad news! Should I get rid of it? I have been battling algae for the past few months. I found that part may be from the need of more power heads/water flow. Which I am correcting (hopefully!). Also soon getting my own RO system...so I won't have that worry of "is theirs really good?". Enlighten me on the bio wheel please!

 

[Anonymous]

Bio wheel really isn't doing you any good, and may be "competing" with your live rock. Post a few more specifics about your tank.

 

[Joey French]

Explain the idea of "competing" to me. Do you mean converting ammonia to nitrates more rapidly than the live rock (or sand bed) can process it, or what? How could another available surface for bacteria colonization be a negative thing? I'm just wondering, as I have heard this from some, and fail to understand at all. My girlfriend's eclipse 12 has a biowheel, just want to hear an explanation of why it should be removed. Thanks! Joey

 

[ReefLion]

Try this old thread on "nitrate factories." If you do a search on that or "nitrate factory" on this board you should get some info.

Tim

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... ht=diffuse

 

[danmhippo]

Excellent link.

 

[esmithiii]

No biowheel.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

Biowheel..why not? Also, skim AGGRESSIVELY, and utilize some sort of denitrification, whether via DSB (deep sand bed), copious live rock, or refugium (which ought to hold a good DSB anyway).

Nutrient export is the issue, and via these methods, along with small, frequent water changes, you should be able to keep a good handle on it.

 

[Joey French]

I followed the link, read the thread the first time around, am not convinced, obviously this is a topic which will be debated for some time. Anyway, I don't use any bio wheels on my tank, but my girlfriend's shroom tank does, and it will stay that way, until I'm convinced otherwise. Good luck!
Joey

 

[MadamePoisson]

WOW! Thanks so much for all of the help! There is a lot to look through! I really appreciate everyone's advice! :lol:

 

[oimate84]

I have the same sump a tidepool2....I had a bad hair algae problem with nitrates in the 30-40 range....I ditched the biowheel and upgraded my skimmer to a euro reef....in a weeks time my algae problem disapeared and still has not come back...The combination of losing the biowheel and upgrading skimmers, pulls out most of the disolved organic material in the tank