Bio wheel replacement..?

[Owen Meany]

Hello,

Does as bio-wheel need to be cleaned or changed out? I am trying to find the source of a low ph. I have heard/read/tried every idea out there.

I am at the end of the line. Buffers, water changes, nothing seems to get it up for longer than a day or two.

I have the same "wheel" chruning for about 9 months. I always thought that bio-build-up is good?! Yes? No?

Any thoughts, jb

 

[Coyote]

Do you have drift wood in your tank? Are you putting CO2 into your tank?

As for bio-wheel, you can just leave it alone. You don't need to replace it.

 

[colesea]

My same wheels have been churning for three years. Short of the bio-wheel falling apart, it should never have to be replaced.
What is the pH of the water you use in your tank (tap water, RO, filtered, whatever).
~~Colesea

 

[Owen Meany]

My tap ph is about 8.5.....


This is a well lit, well planted, pretty well stocked, very well maintained and filtered...

2 Rams
2 Angels
3 Discus
about 15 Rumy nose teras
3 flying foxes
1 pelco

all in a compfy 50gal tank...

20% plus, water changes once a week
2 Marine land Magnum 350's
Biowheel
Co2 Injections system with Aqua Medic 1000 Reactor

That about it....

 

[Magician2899]

Your tap is 8.5, what's it at in the tank? How many bubbles a second on the co2? whats your kh and gh?

 

[Owen Meany]

Within about 30 minutes of a water change it drops back down to 5.9 to 6.1..

At such a low ph there is little opportunity for the co2 to kick on, I have my monitor set for 6.8.

I have just stated useing a buffer but even then, it will jump up for about an hour and now has seemed to settled at 6.5...

 

[jkulysses]

That is very weird. I'm at a loss. You didn't say if you have any driftwood in there or not, but even if you had a whold tree in there I don't think it would lower the PH to those extremes. Sorry I can't help.

Jake