# Bio wheel filter on a 10g tank???



## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Hey everyone,

I have had a 29g biocube running for quite some time now so i am familiar with saltwater tanks however i just purchased a 10g QT which came with a bio wheel filter setup. What are your thoughts on the bio wheel? Should i remove the wheel and use a few bioballs from my biocube in there instead? What is the best way i should be setting it up? I will be putting a few pieces of LR in the tank from my biocube as well. Any advice would be great as i am not familiar with the whole bio wheel/hang on filtration systems.

Thanks!

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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

QT should be empty no filters no rocks also. you will store deceases in it, if there are any

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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Oh ok...well then i guess i will just set it up as a small tank in my daughters room...either way, thoughts on the bio wheel?

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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

The bio wheel would be fine for a QT but expect to replace the wheel after you have completed the quarantine of a fish. Keep in mind that you're meant to use basic filtration in a QT so don't expect to use the carbon filter in the bio wheel either as it will just hold in any of the diseases you are trying to treat and remove the medicine you added.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

In short, ditch the bio-wheel.


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Ditch it because you shouldnt have filtration in a QT or ditch it because bio wheels in general are not good filters? I have thrown out the idea of setting it up as a QT...i have set it up in my daughters room, got some live substrate and transferred some live rock from my other tank...i just want to know what the best way to use the bio wheel filter is because i have heard some things about them being "nitrate factories"? Any truth to that? I cant see how it would be different than bio balls

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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

The simplest advice would be like altcharacter said, ditch it. You’ll never have to be concerned about a balance change due to replacing the wheel as it isn’t really needed.

(my long winded response)

There are lots of compelling arguments to keep it or to turf it. Basically it will offer another place for the good bacteria to culture but what will happen to the balance if/when you replace it with a new wheel? It will likely cause an imbalance similar to removing live rock (which we seldom do in this hobby).

I have a 10G tank with a bio wheel along with live rock and an aragonite bed with 1 seahorse and 1 sleeper goby. I also have a large amount of well established Caulerpa macro algae (grape and razor). I trim the macro continuously and don't have too much concern for the bio wheel as it stays clean. If you were to ask me what would happen if I removed mine I wouldn’t be too concerned because of my blind faith in the macro algae for export of phosphates and nitrates. This setup may be wrong to some people but it works for me, I’m content with how it runs and frankly I’m the one who takes care of the maintenance.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

If you're going to setup a 10g as a nano your best bet would be to turn the biowheel into a refuge to stick some cheato in for bio filtration. In a saltwater tank, filtration is relied on thru a skimmer and not a bio-wheel. A bio-wheel is going to be another place where garbage will eventually collect and then will turn into nitrates and phosphates. Live rock or macro algae is a great way to combat nitrates


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## Car2n (Jun 7, 2011)

On the other hand,,,,
All the Marineland sump systems run a bio wheel.
You don't ever change a bio wheel.


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## jamie1985 (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks for all the good advice...so i dont see how there could be more nitrates etc from the bio wheel than bio balls or anything else...anyways i will be doing regular water changes. 

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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Completely different materials with bio balls. Read up on bio pellets and how they work. Also to make a point about the marineland sump...raise your hand if you own one.


Most of what big Al's carries for saltwater is junk.

I saw a guy go into big Al's the other day and spend $2000 on a 50g with stand/sump/skimmer and it was all junk


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## Car2n (Jun 7, 2011)

I have a Marineland sump but it's running on a 150 freshwater with African cichlids.
All I'm saying (good or bad aside), is the Marineland builds saltwater systems with bio wheels.
I am putting together a 56 gallon marine tank right now and it will not have a bio wheel.


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