WLim bead filter users thread

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David R

David R

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Apr 26, 2005
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I'm intrigued by these filters, and now we're visiting the US next year and will be returning home with two 30kg item baggage allowances each there is a good chance I might be able to get one without spending my life savings on shipping!

What I'd like to see is any sort of feedback/experiences from people who are using them. Pics, setup details, experiences, how often you backwash and how much water it uses etc etc etc. Tell me all about them!
 
Thanks for starting this thread. I'd like to know more about the media too.. it was asked in another thread but nothing was given.

Basically, I'd like to know how rugged the glass media is and how they hold up to years of use. ARe they fiber reinforced or something? Because it seems like they would have to be to stand up the rigors of use. The plastic media in my Ultima canister takes quite a beating.. just during normal use while filtering you can hear the media on the top of pack constantly swirling around, with an occasional violent pop when they collide with the sides. Then of course there is the cleaning, when it gets back washed and then rinsed.

So the beads would have to stand up to constant friction and occasional impacts.

Nevermind.. just went out to their site and got my own answers... the media looks like plastic to me. Some one said glass... not sure where that came from.
 
I think you guys are getting the filters mixed up.

The traditional bead filter which was developed for koi ponds uses plastic floating or sinking media shaped like spiny cheerios. WLim has a filter like this called the BioWave filter. This is very similar like the Ultima. WLim uses sinking media vs Ultima use both sinking and floating. Thus, the tumbling noise from the Ultima.

Now, there a bio/mech filter which uses crushed glass for media. WLim sells them as the BioGlass filter. This is not on the website because his current sight is for koi ponds only.

Neither filters have moving media so the worry of wear is not an issue. However, during backwash, the reversed flow does tumble the media. This should be of no concern for damage to the unit.

I will post pictures of both medias later.
David, you are free to come see me in San Diego or I can set you up with a tour of the WLim facility in Loma Linda California. I believe the filter is around 50-60 lbs.
 
Thanks Ken, yes it is the "BioGlass" filter I'm talking about (if one of the mods could edit the title of the thread that would be ace).

I'll flick you a PM closer to the time, certainly keen to pay you a visit when we're in San Diego! Basically I'm considering one of these filters for my 2000L/500g tank moderately stocked with cichlids, arowana and messy plecs. There is a large quantity of physical waste produced from the plecs, so I'm wondering how frequently it would need backwashing.
 
Bio Media and Glass Media
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David, I absolutely love my wlim bio glass filter
Tank size: 300 gallon

Pump: wlim 1/15 pump 3k gph (10x turnover)

Filtration: Wlim bio glass filter, a eheim 2262 just for extra bio probably not needed but I had it so I used it, and a diy home depot bucket filter this was just a project I took on with my 4 and 6 year old daughters to get them into fish keeping and to teach them about filtration its filled with pot scrubbies I let them choose which tank to install it on they chose the 300 gallon its not needed here but it was a labor of love:D.

Backflush schedule: Once a week 120 gallons winter (temp 80 degrees), summertime twice a week tank is in my garage and summertime tank temps reach 90/91 degrees the fish are extremely hungry so I feed more and backflush more.

Stock: 8 peocock bass, 1 black arrow, 2 widebar silver dollars, 2 geo's, 1 giraffe cat, 2 oscars I know its stocked heavily but I am upgrading to a 600 gallon soon. I plan on adding the wlim biowave filter, uv sterlizer and another 1/15 pump in conjuntion with the glass filter for the larger tank since the fish will get considerably larger. I will keep 10x turnover 6k gph with the 2 1/15 pumps I may increase turnover later if needed once the bio load increases.

I still siphon the gravel once every 2 weeks just cause it makes me feel better I know ken does not. I have taken the 2262 apart after 6 months and it looked just as clean as when I first installed it no debree of any kind I was actually shocked I fully expected it to be dirty from all the heavy summertime feedings. Looks like the high turnover rate of the wlim glass filter traps all the debree from the water column.
I have 6 tanks up and running and this tank is by far the easiest to maintain it takes maybe 3 to 4 minutes or so to drain 120 gallons of water and my fish in this tank are extremely healthy.



This is the best FTS I can get tank is in the garage the cars are in the way, also this is not a display tank its more of a grow out tank my new 600 gallon will be a display tank so more care will be taken with overall look.

 
David R said:
Great post, exactly the kind of feedback I'm after!! So is 120g needed for a complete backflush, or is that just what you do to perform a decent sized water change?
Click to expand...

Thats what I use to perform a decent water change, I look at what comes out of the filter it starts out clear then you see it change to a brown color then clears up well before I reach 120 gallons or so, for me the filter is probably not to dirty but since I use it for water changes the filter gets cleaned during routine maintenance you cant beat that. Look what sold me on this is that you are removing food particle, emulsion etc before it has a chance to break down completely its a win win scenario. A canister filter gets done every 3 months which filter do you think is the nitrate factory......?

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Yeah I really like the ease of cleaning, means you're going to do it more frequently, dumping the waste from the system before it breaks down.

Still interested in hearing other users thoughts on them.

What is the largest size tank you could run one on as the sole filter?

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I'm still experimenting with 4 bio-glass filters (19, 19, 22 & 26"). Various flow rates (1/15, 1/4, 1/4 & 1/3 HP) wave pumps, media fill levels (1/4 to 1/2), media (gravel & ceramic beads (3 sizes)) and thickness of glass bead layer. The optimum mix depends on the fish you keep and even how many Hydor (poop grinders) you have. My 3000G of tanks are 90% plecos, all bear bottom with lots of poop grinding current makers so the waste I'm filtering is very fine. I only syphon the bottom of my tanks about once a year for driftwood pieces (and all the pleco teeth) or never for tanks without driftwood. I will start a thread when my experimentation settles down. So far I love these filters (NO MORE FILTER SOCKS)!
 
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