# bio wheel



## cassiusclay (Feb 19, 2007)

quick query ive gone and build a c02 reactor that was in my 20 tall that was recently destroyed. since, ive set up a 20 l and the thing looks so huge in there its an eye sore. here my thought: i know you can put the air line tubing into the spindle on your filter but i have a bio wheel and i know that will affect gas exchange.however ive also noticed my bio wheel filter does not have a spray bar to spin the wheel so can i remove it?or am i better off building an eternal reactor? take into consideration i am a fast food manager and very poor


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

First don't use air line tubing. Get some CO2 grade tubing. I think it's made of silicone but I'm not sure. Rex Grigg has a guide that goes into all of that.

Ideally you should get a canister filter. However if you keep the power filter, I think you should get rid of the wheel so the water just pours out the top and into the water. Then you can buy an airstone to diffuse the CO2. Limewood works great, or there are the ceramic diffusers as well. For someone on a budget I would go with limewood as a three pack only costs a few dollars. Keep in mind that they will gather algae and require drying/re-sanding every few months.

As for an external reactor, unless I missed something, you are using a power filter and as such cannot use an external reactor unless you have an external pump or something like that.


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## cassiusclay (Feb 19, 2007)

i was going to user a power head and some tubing with the pvc pipe for a reactor i want to go with a canister but simply cant afford one right now ive got one on my other tank thats being reset up as we speak


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## MemphisBob (Mar 20, 2007)

Take the bio wheel off and plumb the CO2 tube to your filter. Just use a "stiffener" tube inside the air line to keep it from being crushed. I've used the plastic sucker sticks for this. It's "ghetto" but effective.


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## imzadi (Apr 3, 2007)

Sure, take off the biowheel and see how your filter works without it. with plants in your tank, it isn't really necessary anyway.

Do you use pressurized CO2 or DIY yeast bottles? If you don't get the results you want by plumbing the line into your filter, try these other cheap options:

DIY-if your powerhead has a place to insert airline tubing near where the water shoots out, put your CO2 line into that and put your powerhead as low in the water as you can. you'll get bubbles shooting out of it, but they will be smaller than just running the line into your tank, and the plants will use it up better. OR use an airstone at the end of the CO2 line and put it right at the intake of your filter, inside your filter, or just drop it into your tank. I've tried all these, and liked using the powerhead best. Only problem was I usually had to clean a little gunk out of the end of the airline right at the powerhead every time I changed the yeast bottles. Good thing was that the bottles did not have to build up much pressure before they started putting CO2 into the tank.

Pressurized-get a glass diffuser *used* from e-bay or from someone here, and stick it as low in your tank as possible.


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