Filtration upgrade

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
MilitantPotato;665905; said:
I've just done what you're doing on a couple tanks. It's been 2 weeks and all is well with not even a hint of a spike. I did have some cloudy water for a few days but the water checked out. I didn't move the blue media, just floated the old wheels while the new grew some bacteria.

I agree on ditching the ammo chips, you'll want the bacteria to develop to support the bio-load, that product will only stunt the colony.

I fully agree after thinking about it. Mine was only cloudy for an hour or so and has mostly cleared up.
How long did you keep the old BIO-Wheels in the tank?

Thanks guys.
 
Water changes are cheaper and better for your fish at removing ammonia and are cheaper than ammo chips. Once you get your bio wheels colonized, they will take care of all of the ammonia. I have a bio wheel with tons of bbs. It looks like this... The first is a new one, the second is one about 2 years old.

Picture 078.jpg

biowheel.jpg
 
fishieperson321;665927; said:
Water changes are cheaper and better for your fish at removing ammonia and are cheaper than ammo chips. Once you get your bio wheels colonized, they will take care of all of the ammonia. I have a bio wheel with tons of bbs. It looks like this... The first is a new one, the second is one about 2 years old.

WOW! :jaw:Neither of my old Penguins looked anything like that! They darkened up nicely to what I *thought* they should look like, but with no obvious build-up like that!!!
 
The second one is not my new Penguin, but I do expect it to be that way soon. Keep in mind I have goldfish, so I have to have good bio media. That is why I have so many BBs. Goldfish produce tons of waste. Also keep in mind that I NEVER EVER wash or rinse my BIO Wheel, no matter how slow it spins. As long as it is wet, I don't bother my filter. This helps keep them, IMO.
 
fishieperson321;665946; said:
The second one is not my new Penguin, but I do expect it to be that way soon. Keep in mind I have goldfish, so I have to have good bio media. That is why I have so many BBs. Goldfish produce tons of waste. Also keep in mind that I NEVER EVER wash or rinse my BIO Wheel, no matter how slow it spins. As long as it is wet, I don't bother my filter. This helps keep them, IMO.

I had never washed or rinsed mine either, per Marinelands' instructions. I got my Penguin 170 with a 55g 2 years ago, but she had basically no load in a tank that size at all. I (over)stocked the 55 slowly (including an Oscar) and always kept the parameters where they should be with w/c. I added the 350 over a year ago and when I upgraded that particular tank to a 75, just moved both Penguins over. I've had no problems out of the ordinary with the water and those Penguins. Wanting more filtration for the 75, I put on 2 used Emperor 400s and although the Emps wheels have been dried out for weeks now, I can see that they didn't look ANYTHING like yours!
 
Just give yours time and don't touch the filter. I don't even rinse or change the cartridge until the wheel almost stops. My lfs has never seen one like it. Theirs are bright green.

Daniel
 
i dont think anyone has ever seen a biowheel like that! there is only so much surface area for BB on a bio wheel, the rest is just nasty build up. most people will swish their wheels in tank water every now and then but hey if it works for you go for it! hey by the way, does it stink? it looks stinky!
 
No, it does not stink. Well, it kinda smells like dirt. It looks like diarrhea to me. lol!! Who cares. You can't see it from the front of my tank, so why not leave it alone. You can really tell how much I do filter maintenance.

Daniel
 
USMC Sniper;665922; said:
I fully agree after thinking about it. Mine was only cloudy for an hour or so and has mostly cleared up.
How long did you keep the old BIO-Wheels in the tank?

Thanks guys.

I'm going to float them for a month, then take one of the wheels out, two weeks later I'll take the other if the water tests fine.
 
I don't think I'll have the luxury of a month. I just listed the old Penguins for sale and they were snapped up pretty quick. I'll only be able to have them in the tank until I get the money order from the buyer. Hopefully that will be long enough.
 
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