Low temps can increase the time BB survive as can ammonia in a slowly relesing solid form. I love my marineland filters and use a LOT of bio-wheels along with air driven sponge filters to seed new tanks but I always add the fish a few hours BEFORE the active media to allow the ammonia level to build up in the water.
I have to totally agree with the Doc here... once you remove the bio-wheels from the proper environment the BB begin to die off...and quickly. You can slow this by keeping the wheels in ammonia rich water or floating them in an established tank but keeping them in the dark is worthless.
Think about it...if light really affected the BB then how does it develope and thrive in sealed canister filters?
Figure on SOME of the BB surviving for 1/2 hour or so but after that the die off is usually so rapid that the dead BB poisen the live and you get a cascade failure.
Think of it as a living growing system rather than a piece of equipment. After all even the best technology we have can do nothing more than invite the BB to move in.
I have to totally agree with the Doc here... once you remove the bio-wheels from the proper environment the BB begin to die off...and quickly. You can slow this by keeping the wheels in ammonia rich water or floating them in an established tank but keeping them in the dark is worthless.
Think about it...if light really affected the BB then how does it develope and thrive in sealed canister filters?
Figure on SOME of the BB surviving for 1/2 hour or so but after that the die off is usually so rapid that the dead BB poisen the live and you get a cascade failure.
Think of it as a living growing system rather than a piece of equipment. After all even the best technology we have can do nothing more than invite the BB to move in.
