I asked this b4 but really didnt get any good answers. I have a bio wheel filter that hasnt been used in approx. 8yrs. When i bought it i used it for salt water , and now I want to dust it off and get it out of the basement and use it for fresh water.Is this ok to do?
2007-08-31 11:37:04 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
That shouldn't be a problem. Since it was used for saltwater in the past, most organisms wouldn't survive the change in salinity, so you shouldn't have to worry about transferring any parasites/disease organisms. If you want to be cautious about this anyway, just allow the biowheel portion to soak in a few changes of hot water (from the tap, not boiling hot). The rest of the filter should just be able to be rinsed out, with special attention to the impeller and well it sits in (make sure the pin isn't rusted and will still turn freely).
You'll still have to allow some time for the biowhell to build the bacteria for freshwater use, but other than that, it should function just as well for you in a freshwater tank. You may want to put in new media to start, especially if you use carbon - then you'll know about how long till it should be replaced.
2007-08-31 12:26:56 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you clean it thoroughly and replace the bio wheels.. it will be fine. the reason you need to replace the wheels are because the saltwater tank hold different bacteria that can kill fresh water fish.. mattering on the filter type the wheel cartridges will only run you about 10 dollars.. maybe more if larger than 75 gallons..
use vinegar to clean the parts... then an antibacterial soap like dial to clean .. rinse thoroughly and let air dry. make sure to use pipe cleaners to get the internal parts.
2007-08-31 18:47:27 · answer #2 · answered by jeselynn_81 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with witchy. A good thoroughly cleaning and new filters, and it should be fine. And while I think the top rack dishwasher cleaning is a perfect solution (I've done it myself!), I personally would do it in a load by itself or with other tank decor items that may need to be cleaned, and skip using any dish detergent. The dishwasher gets hot enough to sufficiently clean it, and that would remove any chance of accidentally introducing soap residue into your tank.
2007-08-31 18:48:08 · answer #3 · answered by Cindy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont use any chemical unless recomended for aquariums, just let it run in fresh water for a week while taking it out everyday to scrub it with a new/unused sponge
2007-08-31 22:10:10 · answer #4 · answered by imagin_asian 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes you can do it. clean it with some vinegar and then wash it with warm water to make sure you have all the vinegar off.
if you are going to be using and old tank and stones you can clean them the same way.
have fun.
2007-08-31 19:18:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.. but you need to wash it...I,d use a dishwasher(top shelf of course).
The rinse it alot...get brand new filters.
2007-08-31 18:43:55 · answer #6 · answered by Witchy 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋