# Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel Filter Question



## GTA Fish Tank (Jan 30, 2014)

I just bought a Marineland 10G kit from BA that came with this Bio-Wheel 100 filter. I want to set this up as my very first crystal red shrimp tank and have a question about the filter.

I'm worried that the babies will get sucked into the filter (i plan to start with 10 grade A-S CRS babies). If I wrap around a sponge to prevent that, will the filter have enough water intake to make the bio wheel moving?


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

GTA Fish Tank said:


> I just bought a Marineland 10G kit from BA that came with this Bio-Wheel 100 filter. I want to set this up as my very first crystal red shrimp tank and have a question about the filter.
> 
> I'm worried that the babies will get sucked into the filter (i plan to start with 10 grade A-S CRS babies). If I wrap around a sponge to prevent that, will the filter have enough water intake to make the bio wheel moving?


Biowheels are not the best bio-filtration out there. It'd be more effective to fill the filter with reticulated foam and ditch the biowheel. That's how I've run those little penguins before with great success.

Since they're much better filters, it might not be a terrible idea to swap the penguin for an Aquaclear 20 or a small Fluval C series HOB.

If you do stick with the penguin though, I'd look into alternative ways of setting the filter up rather than rely on the biowheel, which does tend to stop up without a spraybar, like they put on the Emperor filters.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

a sponge prefilter on whatever filter you use will help keep the baby shrimp safe


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## GTA Fish Tank (Jan 30, 2014)

mistersprinkles said:


> Since they're much better filters, it might not be a terrible idea to swap the penguin for an Aquaclear 20 or a small Fluval C series HOB.


i'm not too crazy about using this filter myself. this one came with the full kit so can't really exchange for another one. either i have to by another filter or go with a bare tank and add whatever i need. having serious thought now



pyrrolin said:


> a sponge prefilter on whatever filter you use will help keep the baby shrimp safe


yes but will it suck in enough water to keep the wheel moving?

thanks all for your responses.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

GTA Fish Tank said:


> i'm not too crazy about using this filter myself. this one came with the full kit so can't really exchange for another one. either i have to by another filter or go with a bare tank and add whatever i need. having serious thought now
> 
> thanks all for your responses.


You don't have to go with a bare kit. You already have the aquarium. All you need to do is stick with the filter you already have, and buy an Aquaclear 110 foam insert. Cut a little rectangular piece about 2"x2"x4" out, cut a slit in the top, and work it over the intake to your filter. Then measure the dimensions of the filter's media compartment, and cut a piece of foam to fit. That's it. Rinse the prefilter foam often and the foam inside the filter when you notice flow slow down significantly. Never need to replace them.

For even better filtration though, consider an Aquaclear or Fluval C series HOB. No need to swap though. Just cut foam to size for your penguin. Ditch the biowheel though. It may be useful on an emperor, but not on a penguin. As soon as you get a bit of dirt on the filter pad the biowheel will stop turning rendering it useless.


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## Car2n (Jun 7, 2011)

Instead of trying to wrap a sponge or filter material around the outside of the intake tube, I suggest to put the sponge or filter material inside the removable end piece of the intake tube.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

Car2n said:


> Instead of trying to wrap a sponge or filter material around the outside of the intake tube, I suggest to put the sponge or filter material inside the removable end piece of the intake tube.


That will reduce flow more than inserting the intake tube into a block of sponge. You're restricting the flow more by forcing it through a 1/4 inch square tube full of foam than you are by forcing it through 6 inches square of foam.

People have been doing it correctly since forever. Cut a slit into the block of foam, insert intake tube into foam.


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## GTA Fish Tank (Jan 30, 2014)

mistersprinkles said:


> People have been doing it correctly since forever. Cut a slit into the block of foam, insert intake tube into foam.


thats what i was planning on doing but just wanted to make sure i will have enough water flow. will probably look ugly as hell but sounds like a plan. thanks


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have a couple sponge prefilters from petsmart, think they are fluval brand, just a black sponge to cover the intake, doesn't look too bad.

Putting sponge on the inside of the tube would be bad. On the outside, it gives a larger surface area so suction on any spot on the sponge is lower if a small shrimp or fish goes near so it wont get sucked to it and give a larger surface area for filtering.


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## GTA Fish Tank (Jan 30, 2014)

pyrrolin said:


> I have a couple sponge prefilters from petsmart, think they are fluval brand, just a black sponge to cover the intake, doesn't look too bad.


i will chk out petsmart then. i have one really closeby. thanks


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

pyrrolin said:


> I have a couple sponge prefilters from petsmart, think they are fluval brand












The fluval pre-filters are definitely attractive and less detectable.

I just save money by using either aquaclear or off-brand reticulated foam and cutting my own rectangular pre-filters. They don't look so bad once they get covered in bacteria and gunk and turn brown.


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## GTA Fish Tank (Jan 30, 2014)

mistersprinkles said:


> The fluval pre-filters are definitely attractive and less detectable.
> 
> I just save money by using either aquaclear or off-brand reticulated foam and cutting my own rectangular pre-filters. They don't look so bad once they get covered in bacteria and gunk and turn brown.


i looked it up on petsmart site

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3650250

for $3, i will go ahead and pick up one or two. i also found some being sold on ebay but the time it gets here from china, it will probably be summer.

thanks for all the great input. really appreciate it


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## Car2n (Jun 7, 2011)

mistersprinkles said:


> That will reduce flow more than inserting the intake tube into a block of sponge. You're restricting the flow more by forcing it through a 1/4 inch square tube full of foam than you are by forcing it through 6 inches square of foam.
> 
> People have been doing it correctly since forever. Cut a slit into the block of foam, insert intake tube into foam.


Prefiltering and not sucking up babies are two different things. I suggested sticking a little filter floss inside the inlet to prevent babies from entering. I've done it and it works very well actually. You do need to change the floss occasionally.


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## bobbyjoe (Jan 30, 2013)

Why not use something similar to the AQ media bag over the intake. (elastic band to hold it in place)
I bought one Body Scrubb thingy at Dollarama for .99, I have enough of that stuff to last a lifetime, my fry never got sucked up.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

Car2n said:


> Prefiltering and not sucking up babies are two different things. I suggested sticking a little filter floss inside the inlet to prevent babies from entering. I've done it and it works very well actually. You do need to change the floss occasionally.


Fine reticulated foam isn't going to suck up any fry, and having that much surface area makes for greatly reduced suction. A combination of too-fine pore size and low suction means fry won't get sucked in.


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