[AquaticLife] BioWheels
Yes, the primary difference between a regular HOB and a Bio-Wheel is the actual Bio-Wheel which is just a reinforced paper filter media that is corrugated so it looks like a “waterwheel”. Marineland, the inventor of Bio-Spira, also invented the Bio-Wheel technology. The main benefit is that you can change out the filter cartridges as often as you like and it will not severely affect your biological filtration in your filter system since the Bio-Wheel does not get fooled with so it stays fully “cycled”. It’s rather ingenious of Marineland to do this so they can still safely promote that people change out their filter cartridges every few weeks without it putting the tank into a mini-cycle, when compared to many of the other HOB’s. This mini-cycle issue mainly affects a newer unplanted tank but can affect more mature tanks as well.
Yes, the bio-wheel itself can be purchased. Just buy one unit unless the multi-packs are really much lower priced as a single wheel should last a very long time. I still have the original one on my Penguin 200 Bio-Wheel HOB from a few years ago. Either bring your “crushed” one with you or bring your HOB filter system with you to make sure you get the right size.
I don’t recognize the other thing but from your description of the tube thing, it almost sounds like the large tube end of a gravel siphon but I’m sure you know what those look like. A picture speaks a 1,000 words. 
Lenny Vasbinder Fish Blog - http://GoldLenny.blogspot.com
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
