Ensuring your aquarium remains free of debris and harmful chemicals is crucial if you want your aquatic plants and fish to live long and healthy lives. If you’ve recently purchased an aquarium, chances are it has come packaged with a basic power filter. Although some power filters can be fairly effective at purifying aquarium water, they may not prove up to the job if your tank is on the large side.
Therefore, you may want to consider upgrading to an alternative type of filter. One potential alternative is a bio wheel filter. These filters are excellent systems if you wan to ensure first-rate biological filtration. Below, we explore the pros and cons of each system.
Bio Wheel Filters Explained
Bio wheels combine the best attributes of power filters and filter canisters. With a bio wheel filter, you get the user-friendly design of a power filter, with the powerful filtration performance of a canister filter. A bio wheel filter provides you with three distinct filtration phases, much like a canister filter.
If you’re looking for a filter that is easy to install, a bio wheel is a good choice. All you need to here is place the bio wheel on your tank, add a cartridge and fit out the intake tube, then turn it on to get going. Installing a bio wheel filter is far easier than fitting a canister filter or power filter, making them a good choice for beginners with less technical expertise.
Bio wheel filters are similar in operation to power filters. They are designed to be mounted on the back of a fish tank, with the signature wheel revolving and making contact with the water of your aquarium. This movement introduces oxygen into your tank water, resulting in superior biological filtration. The biological filtration capabilities of a bio wheel filter are, in theory, far superior to what you might expect from a power filter. This is because a power filter only has a very limited amount of oxygen with its system.
Many people choose a bio wheel filter as they assume they are maintenance-free. While it is true that bio wheel filters require very little upkeep, they do require some maintenance and care. Although you should avoid cleaning the surface of the wheel as this will disturb the colonies of desirable bacteria, you will still need to keep up with filter cartridge replacements. Most bio wheels will require a fresh cartridge once every few weeks. There is also the potential for mechanical issues. If you notice your wheel isn’t revolving correctly, you will need to remove it and inspect the system for any damage before carrying out a repair.
Power Filters Explained
With a power filter, you have much more choice when it comes to size options. Many off-the-shelf aquariums will include a power filter as standard. Power filters are also a popular choice with aquarists looking to upgrade an existing filtration system. They are cheap, easy to use and very effective.
Unlike canister filters and other complex systems, all you need to do with a power filter is place it where you need it to be and plug it in. Once you’ve done that, it’s just a case of flipping the switch to on. Power filters include a built-in pump that draws tank water through a lift tube. This water is then passed through a cartridge laden with chemicals that will clean and purify water before it is directed back into the tank. One major issue with power filters is that they lead to evaporation, which means you will have to replenish water levels within your aquarium over time.
Compared to other systems, power filters are very easy to maintain. All you need to do to keep on top of maintenance is occasionally remove and replace filter media. In most cases, you won’t even need to move the filter housing itself, with the cartridges being able to removed without causing any disruption to your aquarium. You should pay attention to power ratings when choosing a power filter, however. The most basic filters in this category can be vastly underpowered, resulting in second-rate filtration. If you are interested in a power filter, consider spending a bit more on a high-output model.
