Which size bio-wheel to add to canister system in 72 gal tank?

Question

I am establishing a 72 gal bow-front fish-only marine tank. I bought a very good canister system capable of 100+ gal tanks. I want to add a Penguin bio-wheel filter as well, but just for the bacteria benefits, not for the filtration. Which size do I need? The 350 or will a smaller be fine?

Answer 1

Whatever size you'd like. Anything over the canister is an improvement. 350 would be just fine.

Answer 2

John obviously didn't read the question, I don't think the fish he said to add would live more than 3 minutes LOL! I have kept a 75 saltwater reef tank with just a xp3 canister filter and a skimmer for 4 years. Who ever told you that you need a bio-wheel filter is full of *&^%! Here is what happens with those filters. Your bacteria does colonize the wheel and is good after that for a short time. However, the wheel has to be replaced like a normal filter pad as it will build up with detritus. There goes your bacteria, now you will have a input of pollutants and no bacteria in the new wheel to remove it. Save your money and buy a good hang on the back skimmer, I like red sea, and you will be good to go.

Answer 3

....ja, something smaller would be fine as the ideal filtration is already established by your canister.....btw, aerobic bacteria grow in the media in the canister

.....but that is where you willl eventully reap the greatest bacterial benfit from the anaeroibic colonies tht will inhabit the canister balls, clay tubes, etc..what ever you have in it

....so i sort of take it that you are speeing along cycling a new tank and want to establish some bacteria ASAP?

....just plan for 2 weeks or 3 more like it......and plant live plants and add fish flakes every day......without fish

.....cycle water 1 week without fish...then add 3 zebra danios or 3 or 4 white cloud minnows and wait another week or week - and - a - half

.....during that time the water clouds and the ammonia levels peak then fall off....plewase do some water changes during the week that you have starter fish in the tank...25% to 30% every 3 days(.....gasping for those fish, yet somehow, incongruously roflol), then the cycle is completed, and the HOB is on the job, with live plants releasing CO2 that they love to get, along with so much ammoina to eat and nitrites....

.....meanwhile that lil' canister is cooking along too

and soon your tank has an effulgence of bacterial firepower that ammonia and nitrites are eaten by

'.....awesome and shocking', to say the very least....in a month or thrree, you also have anaerobic bacteria eating nitrates too...and the live plants also eating nitrates....and with routine water changes your tank is the happiest most symbiotically balanced tank in town