What filter for a 55 gallon freshwater??

Oct 22, 2002
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#1
right now i have two penguin bio-wheel 160s.  As of yesterday the wheels stopped turning and Im afraid the filters are not going ot do there jobs anymore...  I cleaned the filters , replaced the medium,  still no turning.  

So now I am looking at getting a canister filter.   I plan on putting a powerhead with a sponge filter attachment for some water current but want a canister filter for the tank.  Something not too expensive,  but something that I wont have to maintain on a daily basis.   This is a 55 gallon planted tank.

Thanks!!

Nick
 

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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#2
if i rememberd correctly, those bio-wheels are eventually going to stop turning. what that means is the bio-wheels have so much good bacteria on it that it slows it down to the point where it stops. so i wouldn't worry about it.

a cannister filter is a great choice. it's very very quiet and you don't have to change/clean the filter every week or so. my personal choice would be eheim cannister filters. they're great.
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#4
Like arcab4 said, I wouldnt worry about the wheels turning. As long as the water is flowing over the wheels, it is still doing its job. Do not however clean the wheels. If you do have to replace them, do only 1 at a time with a 6 month time frame. Regarding the canisters, never had a eheim but I heard its the best. I currently have a Filstar XP-3 by Aquarium Pharm., it works great but not as expensive as an eheim.
 

Matt Nace

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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Pennsylvania
#8
Did they stop all together or just turn every few seconds. When they stop completly, that cant be too good. What makes the bacteria so effective is the great oxygen they recieve from being out of the water completly for a second or two. Yea? or nay?

I would say if they dont turn at all, it is more of a water flow problem. The junk media you get for penguins is crap. Take the pre-fiter media out. If it is the little carbon filled patches, here is what I did for a penguin 130.

Ripped the cloth off the plastic black cartrige. Of course, I chucked the carbon in the trash. Put the black plastic only back in. Then I just cut a little mattress padding(from wal-mart) and put it in to  filter debris. Never buy those replacement  cartriges. A rip-off.

For a Cheaper canister..cant beat the Hot magnum 220.

It doesn't have a lot of room for media though its only drawback.

How planted is this tank...do you really want bio-wheels on there?? My tank with my Magnum 350 with bio-wheels, is very planted, but the growth of the swords is very slow, even with added Iron to the roots and water.

BTW. My bio-wheels have never stopped completely, unless my filter doesn't send enough water over them. They never get too much. Too much means they will turn eradically, which is a good thing. I really believe they should be moving to be highly effective.

It should only take 3 to 4 weeks for the bacteria to recover on the wheel....if they are turning.
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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#9
I think a canister is a great choice to go with. I am to poor right now to get one but my cousin has one and it's the best thing she ever got she said. Hers is an eiheim(sp) and it's great on her tank her waters always crystal clear. I don't know about the bio-wheel filter never heard of one completely stopping before.


     Ryan ;D
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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#12
I hate ugf's! Sorry mrfootball but like Shane said if you have fish that dig (which i do) they're useless. Canisters are great and so are bio-wheels but I think he had a problem wiht those already.

    Ryan ;D
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#15
I tend to agree with ryan about the ugf! I dont like them myself. I do however tend to like a rugf. A comment of RubyBarb: "When they stop completly, that cant be too good. What makes the bacteria so effective is the great oxygen they recieve from being out of the water completly for a second or two." The bacteria should get enough oxygen regardless if the wheel is turning or not. There should be enough oxygen in the water to supply the bacteria. By water dripping/spraying on the wheel gives oxygen to the water. The wheel is not as effective as if it would be turning though.
 

Matt Nace

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,470
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Pennsylvania
#16
boy I have a few here.

Ryan... why do you not like UGF?

Betta -you are right about the digging that wont help you in UGF. My fish in my one tank don't dig my UGF is VERY effective. I never have to touch my gravel my water is crystal clear, My cory cats even spawned!!!! ;)

ronrca-- You answered yourself for me.

MalerubyBarb " What makes the bacteria so effective is the great oxygen they recieve from being out of the water completly for a second or two "("turning")

ronrca "The wheel is not as effective as if it would be turning though"

;)

Mrfootball70--  
lol..shut up man!!! ;) :p :D
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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#17
[shadow=Orange,direction,width]Barb- I don't like ugf's because mine was a piece of crap. Maybe it was just bad but it never kept my water clear. My gravel was great and so were the decorations but the water was really horrible. I don't literally HATE ugf's just mine was bad. Probably cause the tank was second hand.

     Ryan ;D[/shadow]