When can I remove my BioWheel Filter

boogs79

New member
Will removing my bio-wheel filter effect my water parameters? I have completed my sump and I'm picking up my reef ready tank tonight at CRA, therefore I would like to know if I could get rid of the hang on filter?

Thanks
 
If you are moving everything in your current tank over to the new one, I'd keep bio-wheel for a littel while longer. If you move everything carefully, your tank may not go into major cycling, but your tank may go through a minor one for a short while. A well established bio-wheel can actually help you through the process.

If you don't see any ammonia or nitrite in a week after moving everything, I suggest removing the bio-wheels. I don't remember if you had a canister filter or a powerfilter now. Let the tank's filtering capacity (bacteria population) catch up to the bio load for a week or so. Then you can remove more parts of filter media. As Mariner pointed out in another thread, remove the bio-wheel and filter media gradually to minimize the impact of a decreased filtering capacity.

Tomoko
 
Exactly, I remember when I first started saltwater and I couldn't figure out what was going on in my tank, everything was looking faded and stressed out. I took water to Pete and while we were standing there my wife said she had cleaned the filters out. Pete said that the bacteria had been washed away. Like Tomoko said it can actually help to do a slow change.
Chris
 
Would it be Ok to move my livestock immediately after I change tanks (Coral Beauty, Emerald crap, 2 hermits, Kenya tree & 4 Damsels and some snails)?
 
I can't remember what size you had, and what size are you going to? Also how much water will you transfer? I would think that if you had to add a few gallons it should be about like a water change. I am about to go through the same thing soon I hope, I have a 75 now and I'm about to get a 125. So I am interested in what others recommend. Not all my livestock will go to the new tank. Good luck catching the damsels.:D
Chris
P.S. I got a good laugh out of Emerald Crap. hehe
 
I have a 75 and I going to a 75, but I'm adding some water volume in the sump!

"Emerald crap" typo....that's hilarious! I just laughed out loud at work.
 
The change over went well last night, but I didn't get to sleep until about 2:30!! I put some stability in the new tank and all the livestock seem to be doing well. My heater is in the sump, but the temp in the tank is about 2 degrees lower that when the heater was in the main tank.
 
What size heater do you have? Another thing is that the water hasn't circulated enough to get the temp set right. Just my thoughts. HAHA at 2:30 Been there done that, Are you dragging at work now?
 
I have a 300w heater. Work is tough today, but my wife is ready to destroy the aquarium!! So far a live to fight another day!!
 
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