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Hi Thanks for the comment Christopher. I can't say I disagree with that, although it is less about a biOrb tank per se. It is about the substrate used and that applies to any aquarium, not just biOrbs. The use of biOrb Pearl Media, which is largely designed for bottom feeding fish, deals with the issue to some extent but there are many bottom feeders that really do need to be provided with soft substate (in any aquarium). Best wishes, Mark

Hi. That's a Dwarf Gourami. They are a lovely fish but it is very difficult to get one that doesn't eventually come down with Dwarf Gourami Disease (incurable). Thanks, Mark

Hi Angie. Assuming you have a typical range of tap water pH (7.0 to 8.5) and that you are planning to have a heated tank (18-28C), I would suggest Molly (short finned or aka Sphenops). You can get these in all orange and also in all black (as well as other colours) but you might need to phone about to find a supplier that has them in the colours you want. They are easy to look after and are a good choice for those beginning the hobby. They are not shy and they are well suited to new tank conditions. I hope that helps you. Best wishes, Mark.

Good move my friend. Keep that water crystal and watch those fish smile.

Hi. Have you tried clearing the airline through with a bike pump? If there is any blockage in the system, a bike pump should clear it. If a bike pump doesn't work I'm afraid it sounds like your air pump is on its way out and is not retaining enough air pressure through the airline. It is always good to have a spare pump but you can normally get one, on next day delivery, via Amazon. Let me know if that works. Best, Mark

Hi. The problem is the air pump and I doubt it would be to do with the tank being new or cycling. If you can put up with it for a little while, it is worth having the high flow air flow during tank cycling (beneficial bacteria colonise/cycle quicker with a good initial high oxygen content). Once the tank is fully cycled, then feel free to reduce the flow down to a reasonable level using a regulator. Best, Mark

Hi Kaylie. That converts to being 4.5ppm nitrate. That is a good tap water nitrate level. There is no need for you to seek a reduction in your tap nitrate. All very good! :)

​@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you, that's great! I'm so excited to set this up as a feature in our home 😊

Not a problem. If I can help with the early establishment of the Cube please let me know. Best wishes, Mark

Yep, totally agree my friend. But biOrb air pumps don't have filters.

Hi Roel. All well with me and I hope the same with you. Generally I would say that having a reverse osmosis system is a bit of an over kill for a biOrb but I suppose it depends on how many biOrbs are being maintained. It also depends on what you are trying to achieve with your water or what you are trying to "fix" with your normal water supply (i.e pH, nitrate, phosphate, hardness etc). Many things can be fixed/reduced using simpler approaches. I have a video focused on nitrate reduction (but same approach can be applied to high phosphate). Filtered water, through reverse osmosis is good for larger aquariums (when needed) but the water needs to be remineralised for use. RO allows water to be adjusted to suit the specific needs of fish species or deal with really bad water supply. My normal advice is to go with fish that are a better match to a tap supply rather than trying constantly to alter water. Let me know what you are trying to achieve. Best wishes, Mark

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark - thanks! I agree that RO is a bit of an overkill but as you know TDS of my tapwater is about 530 ppm. I succeeded with mixing it with WFI (from my workplace) water but I change job now so WFI isn’t a possibility anymore. I also tried the ZeroWater system but the filters got stucked already after about 35 liters so that became too expensive. The TDS in my tank is now about 250 ppm and the fish are doing fine. I can now buy a (used) mobile RO system so that’s why I’m considering it. So when mixing the RO water with I the tap water I can lower the TDS again. Do you maybe have some advice how to remineralize the water? Maybe a product or a link. Thanks and best regards /Roel

Hi Roel. You may find that you quickly get through RO filters and will still require replacement filters (although probably it would be cheaper than the ZeroWater route). Your TDS is not extremely high (I know of people with far higher and with happy fish!) and your level is suited to many species (e.g. livebearer species). The requirements of industry bred fish should also not be compared to the natural/wild versions and many industry supplied fish are bred and grown using water that doesn't reflect natural water conditions. Fish can acclimatise to TDS levels fairly well. Other parameters such as retaining good and stable water quality are far more important. Higher TDS simply reflects that you have higher mineral content. If you want to pursue altering your source water quality then it is initially worth establishing what is triggering a TDS readings - through testing GH, KH, and salt content. I think Seachem are the industry lead on remineralisation products. Equilibrium is used by most people but is more suited to aquariums containing natural plants. For little or no plants try Replenish. They key thing to keep an eye on, when using RO or RODI water, is pH stability. Re mineralisation needs to be correctly adjusted to maintain suitable KH levels - to avoid sudden pH crash/swings. Rapid or large changes in pH can mean quick death to most fish species. If it was me, as you know, I would be matching the most suitable fish species to my source water rather than constantly altering and chasing a much lower TDS reading using pure RO. Best, Mark

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thanks Mark for this convincing answer. I've done another water test and all the parameters are fine. The only thing that worries me is the pH value: it's pH 8,0. At the moment I have Platies, Harlequin Rasboras and Betta Fish (females). Will they still be fine now when the TDS slowly will be raised from < 300 ppm to tapwater level > 500 ppm ? Best, Roel

Hi. Is the pH of 8.0 reflect the tap water pH (and is that the 'True pH')? Regardless, you can lower pH using products such as pH Minus and that might be beneficial - especially for the Betta. The best target pH for the species you have would probably be 7.5 due to the mix of different preferences you have (alkaline, neutral and acidic). pH 7.5 would fall within the range of all. Any changes to the tank's water conditions would be gradual and allow acclimatisation. I suggest you aim to do this through partial water changes (say 25%/week)

Hi. Assuming that you are connecting the filter directly to a tap... the main way to control the flow is via the tap itself. That is what I do. However, you could get a flow rate regulator that fits on to a tap and then connects to the hose : amzn.to/4cQm74z I set my tap to a fairly slow trickle and adjust it so that I am filling a 5L bottle in around 8 mins. As I am filling a good number of bottles each week (to do water changes on 5 tanks) I use my phone timer to remind me when a bottle will be almost full and when its time to swap over to a new bottle. That avoids me forgetting and then wasting filtered water! :) Hope that helps. Best, Mark

Hi. It's probably the same as any aquarium with the best approach being to minimise algae /diatoms in the first place through limiting water conditions which promote growth and to place the aquarium in a place that avoids direct sunlight. Other than that, the best approach is wiping the inside of the tank during a weekly water change - 2 minute job (easy with a 30 and 60 litre but not so easy with the bigger 105 litre version!

@@StepbyStep-biOrb I clean the glass of my aquarium weekly with a tool designed for that. On a flat plate of glass, not a sphere, which the same tool wouldn't work on. Even a scraping tool would have difficulty due to the non-flat shape.

For biOrbs, the best approach is to use biOrb cleaning pads. As I mentioned, it is 2- minute job to clean the inside of the glass. I wouldn't recommend any form or tool or scraper (which is ideal for glass aquariums where algae is an issue). biOrbs are made of acrylic and standard aquarium tools and acrylic aren't a good match. I personally avoid the issue through controlling my water quality input... I don't really suffer from algae. Alternatively, the easy way to keep algae back is to add a couple on nerite snails. Hope that helps. Best, Mark

Hi. The links "under" the video (Description text) should still be live. The best place to get one is via Amazon. The very same product is available under different product names but they all originate from the same manufacturer: amzn.to/4cx32Eg. I haven't found an alternative since then and this is the model that works best with a biOrb... it is product I use every week for water changes and cleaning of 5 tanks. Hope that helps. Best, Mark

Hi Mathew. My preference is to rinse everything in tap water treated with aquasafe. Saying that, chlorine does have a "life span". With straight tap water, left to stand for about 5 days, the chlorine will have almost disappeared (evaporated). I don't think you have caused any damage at all. It isn't a problem! But, it is worth setting up the tank, filling it with treated water and then let it run for 4-5 days before commencing with cycling and adding your fish. Hope that helps. Feel free to contact me if you need any help at all with setting-up/ establishing the tanks. Best wishes, Mark

Hi Jennifer. Yes, I tried that at one stage but found the links I provided went out of date often in the US for some reason. I have many times helped people to find products (or similar) in the US. As I have my own account with Amazon UK I will often get an alert if the products in my links become unavailable - this is helpful as it means I can update links or add alternative suppliers. My videos are watched in 6 different countries so its not always easy to guide people to products that I use or suggest, especially if those products are not available everywhere. When biOrb bring out new products it can often be many months before they show up in the US and other countries... the release of biOrb Pearly Media being a good example of how long those delays can be. Hopefully adding the UK links (products) allows people to find them or very similar (as a good starting point). If there is anything you are struggling to find let me know and I can certainly see if I can find things for you. Hope that helps. Best wishes to you, Mark

@@StepbyStep-biOrb That is so kind, thank you... I just wanted to make sure you are benefitting as much as possible from the great information you provide us. I often click your UK links and try to find the most comparable US version and order that. I had a 40 gallon tank that I kept throughout my childhood and am just about to start a biorb loop for my 5 year old twins for their upcoming birthday. Thanks again for all your guidance!

Hi Jennifer. The links are really aimed at trying to help people find things. I had a lot of requests, in the early days, to provide links to where people can get the products that I test and use. It is a subject I can often struggle with (links becoming out of date) but if those links help you find what you need, that is really brilliant! I'm afraid the aquarium industry is saturated with products, many of which are hype and make promises that will never deliver. I try to keep things basic and just focus on those products that I know work. They are the things I use myself for my 5 biOrbs (and garden pond). So, mission completed! :) My two boys (7 and 8) each have a biOrb and have names for every fish they have. I'm not sure how they identify each individual fish... but they do!! The Loop is a really lovely tank, I'm sure your twins will really love it. My videos hopefully cover the basics but please do shout if you need any support and guidance on setting-up the Loop etc. I'm very happy to help. Best wishes from across the big blue sea, Mark

Hi again. I'm not aware of anything that would work in a classic shape. Saying that, most biOrbs are the same due to the limited access space of the lid aperture. There are a wide variety of products that can be incorporated in standard aquariums, with most being the hang-on-back nurseries. The type of product you would probably need is a Net Trap Box Hatchery - but I think you would struggle to find anything that would fit or work suitably in a biOrb. If trying to limit predation then the key thing with fry is to provide plenty of safe hiding (escape options) places at the bottom of the tank. Overall, the very best approach is to set-up a separate nano-tank and add the fry to that (if you can catch them!. Once the fry get to a good size they can be added back into the main tank. M

@@StepbyStep-biOrb ah perfect, thanks very much for your help. Do you still have your tanks?

Hi, Yes, still have my 5 tanks! All running well with happy fish. Spent most of this year setting up a half whisky barrel pond in the garden (about 80l with 3 comet gold fish in). It looks wonderful currently. So, I suppose I have now got 6 tanks on the go! LOL

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Aww lovely, sounds great! A neighbour has carp in a pond, very nice. I think I’ll stick with my 1 x 30ltr classic biorb! 🤣

Hi Erika. In a biOrb the ceramic media acts as the tanks biological filter. This is unlike most other aquariums where the biological filtering is carried out through sponge filter systems etc and less so the substrate material. I still have ceramic media in a couple of my tanks that are over 5-years old and haven't had a reason to change them. Water parameters are still excellent. But, saying that you could change the media every couple of years especially if the media is heavily stained. Caution needs to be applied when changing the biOrb's media to avoid new tank syndrome. It needs to be undertaken in stages to maintain beneficial bacteria. The method I describe in this video allows successful changing of media and avoiding new tank syndrome: th-cam.com/video/M-SNTgG_-2I/w-d-xo.html. In small tanks, the key. to maintaining a clean and healthy substrate (and tank water) is to use a gravel vac and combine this with regular water changes of 25-50% (depending on numbers and types of fish held). Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

Hi. I'm not sure if you mean get a replacement bubble tube or if you mean replace the airline from the air pump? Either way, replacements parts etc are available from most larger biOrb suppliers. For example, for UK Amazon, from here: amzn.to/3LjLjoG. Hope that is what you needed to know. Thanks, Mark

Bonjour. J'ai bien peur d'en savoir très peu sur eux. Je ne suis pas sûr qu'ils soient de vraies "eau douce" et qu'ils aient besoin d'eau saumâtre. Un problème clé lors de l'utilisation d'un biOrb pour les bernard-l'ermite est probablement le substrat/média de perles dans un biOrb qui n'est probablement pas compatible avec l'eau dont les bernard-l'ermite ont besoin.

Hi Kevin. Thanks for visiting the Channel. Nice to hear from you. Don't worry... even new biOrbs tanks come with no (or hardly any!) instructions :-) Hopefully this Channel's videos will take you through the key things you might need to know. I certainly recommend using the alternative filter sponges etc. The biOrb ones cost a fortune! There are far better things to waste money on! Anyway, if you need any advice/help just drop me a line. Best, Mark

Hi. Thanks for visiting the channel. If you are referring to AquaSafe dosage... it is 5 ml of AquaSafe for every 10 litres of newly added tap water (2.5ml per 5l). You could get away with less in terms of dealing with typical tap water chlorine/chloramine levels but AquaSafe also deals with metals such as copper, lead and zinc. Water suppliers also can boost chlorine/chloramine levels during maintenance periods so 5ml/10l covers that scenario.

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thanks for the reply! :) Oh, you must have different directions on your bottle for the AquaSafe. The Canadian bottle says 10mL for every 10 gallons (38L) of water.

I've checked on the Tetra website and established the difference. I recommend simple dechlorinators and I always use standard AquaSafe. At 5ml/10l it also has a more straightforward dilution rate that is better suited to the size of biOrbs and undertaking regular water changes. You probably have Tetra AquaSafe PLUS - it is this product that is prepared at 5ml/ 38l. Hope that helps. Best, Mark

Hi Kiki. Yes, the biOrb booklets and videos are not very good at all. At best, they only show you how to set the tank up. Beyond that... nothing! I hope that you find my Channel provides a useful library of subjects that will allow you to have a fully working and beautiful aquarium. Thanks for your support and thanks for watching. Best wishes, Mark

Many thanks for your support Justin. If you need any help (please!) just shout. Best wishes, Mark

Yes, Betzie, totally agree with you! The small aperture lid is a pain on biOrbs. The ability to remove the lid, like on the TUBE biOrbs, is a great idea and I'm not sure why the same approach can't be applied to some of the other models. But, I guess, "design" takes priority, before practicability, in the biOrb company world! Best wishes, Mark

Hi. Yes, of course you can! You just need to choose plants that are suitable to the biOrb's filtration system. See my video which covers the basics here: th-cam.com/video/jO088r2mmmw/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps, Best, Mark

Hi. I'm not aware biOrb do a specific grow light option (Oase do but for these are for their larger tank ranges). biOrb's designed biological filter and substrate aren' really designed for live plants and, besides, biOrb really want you to spend money all your money of their plastic plants LOL. I have occasionally seen videos where people have converted biOrb lighting by using an overhang light and stand but this means removing the biOrb lighting fixture and lid and then positioning the replacement light directly above the tank. Not a pretty solution though! If you plan to convert, the general rule is "1 - 2 watts of lighting per gallon for fish-only freshwater aquariums and between 2 - 5 watts per gallon for planted tanks". If your tank is positioned well away from a natural light source (mine are positioned that way to remove diatom/algae issues) it might also be worth considering relocating. Best wishes, Mark

Hi Mike. Nice to hear from you. Can I ask what model of biOrb you have as I'm not aware of a model that has lighting operated and controlled via a push button lid? Apart from the remote and power cord (toggle) switch controls, the Moonlight biOrbs are fitted with a light sensor on the lid which automatically switches to blue moonlight when a room is darkened (on this model there is no requirement to set a timer). Thanks, Mark

Hi again. If it is the Halo moonlight, this allows the light to be set to switch on when the ambient/room light reaches a certain lighting level or darkness. The length of time it stays in the moonlight setting will vary between summer and winter. Here are the instructions. Selecting a mode ln the start position (white light) 1. Press once for constant moonlight (blue) 2. Press again and the white light will flash 3 times indicating the light sensor is activated (see instructions for setting the sensor). 3. Press again to return to the start position (white light). Setting the sensor If you wish the lights to automatically switch to a moonlight effect at night, a programmable sensor allows you to decide how dark the room gets before switching over from standard lighting to moonlight. 1. Wait until the room has reached the desired level of light ie. dusk. 2. Press the light button twice for constant moonlight. 3. Press and hold the light button for 3 seconds, the moonlight will flash 3 times to indicate the sensor is now set to switch your LEDs to moonlight when the room reaches this level of light. The light will automatically change back to white light when the ambient light level increases beyond the level set. The light can be turned off via the inline switch and will return to the previous settings when turned on. I tend not to bother with automatic light changes on my tanks but hopefully the above is what you needed. Best, Mark

Thanks Mark! Really appericate you taking the time to reply.

No problem at all Mike. I hope what is provided is of some use. The reality is that I don't have Moonlight based tanks, as all of mine (5 tanks) are MCR Remotes. The other key point is that I don't use daylight to night time biOrb settings on any of my tanks. I turn them all on and off manually and, for the most part, I rely far more on natural lighting rather than tank LEDs for lighting. Anyway, I hope you manage to get your head around the system you have on your biOrb. Take care, Mark.

Hi. The water conditioner is added to tap water to make it safe for fish (mainly deals with chlorine). I would (do) use Tetra AquaSafe and I don't use the biOrb product. Also, rather than buying Service Kits get these amzn.to/3KsIK32. You will save yourself a fortune. The only thing needed for water changes is to apply a dechlorinator (such as AquaSafe) and to warm the water so that it is similar to the temp of the water in the tank. Hope that helps with what you wanted to know. Feel free to drop me a line. Best, Mark

Hi Jodie. Glad I could help. It's a really great product to take out tap nitrates. Just like biOrb and all the products in my videos, I have no deal at all with the suppliers so my views of the product are based on whether it works or not. Many things simply don't (just hype)... This does. I use it every week and push through about 60L of water for maintaining my five tanks. Just like a gravel vac, I wouldn't be without it. I got my unit direct from the supplier and then get my refills from Amazon. Best wishes, Mark

Hi. I have biOrb Intelligent Heaters in all 5 tanks. biOrb have stopped production of these though, although you can sometimes pick them up second hand. See my specific video on heaters here: th-cam.com/video/6DHXGfAgyI4/w-d-xo.html. Best, Mark

Hi Janice. Green water is indeed an algal bloom. It is triggered mainly by water nutrient levels (nitrate/ phosphate) but particularly when these are combined with increased light exposure (hence it tends to be more of a summer thing than a winter thing). In some cases blooms can be temporary but, if the conditions that trigger the bloom continue then the bloom can also persist. I assume the tank hasn't been moved more recently so that it now has more exposure to natural light? It is worth: - checking your water nutrient levels to make sure they haven't peaked (tap water supply can also vary in levels or it could be waste within the tank. Use a vac to remove waste) . - reducing/limiting light exposure - using a finer grade of filter sponge/material to help remove (e.g amzn.to/3VjXNm6 or amzn.to/3KjEuCV) - undertaking water changes to reduce algae in the tanks water column. Best wishes, Mark

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you so much for your reply. No, the tank hasn't been moved, I've just checked the water with a test stick and says all OK. I do use a hoover every time I clean, I usually clean the furniture using a small amount of bleach. Our local World of Water told us to use a specialist furniture cleaner which i will this weekend, and also suggested some Fluval Biological Aquarium Cleaner which I've used, but not to sure how often needs doing. I'll see how it goes - fingers crossed . Many thanks for your prompt reply. Best wishes Janice

Hi Roel. Harlequins are a social group species that will happily join in with other social fish species. It is more about security in numbers. So, they should be fine, and will join in/group with another group of fish (depending on what species they are). All of the fish I have spend most of their time grouped with other species. What are you planning to get? Best, Mark

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thanks Mark. I have 2 Wagtail Platys and was thinking about a few more of them - just in some other colors. Or maybe a group of Neon fish. But I’m not sure if the Neons is a good choice. I would just like some peaceful and lively ones and I prefer some strong colors. The Harlequins are a tight group and they’ve never “socialized” with the other fish. If you have any suggestion please let me know. Best, Roel

I would go with platies and/or mollies if you want social, colourful and active - as well as being very easy to care for. Both can be a bit obsessed with food though . LOL, always acting hungry :) Neons are fine if you have softer/ slightly acidic water, but can often be a bit sensitive to variations in water quality.

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you Mark - you’re right about “acting hungry”. They are funny fish. Best, Roel

Hi Helen. I have 5 biOrbs - all with centre pieces. No one of the ornaments or decorations I own have had colour paint flake off or have had any colour issues. I have had some of them for numerous years. I am aware, from this Channel, that some people have had issues with white decor (which I don't have). I think, if you keep clear of white biOrb decorations, you will have no problem. In terms of cleaning, that's easy - see my video on bleach cleaning as a super easy way to clean sculptures, decorations and plastic plants - this avoid scrubbing with brushes etc and restores these items to looking new: th-cam.com/video/F7kyzUiSN5Y/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps. Best wishes and thanks for your comments. Mark

Hi. Glad you are finding them of use. If you need any help or advice just drop me a line through this comments section. Best wishes, Mark

Hi Jessica, Nice to hear from you. The only thing you need to add to water to make the tank safe for fish is dechlorinator (such as AquaSafe). Let the tank run for a few days. Biological boosters (such as Colony or Seed) are added to the tank at the same time, or just prior (the morning of), as adding the initial fish stock. Beneficial bacteria rely on a food source for them to grow and expand in numbers. This is provided by the ammonia excreted by the fish or from fish food added to the tank. Bacterial products added to the tank days in advance of adding fish would have no food source and would not be activated. I would suggest adding half of the intended fish initially, after the tank is fully cycled the remainder of the fish can be added. Hardy fish species, matched to your water quality (e.g. pH), provide the best means for undertaking a fish-in cycle. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

Hi. Well that's a first for this Channel! LOL :). Nice to hear from someone wanting scuds - they tend to be something that shrimp tank people complain about. Great idea. I assume it would be a planted tank?

Yes definitely! I have them in my larger tank as a food source but I’m enjoying them so much I think I might give them their own space.

That's really sweet. I like it! :)

Hi. Yes, lots of people do. In terms of air/water flow, betta prefer gentle water circulation and some biOrb pumps can be too high. In that case you would need to add a regulator to the pump to reduce the airflow: th-cam.com/video/_5hoPN585Ys/w-d-xo.html. The key thing is to ensure that your tap/water supply is a good match. They do best best in soft, slightly acidic water with stable conditions. Hard water conditions are not ideal but will generally be fine in water that has pH: 6.0-7.5. Hope that helps Mark

Hi. Not at all :). You just need to choose a heater that is the correct power for the size of your tank. My video on heaters should cover the things you need to consider: th-cam.com/video/6DHXGfAgyI4/w-d-xo.html. If not, just shout. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

Hi. I wouldn't use any scraper on a biOrb/ acrylic tank as they are very likely to permanently scratch the "glass". For cleaning the "glass", this is best done during a water change (when the tank water level has been lowered a bit) using biOrb Cleaning Pads: amzn.to/4dMLbeq. The Pads are one of only a few biOrb products where I don't suggest a cheaper alternative brand - they last for ages anyway! For cleaning plastic plants/ sculptures/ decor that have light marking I suggest running these under tap water and then wiping dry before adding back to the tank. For heavy algae staining on plastic plants/ sculptures/ decor use the diluted bleach dipping method (see my video here: th-cam.com/video/F7kyzUiSN5Y/w-d-xo.html). Don't use bleach dipping or rinsing under un-treated tap water as a means to clean ceramic media or Pearl Media. This can be occasionally cleaned by removing and then adding to a bucket of extracted tank water. Give it a good rinse then carefully add the media back to the tank. I hope that helps, Mark.

Hi Jamie. I have no direct experience of them but I am aware they are better off on soft substrates (sand) or smooth pebbles. I would guess that Pear Media would be better than the standard biOrb substrate due to the big difference in surfaces. You might need to check... but I think they need shallow(er) aquariums and to also be in a small group (rather than being individual). I did read something about issues with feeding them too much blood worm, again another thing to check. Best, Mark

Thanks Mark, think I'll give them a miss due to the ceramic media. Do you have anymore videos coming up as you do learn alot from them. How's your tanks doing ?

Hi Jamie. Yes, I plan to do a few more videos but my "real job" is taking up a lot of my time at the moment (not to mention demanding kids!) :) All my tanks are doing fine, all ticking along nicely. I'm just waiting for my mosquito larvae containers (in the garden) to start producing so that I can move over to more live feeding. Seems to have taken far longer to get these started this year probably due to, what feels like, a prolonged winter.

That’s good to hear regards the videos, yeah I’m the same (kids) 😂. My tank is doing well only the one would love to have another but it’s keeping on top of the maintenance of them which I’m doing well with just the one running. All the fish I have are doing well without any illness just over a year now. Cheers and all the best

Hi Roel. I would agree that, based on your tank's theme ("freshwater/woodland" type), the ceramic media would probably be more aligned to that look. I guess the Pearl Media lends itself far better to oceanic themes due to its sand based colour and appearance of pebbles. The only tank that I have with a more woodland theme is my Classic 60. This has Pearl Media in it but the design of the Classic tank means that media sits low in the tank's base and is largely out of sight. Hope that helps. Best wishes to you. M

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark, thanks for your inspiration. I will follow my first intuition and keep the Ceramic Media. Thanks! Roel

Many thanks. I hope you find it helpful. Best, Mark

Hi. Not that I've ever noticed in the years I have used them, Many pump suppliers provide a regulator in the box with a new pump. Obviously, the tighter you screw them down (to really reduce airflow) the more back-pressure is applied to the pump. However, back pressure applies to any aquarium air pump as you are constantly using the pump to force air through very tiny holes in an air stone. If this is something that concerns you then add a bleed value to the airline instead. This allows a reduction of air pressure by allowing air to escape (i.e. it releases air pressure within the airline). Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark