Penguin Bio Wheel 330

[jules]

What do you think of this filter?

Thank you,
Julie

[DOC JONES]

I have one and I love it. I find it very efficent in a 55g set-up. Just my thought on it.

[jules]

Thanks for the input.
I have a choice between an AC500 and a Penguin bw300. It's going on a 90g with canister.
Which would you chose?

Julie

[tpl*co]

Story of what happened to me (pre-discus).

Well, I have a penguin 330 and a XP-3 canister on my 50 gallon bow front. I saw a little bit of water around the corner around the penguin and was wondering if I had a leak. When I mentioned it to the fish store, they suggested I turn off the penguin to see if it was the one that was leaking, instead of tearing down the tank. Thinking the XP-3 would be enough, I turned of the penguin for the night. BIG MISTAKE! I found out the next morning which filter was aeriating my tank big time :( . I didn't know that since I had my XP-3's spray bar under the water level I wasn't getting enough water movement. I lost my gold nugget pleco that day (and had to run a couple of air stones to try and save the rest of my fish). The leak wasn't a leak, I just slopped some water around during one of my routine maintanence bouts.

So, to make a long story short, I really like the Penguin 330, it has baskets in it that I can load up with different medias too (using purigen or Nitrosorb in them now, sometimes extra canister filter media). Instead of the carbon cartridges, I use the plastic skeleton of a used one and rubberband on filter floss on it. (don't want to keep buying those things or run carbon.)

Another thing nice about the penguins over the aquaclears is that they tend to start up again after a power outage. (instead of emptying out completely and just running dry). Sometimes mine empties out, but a lot of times it starts up again no problem. This was another plus in my book.

[AADiscus]

We use penguin 330's on our larger tanks, 2-75's,80 and 120, all with high bio loads, with good results. We use the carbon inserts with the carbon removed. Just slit the top of the fiber and shake/wash out the charcoal. If you happen to need carbon, it is a simple matter to pour some into the open fiber sock. These are easily cleaned (we wash them daily) and last a long time. Some have been in use for two years. The baskets are great for bio media or what ever else strikes your needs. We also use 2 sponge filters per tank, some powered with power heads and we do at least 40 to 50% WC's per day. Works for us!
Keep smiling,
Andrew and Angela

[tpl*co]

We use the carbon inserts with the carbon removed. Just slit the top of the fiber and shake/wash out the charcoal. If you happen to need carbon, it is a simple matter to pour some into the open fiber sock. These are easily cleaned (we wash them daily) and last a long time. Some have been in use for two years.
Andrew and Angela


What a great Idea! Here I cut the whole thing off, but I like your idea better, I might have to get 2 more inserts to try your method ;)

[Eddie]

I use the the younger brother, the 170 and it's a dream. I actually went quite a few steps further and here is what my set-up is like.
I use a super cartridge for the slot. Inside the super cartridge is a bio-bag with efisubstrate for even more bio. I use a filter max pre-filter on the intake. All this should be super sufficient plus the bio-wheel. There really couldn't be more bio going on in this filter. ;)

I didn't notice the baskets in the 330, but that would be nice to have for my 170. I kind of made my own basket with the super cartridge. If I had a 55 or 75g tank, that would be my filter of choice along with some sponge filters. :)

[discus4life]

We use penguin 330's on our larger tanks, 2-75's,80 and 120, all with high bio loads, with good results. We use the carbon inserts with the carbon removed. Just slit the top of the fiber and shake/wash out the charcoal. If you happen to need carbon, it is a simple matter to pour some into the open fiber sock. These are easily cleaned (we wash them daily) and last a long time. Some have been in use for two years. The baskets are great for bio media or what ever else strikes your needs. We also use 2 sponge filters per tank, some powered with power heads and we do at least 40 to 50% WC's per day. Works for us!
Keep smiling,
Andrew and Angela
ever tried to take the fiber out clamp two of them together with a songe in between?

[Anonapersona]

There are clamshell type baskets ("frames") that you can buy and fill with your choice of padding to replace the expensive cartridges. I think they were from DrsFosterSmith.com and each was about $2.75. Don't bother getting the pre-cut pads to go with it, they are rather thin, better to use thicker ones if you are not also adding the bag of carbon they sell.

[Carol_Roberts]

I've used both the emperors and aqua clears. I prefer Aqua clears. They are quieter, easier to clean and I've never had a problem with losing a siphon.

[alpine]

Carol, I just setup a 29 and a 55 gallon tanks. I have a Aquaclear 50 on the 29 and a 110 on the 55. The 110 is a lot noiser than the 50. As a matter of fact I took the first 110 back to the store and got a new one because it was very loud. the second one is better but still I wish it was quiter. That is the only problem I have with them , they look real well made and the componenets look of high quality. I love the Bio media that comes with it.
Take all this lighltly since I am all new to this. :)

Roberto.

[jules]

I have a the small AC also on a 20. It is relatively quiet and I have no problem sleeping at night with it running. About the same as the larger ones.

I got the Penguin and yes it is louder than AC. I didn't have a problem starting it though, which I do with AC. I think the biowheels are kind of neat looking, though I don't know how effective filtration is as of yet.

I would like to see some pics of the 50g bowfront, please.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Julie

[roclement]

here goes heresy...I have Aqua Clear in all my tanks but one, all also run identical hydros and have the same water change schedule, the tank with bio-wheel has consistently better water conditions.

keep in mind that I use no other filtering substances than sponges, no inserts, socks full of carbon or anything like that. the only difference between the tanks is that small bio-wheel rotating...I love it!

as I am in the process of re-seting my 150Gl tank, I am using a large canister filter, hydros, and a bio-wheel unit that attaches to the exaust of the canister, i bought this unit separate as an add-on for my tank, it cost me $28 at "that-fish-place", it has 2 bio-wheels on it and can run by itself if attached to a separate powerhead.

will post on how it works.

rodrigo

[jules]

The penguin is on a 90 with a fluval 404.
The tank is stocked with 3 7-8" SA cichlids, a 3" SA cichlid and pleco.
I don't have a nitrate test kit, but things are looking good as male is trying to induce spawning in female.

tx,
Julie