should I get rid of my bio-wheels?
- Thread starter rhoymand
- Start date
It's depends on how many plants you're going to have. No point in a getting rid of your major bio. filter for one plant, you know? Also, if it's only one or two plants, there'd be enough CO2 even with lots of surface agitation.
See how well your plant growth is first before you do something 'drastic' like that. Even if you find that your plants aren't growing well, or they even flat out die, it could be any number of other factors excluding CO2 deficiency in the water (macro, micro nut., too much sun, too little sun, and so on).
Maybe you might even look into those DIY CO2 chambers? Basically entails a container (soda bottles usually used) with a mixture of water, sugar, yeast, and baking soda. Can be done without baking soda, but the b.soda makes it more stable such as, you won't be getting bursts of CO2, or you won't get a surge of CO2 just in the beginning with little/minimal after that. Basically, the yeast feeds on the sugar, and voila, CO2 is produced traveling up container through tubing you've put on into the tank. A common complaint regarding such DIY devices is that you can't control the size and diffusion of the CO2 bubbles well.
Good luck, live plants in an aquarium are the best!
See how well your plant growth is first before you do something 'drastic' like that. Even if you find that your plants aren't growing well, or they even flat out die, it could be any number of other factors excluding CO2 deficiency in the water (macro, micro nut., too much sun, too little sun, and so on).
Maybe you might even look into those DIY CO2 chambers? Basically entails a container (soda bottles usually used) with a mixture of water, sugar, yeast, and baking soda. Can be done without baking soda, but the b.soda makes it more stable such as, you won't be getting bursts of CO2, or you won't get a surge of CO2 just in the beginning with little/minimal after that. Basically, the yeast feeds on the sugar, and voila, CO2 is produced traveling up container through tubing you've put on into the tank. A common complaint regarding such DIY devices is that you can't control the size and diffusion of the CO2 bubbles well.
Good luck, live plants in an aquarium are the best!
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Doh! I was editing and adding stuff to my first post while you were putting your reply. I hate that, I apparently have the worst timing (added a possible DIY solution)!
So how well are the plants doing?
Just to add, the filter you got is a Hang on the Tank right? The canister part in the title confused me a bit as I always associate canister with being outside of the tank. I don't believe the filter you got is a true canister filter, but anyhow..
Yea, I know what filter you got now (at least I think I do). I don't think the company that makes your filter manufactures optional filter media like AquaClear does (or does it??). Don't they just have media trays you have to buy that are specifically designed for the filter with the act. carbon in the mech. filt. tray?? If you got rid of those, you'd be getting rid of your mech. filtration.
If that's not the case, and you CAN add extra bio-media/additional surface areas for the good bacteria without compromising the mech. filtration, then yea, go ahead and do that for sure. Bio-wheels are NOT a necessity in the least (Bio-Wheels actually seem more like a gimmicky thing to me :-( sorry bio-wheel users
Good luck!
So how well are the plants doing?
Just to add, the filter you got is a Hang on the Tank right? The canister part in the title confused me a bit as I always associate canister with being outside of the tank. I don't believe the filter you got is a true canister filter, but anyhow..
Yea, I know what filter you got now (at least I think I do). I don't think the company that makes your filter manufactures optional filter media like AquaClear does (or does it??). Don't they just have media trays you have to buy that are specifically designed for the filter with the act. carbon in the mech. filt. tray?? If you got rid of those, you'd be getting rid of your mech. filtration.
If that's not the case, and you CAN add extra bio-media/additional surface areas for the good bacteria without compromising the mech. filtration, then yea, go ahead and do that for sure. Bio-wheels are NOT a necessity in the least (Bio-Wheels actually seem more like a gimmicky thing to me :-( sorry bio-wheel users
Good luck!
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the plants are doing ok, but some parts (even in the new leaves) are browning. all my water parameters are close to perfect. lighting is 3.2wpg and co2 is around 14ppm. right now carbon is from daily doses of flourish excel. within a few weeks Im going to install a pressurized co2 system. but something is holding the plants back, I just know it. I heard that activated carbon also absorbs copper, something plants need.
the filter I have is the Magnum 350 Pro System. water goes through foam, then through a container filled with carbon (soon to be replaced with bio-media), and is output through bio-wheels or the regular output pipe in the water.
the filter I have is the Magnum 350 Pro System. water goes through foam, then through a container filled with carbon (soon to be replaced with bio-media), and is output through bio-wheels or the regular output pipe in the water.
Yes, activated carbon can remove trace elements from the water that your plants need and use. I can't say for certain this is the reason your plants are not doing as well as you would like.
There are many people who have run carbon in planted tanks successfully. Conversely, many people have reported much better plant growth when they remove the activated carbon from their filter systems. In either case, you will be fine (the fish) with or without the carbon. I actually recently started running my AquaClear without the carbon pack as well putting another vine in there. Plants are nature's filter, so if removing the carbon enhances all of your plants, think of how much more benefit your fish will be getting.
I'm not so sure about adding that CO2 system anymore. At 14 ppm in a co fish/plant system, that's already a pretty good concentration. I believe 20 ppm is the recommended optimum CO2 concentration when fish are involved.
So DO go though with that media exchange of the carbon for bio-media. Good fortunes to you (got tired of 'good luck')!
There are many people who have run carbon in planted tanks successfully. Conversely, many people have reported much better plant growth when they remove the activated carbon from their filter systems. In either case, you will be fine (the fish) with or without the carbon. I actually recently started running my AquaClear without the carbon pack as well putting another vine in there. Plants are nature's filter, so if removing the carbon enhances all of your plants, think of how much more benefit your fish will be getting.
I'm not so sure about adding that CO2 system anymore. At 14 ppm in a co fish/plant system, that's already a pretty good concentration. I believe 20 ppm is the recommended optimum CO2 concentration when fish are involved.
So DO go though with that media exchange of the carbon for bio-media. Good fortunes to you (got tired of 'good luck')!
Hey, what bio-media are you going to put in there?
Can anyone vouch for the Hydor ceramic cyclinders? Would that be the good stuff to use?
Can anyone vouch for the Hydor ceramic cyclinders? Would that be the good stuff to use?
Yes, another fellow insomniac! Fiugzel, I'm sure those would be fine. It's not like anyone's done a study to see which brands' Bio-Media rank against each other (or HAVE they?? Hmm).
Geez, one post right after another. This has the be the fastest successive response thread here (don't quote me that!).
Geez, one post right after another. This has the be the fastest successive response thread here (don't quote me that!).
I will be upgrading to a pressurized co2 system in a few weeks. I found this diffuser at my favorite lfs (aqua forest aquarium in san francisco). the co2 is pushed through a ceramic disk making very fine bubbles, also has a built in bubble counter. I think its called an atomizer. its what they use in their tanks so its good enough for me.