The Puffer Forum

Is it true you need to ditch bio wheel filters for saltwater? I swear by Penguin/Marineland Filters which have this feature.

I still use mine for an extra bit of filtration and added flow, also they do great for surface agitation

they are nitrate factories...

unless you have a nitrate reduction system in place it is best not to use the media that comes with them.

I got one for my tank, in addition to a hang on back protein skimmer. But, instead of the filters I use packs of PhosBan to help keep the phosphorous in check.

Also they create a lot of splashing which, with saltwater, will cause a ton of salt creep.

I have a penguin 350 and 150 in a 30 gallon saltwater tank and i love them best filter ive ever had. You can get the 350 on amazon for $30 its a real steal.

I hate salt creep. I would not ever use a bio-wheel in SW.

If you do not use LR, then some bacterial nitrification process is needed to detoxify ammonia. It is just better/neater in my use to select a non-splashing filter device.

+1 to salt creep!

I heard such good things about those filters, but when I got one myself I absolutely HATED it.

I had to replace the impeller thing because no matter how careful I was sand ALWAYS got in to it. It was super loud, and had tons of splash, which led to tons of evaporation. Finally I said screw it and got an aquaclear.

In soft, acid FW, biowheels are more likely to be fine. In hard, alkaline FW, BW, or SW, biowheels are likely to be headaches.

Nuclear_Glitter wrote: Finally I said screw it and got an aquaclear.

The answer to nearly every HOB filter woe!