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Does anyone have any information of experience with this product? is it worthwile?

For the most part, the members here have been pretty happy with their Bio-wheel filters. I have one and it seems to work pretty well. My only grievance is that the impeller stops working pretty often. It usually makes a grinding noise, and stops producing flow. This could be due to the sand in the tank that sometimes ends up in the filter, but usually realigning the impeller seems to fix the problem. The filter produces lots of flow and keeps the fish alive well enough, so overall I've had a positive experience.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Hi,
These are actually really nice Hang on Back (HOB) filters.
The idea is that along with the media where bacteria grow
to maintain the Nitrogen Cycle, the felt coated paddles
also furnish additional breeding areas and that
this enhances the filtration of the system.

Over time, the wheel will slow down and the axle needs to
be cleaned as well as the channel that the axle rotates
in. A simple pipe cleaner will clean it out.

Some complain that they are more noisy than other filtes
as they cannot handle the "splashing" of the water as it
returns to the tank.

They are a very nice filter and come in all sorts of sizes
for small and large tanks. For larger tanks many will
simply double them up and hang two or even three on the
backs of their aquariums.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I LOVE this product! The noise from the smallest size isnt as bad, but the 30gal rated is a little more noisy. Chances are, youll get used to it, and the air pump will make more noise. Worst part-Needs a specific filter cartridge, and you cant take out the carbon without ruining the filter pads. If you are a worrier, then be prepared to worry, because if you stick the cartridge fully in, the biowheel will stop or slow down. But over all, I love this product, and think that a faster GPH will be better.

><> ~=!Vote Today!=~ <><
-----> View My Dragons <-----

They are a good filter but I think the biowheel part is overrated. It really isn't that useful unless your stocking heavily or have low oxygen levels in the tank. Otherwise more than enough bacteria grows in the tank to keep it cycled. I removed the biowheels on a few of my penguin filters and the only ones I still had running I just sprayed off full force under well water(no chlorine) every week. They start to get stuck after awhile and some of mine would completely stop to the point the top would dry out. Snails also get wedged in the wheels on nearly a daily basis. I like the filter design, it's very reliable, and so long as you rinse or replace cartridges frequently it cleans great but the biowheels seem rather pointless to me. However you can get all that plus more media options if you go with an aquaclear so personally the only reason I'd choose another marineland filter over an aquaclear is cost. Especially since you can buy aqua-techs which are exactly the same as penguins except without the biowheels for dirt cheap from walmart.

I've used the Bio-Wheels before and still have a couple (in a box somewhere). My biggest complaint was the limited filtration options available with them and the continuous cost of replacing the filter inserts. You can clean them a couple of times and this helps, but with filters such as the aquaclear you just rinse the sponges out and your back in business with no additional cost.

The other thing is the noise. Sometimes it didn't bother me, but at other times it really became a nuisance.

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

I have a penguin bio-wheel filter, but i am not currently using it. I didn't like all the noise it made, especially because it was in our living room. I didn't think the bio-wheel made that much of a difference, and i think that any other filter would work just as well. I don't see why they made it a wheel unless there is some special reason i dont know of. They are good working filters, but i think the bio-wheel is unnecessary.

†Aquapickle†

The wheel design is suppose to provide oxygen from the air to the bacteria colonies so they don't use up the oxygen in the tank and much more of them can grow in one area. Good idea, good concept, not actually useful unless you have a tank with extra low oxygen levels for some reason or that does not have enough space for bacteria. A normally stocked tank with any surface agitation and most any substrate it is not going to have issues with low oxygen levels or lack of places for the bacteria to grow.

Hi,
Actually each filter is designed for a range of tank
capacities. For instance 10 - 30 Gallons or 30 - 50G.

Each "box" (filter) accomplishes filtration mechanically
(trapping debris), and biologically by providing a home
to bacteria colonies that alter the water's organic
chemistry, for instance the bacteria that manage the
tanks' Nitrogen Cycle.
If you look at a towns water supply and treatment facility,
you will find exactly the same processes in use there that
we are using in our aquariums. Our filters are, in essence,
tiny slices of a treatment process for whole towns.

A box (filter) can only house just so many of these
colonies. They exist on all parts of the various medias
that are in the filter. On the cotton or floss, on each
grain of charcoal, and on the bio balls or rings.
To increase the biological capacity of the filter, the
folks that make the Bio-Wheel filter have created a paddle
wheel with each paddle covered in a felt like substance
that is exposed to water and oxygen, thus increasing the
surface area of the filter and allowing a huge increase in
bacteria, and the biological filtration of that
particular filter.
This increase gives us better quality water returning
to the tank. Additionally, as the water splashes over
the paddles and returns into the tank, it further
oxygenates the tank.

If you remove the wheel, you reduce the biological
filtration of the filter. If you stock lightly or even
normally, it should not make any difference in the water
as there is enough "slop" in the filtration range(10-30G)
for you to remove the wheel.

Many folks do not like the "noise" of splashing water,
or the bubbles from a bunch of air stones as the tank is
in a public area where folks want to talk, play games, or
watch TV. Others have them in their bedrooms where the
noise keeps them awake.

Personally, I love the sound of rushing water, and it has
been found to be soothing, hence the appearance of "Water
Curtains" in doctors offices.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I've never had to add any biological filter to a tank. There has always been more than enough room in the substrate or on decorations for the bacteria. So to try to increase it that much by adding a biowheel seems extremely pointless. When I clean my filters I toss 90% of the media and rinse the rest in tapwater because I know it will not cause my tanks any problems. All the needed bacteria is in the tank not the filter. Some tanks may need some biological media but I do not think any properly stocked tank with substrate needs something like biowheels. Maybe an extra sponge or 2 that only gets rinsed in tank water but normally a tank is not going to run so low on oxygen or space for bacteria that it requires something like a biowheel. They might be useful but are not necessary and do occasionally cause problems like stopping and making noise. Just not worth it to me unless I wanted to setup a tank that is either overstocked or bare bottom.

Yup!
No arguments from me. I was just explaining the theory
behind the filter and why it was built as it is.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

OK, Imma just gonna say I'm not a fan of them. They are fine filters but the bio wheel thing seems, as was said above, pointless. There is enough media in the tank for your beneficial bacteria to colonize and without the wheel they add plenty of oxygen anyway. That being said, they are fine filters with pros and cons. I didn't like the expense of the cartridges, the wheel kept gumming up and stopping etc. But it did an excellent job of keeping the water clean, even without the wheel.

I agree that the biowheel won't make a significant difference in a tank with proper maintenance. I do think it allows more aggressive gravel/tank cleaning for those with issues. It also seems to be an easy way to jumpstart tank cycling if you have multiple tanks with the same size wheels. Just a couple of thoughts.


The I have a 600 gph canopy top on my 75 that essentially has 4 150 gph biowheels. It is sealed well and it is very quiet. I have a 200 on my 29 and it is much louder than the 600. The water sound alone isn't bad but any vibration drives me crazy.