Many thanks. I really do appreciate those comments. It was the same reason I started the channel... too much conflicting information, most of it not necessary. it's about getting the basics right. My original plan was to do something just to guide people correctly through the new tank and adding fish stage (and to have healthy fish at the end of it). It has sort of developed from there. Thanks so much for watching and it's very good to hear from you. Best wishes, Mark
I love the "don't tell the misses" start - funny. Thanks for this really great video it is so good to have the detailed process (as you say, set-by-step!). Thank you!
Excellent video! Thank you for explaining the bubbles because I have been wondering about that. I am in the beginning of cycling my Biorb and saw bubbles in the tank when adding the water and had no idea why. Now that question is answered. Keep up the extra helpful videos!
I would like to say a big thank you to to you Mark for your invaluable advice, kindness and time in helping me and so many others set up their aquariums . Truly appreciated! xx
Hi Mollie. Aww that's a nice comment. Much appreciated. I'm glad you find the channel helpful. Thanks for your support. If you need any help, just shout. Best wishes, Mark
Love your videos! Planning to set up the Flow 30L with the aim to add fish in a weeks time. When do I add the ATM Colony to make sure it is totally ready and safe for the fish?
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
That's a good good question! I don't know why they are so difficult to get. I got both mine from eBay... other than that you would need to try smaller outlets that may have one or two in stock. The bigger outlets tend to always be out of stock. And, yes, they are a bit pricey!
Hey, this will help explain your difficulty: Biorb say: "We discontinued this product due to changing the current in our products. We have no plans to replace this with a new version currently."
Thank you for the channel, I'm setting up a coldwater 30l flow biorb, do I need to cycle the water for a period of time before adding colony and fish? If so how long ? Many thanks
Hi Marcus. Sorry for the delayed response... I have been out of the uk with little access to wifi. I would normally suggest to set up the tank (without fish or bacterial product) and let it run for two or three days... just to make sure everything is running okay. If all is fine, then the cycling of the tank can be started with the addition of fish and a good bacterial product. Cycling of an aquarium is always better achieved with a heated tank as the temp helps to support faster bacterial growth. Note that the product Colony requires a specific temperature range for it to work well. Depending on your un-heated water temp in the tank - this might not be high enough for cycling). A better bacterial product, that isn't so restricted in terms of water temperature, is called Aquavitro Seed. The steps for cycling are: 1. During cycling add only 1/4 of the tanks final fish number. Avoid sensitive fish species that do not cope with variations in water quality (e.g neon tetra). Add a bacterial product at the same time as adding your first fish (e.g Aquavitro Seed). 2. When you add fish, add a very small amount of fish food and resist feeding for several days. Fish can easily go for a week without food! On day four, feed very lightly and continue to feed lightly once every one or two days during the remaining days of cycling. 3. Aim to keep ammonia to less than 0.50 ppm and nitrites less than 2.0ppm during cycling. But not too much lower! Reducing or stopping feeding is a good way to get ammonia and nitrite levels down. Adding adding a small amount of food is a good way to increase ammonia and nitrite levels if these are too low. 4. During the first several days you can apply further doses of bacterial product. Adding bacteria, even higher than the recommended dose, will not be detrimental. 5. Avoid water changes until your tank is cycled (unless you need to deal with high ammonia/nitrate levels). Bacteria tend to take 2-3 days to adhere to tank surfaces and prior to that will be suspended in the water. Water changes within 3 days of adding bacteria will remove the suspended bacteria! 6. Very high ammonia or nitrite levels should be dealt with by undertaking water changes (to dilute the levels). Normally, aim to replace about 20% of the tank's water with fresh dechlorinated fresh water that is warmed to be a similar temperature as the tank). If levels of ammonia remain very higher, repeat with another water change, that reduces levels but retains these nutrients for the bacteria. 7. When ammonia and nitrite both read and are maintained at about zero parts per million (ppm), feed fish lightly each day and slowly increase food quantities over time. Avoid over feeding your fish! 8. Until the cycling is complete (i.e. ammonia = around zero, nitrite = around zero, nitrate increasing) it is best to avoid cleaning or changes to the biOrb sponge filter and filter media. Also, avoid cleaning the internal tank surfaces or undertaking vacuuming. 9. Once the tank is cycled, I would normally suggest leaving the tank alone for a week, before adding a few more fish. Support the addition of new fish by adding bacterial product and feeding only lightly I hope that helps. Best, Mark
Hi. Thank you for the informative video. I've set up our Biorb Flow 30L. Just wondering what you did with the air pump. Ours is a little noisy and vibrates across the desk. I've suspended it above the tank to create the drip loop, but don't like seeing all the wires etc. Can you share how you set up yours? Thank you.
Hi Nicole. Great to hear from you and congrats on the 30L Flow. Ideally you need to place pumps on a soft surface (they will very likely cause vibration and move on a hard surface, desk etc), this even though the pump has (should have) rubber feet underneath. I just place mine on the carpet and hidden under the desk/table that the aquariums sit on. I can't say that I hear them (just the sound of the air flowing through the central tube in the tank). I can see why you want to hide wires etc (I'm just the same!). Lol. There is no need to elevate the pump above the tank (the tube has a stop valve which stops water entering the pump/ electrics). So, pumps are best placed on the floor (carpet) below the aquarium and out of the way. Water only tends to enter the tube if you turn off the airflow for a while. If that happens, and you then wonder why the pump isn't working and providing enough air, you just need to gently blow up the pipe to remove the water inside and then add the pump back on. If you wish to place the pump on the desk... have you tried placing it onto a softer material (e.g. a computer mouse matt or similar)? Does any of that help? Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Yes. Thank you this is very helpful. I tried placing it on a silicone mat, but it was still pretty loud. Might try foam later. It is in a bedroom with hardwood floors, therefore we need it to be pretty quiet at night. For now I've suspended it in a pouch and hung it under the desk so its not touching anything. Thank you again for your reply. About to watch your" How to add fish" video.
Hi again. I remembered one of my Subscribers (Oliver) talking about this in the channel's comments and I've managed to track it down as follows "I am quite sensitive to sound and when I plugged in the BiOrb pump I was shocked how loud it was. I asked myself if this was actually for real! I did a lot of research online and decided to change the pump and bought a Tetra APS 50 10-60l (ideal for the Life 60l) and more powerful which would also leave me a redundancy pump in the event of a failure. I plugged it in and although a lot quieter than the BiOrb it was still too noisy. So I had to take matters into my own hands and think how on Earth I can dampen the sound. I didn't realise there is a video on TH-cam where someone used a large jar which also came to my mind, he suspended the pump in it using strong tape and sealing it leaving a small gap for airflow to get in. Kilner jars work really well. Anyway long story short it really works, noise level halved and very happy indeed. Must leave a gap for air as this risks the pump over heating but so far so good and the bubbles look great. Really really happy." So, the jar approach he describes might be another thing to try as it sounds as though the approach works.
Hi Mark, fab videos thank you so much. We are proud new owners of a life 60L. As the heater you use is discontinued would you recommend any others? Thank you
Hi Rosie. Funny enough i will be setting up and doing videos on a new 60l soon :) Yes, shame about the discontinued biOrb heaters - I have three of them and they have always worked great for me. Funny enough (again!) my next video will be looking at three suitable heaters (including the current biOrb 50w). 50w are just enough for a 60l but these are at their maximum size tank so is part dependent on your normal room temp as to whether you would need to move up to having a 100w. It is also partly related to your choice of fish species as a fair number prefer the cooler side of tropical temps. And, not all 50w heaters have the same heat output ! I wouldn't go with more than 100w in a 60 though. You have the choice of adjustable temp or pre-set heaters but this more about personal choice. There's pros and cons with both. You would probably also need a FULLY submersible heater (i.e. one that can be placed fully under the water )...if you intend to hide it behind plants or central decor. On the basis of all that, if you look around you will see that there is a very limited choice of good quality (reliable) submersible heaters that also wouldn't take up too much room )or visuality) in the tank. The choice comes down to a small handful of manufacturers and their products in my view. Fingers crossed my heater video will be finalised and be on TH-cam by mid next week. Is that timing okay - at least you could then see the comparisons between the ones I think are best and allow you to go with one that would suit what you need? Best, Mark.
Thanks Rosie. Well, as a sneak preview to the vid - the ones I will be looking at are the biOrb 50w (which just happens to be a Hydor heater - but Hydor specify up to 50l for this); Hydor 100W (for 50l to 100l); Eheim thermopreset 50W (for 25l to 60l tanks); and, Fluval M50 Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater. I think these will all be okay in a 60l - (in a room with norm house temps) but if in a cool room in winter I'd suggest the Eheim preset or Hydor 100w. The rule of thumb is normally 1w of heater per litre of water but i think a 50w would be fine in a 60l (especially one with a central ornament, decor and artificial plants etc). Eheim and Fluval are generally seen as being high quality products. You can maybe look at all those online or wait for the video to see what they look like side by side. If ordered from Amazon you can often find next day delivery.
Hi Ellen. In short, yes! But... (and it's a very big but!) you would need to extensively modify the set-up to allow for this. I understand (although never tried it myself) that you would need an inlet and outlet tube for the tanks water supply circulation and this would need to be pumped to allow the necessary circulation from and then back into the aquarium. biOrbs have limited space (holes) for this sort of tubing. I think these sorts of things work great on large aquariums etc but this might be considered to be out of step with owning a biOrb (especially a 15L). The biOrb Intelligent Heater is probably the most discreet of all current heater options for a biOrb (if that is what you are after). I'm not sure that's a good answer for you but i hope it helps. Best wishes, Mark
Hi. Ideally you should use a substrate that will suit a biOrb's "under gravel" filter system. The system relies on having good water flow down, under, through and around the substrate and back towards the central filter (bubble tube/ sponge filter etc). The substrate also needs to support beneficial bacteria as the biOrb relies on the substrate to act as the biological filter (i.e. to deal with and convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite can be toxic to fish depending on levels). I would not suggest sand, certain gravels may work if they support good bacterial colonisation but, if these are less than about 10mm you need to convert the biOrb's central filter by adding an additional sponge to stop gravels etc being drawn into and clogging up the filter. My video on biOrb's Pearl Media generally covers the above: th-cam.com/video/M-SNTgG_-2I/w-d-xo.html. The alternative to all of the above is to get an aquarium that isn't a biOrb! In other words, one that relies on a different type of filter system. Something like a Fluval Edge, although there are many other types of tanks on the market that don't use an under gravel filter and therefore the substrate choice is far less important. Best, Mark
Finally set my tank up today. Should I wait till to tomorrow to put Colony in ? You don't mention it in your video. I have the 30 L flow tank. Same one as this video I think. How much do you put in ? The back of the bottle is quiet basic. Thanks.
Hey my friend. I normally give it 2 - 3 days after set up to make sure everything is running okay. Particularly heater temp. But, if tank water temp is stable, and is all fine, then all is good to go (in terms of adding initial fish). If using Colony (Freshwater) the first dose is best added at the very same time you add the initial fish. The bacteria in Colony are reliant of fish being present (i.e. to provide ammonia and nitrite food source). The dose to add of Colony is 35ml per 30l. This should be followed by a very (very!) light feed. Always shake Colony hard, for a good 1 minute, before adding it. Actually, you cant overdose Colony (it is a natural product, not a chemical!) When cycling using ATM Colony Freshwater my advice is: - Don't be worried of reasonable peaks in ammonia, and nitrite, as these are very essential to help cycle the tank. If you don't have these nutrients the tank will not cycle or will be very mush delayed! - Keep adding bacteria to support the cycling. Say, 10ml per day on following days. - Only undertake water changes during the cycling if they are REALLY necessary (i.e. levels of ammonia or nitrite can get reasonably high but are essential for cycling). - Use feeding/food as the mechanism to increase or reduce levels of ammonia and nitrite in the water. Stop feeding to reduce ammonia, nitrite or maintain feeding to keep these at a reasonable level that will promote cycling. Zero or very low levels of ammonia and nitrite are not always a good thing to support cycling and will delay the time to cycle - Don't change or "clean" things such as the sponge filters etc during cycling, leave these well alone. Hope that helps. As always, any problems, just shout, and I will respond/help asap Best, M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you so much. I will give it the week, Let everything settle and see how the temps are etc. Will get a testing kit and let you know how I get on. Thanks again for all your help. Your the BioGuru !!
Thank you for this .I would like to purchase an aquarium but I am concerned about the stories I have heard about them breaking / leaking .Do you have any tips about the most secure aquarium to buy ? Glass or acrylic - many thanks.
Hi Fred. I can't say I've heard of a biOrb leaking and certainly this would not be any more than any other type of aquarium. biOrbs are made of acrylic (bonded along edges) which has the advantage of being lighter but much stronger than glass. Acrylic is also optically clearer than glass. The downside of acrylic is that it can scratch much easier (but, most scratches can be polished out with the biOrb scratch remover). biOrbs are designed to be attractive within the home (a sort of "living decoration"!). For this Step-by-step channel, I very often have to part drain, lift and move aquariums around for undertaking videos. I wouldn't like to do that with a glass tank and I'm not sure a glass tank would cope with that sort of handling. If biOrbs were prone to leaking I'm sure, with all the handling I undertake, mine would certainly leak (and they don't). biOrbs have a fairly unique filter system (under gravel) but this system greatly limits what substrate material can be used at the bottom of the tank. So, if you are just specifically after an aquarium (for the sake of having an aquarium) and you want to choose between a broad range of substrate types, you may be far better off looking at a standard aquarium tank (and there is such a huge range available). These are also likely to be far cheaper than a biOrb (and the lower cost may also include a cabinet/stand). Fluval, Juwel and Aqua are all excellent brands so those would probably be a good starting point. I'm sure a good aquarium shop will happily advise you on which aquarium options would be best suited to what you need. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark , thank you for taking the time to give me such an informative answer - I appreciate it. It has given be plenty to think about .Enjoy the weekend and thank you again.
Hello, thanks for a great video! My question is how is it with cleaning? I have a Fluval tank in white and the background got stained with algae and I can’t fully remove it. I love the white Iook, but algae ruins it. I wonder how the biorb cleans up?
Hi Luba. Congrats on having a Fluval (they are are great aquariums). I assume that your tank is still maturing (it can take 6 months to 1 year for that to happen fully)? Algae is all part of the process I'm afraid and will reduce over time. If it is your tank sides that has the algae staining, the biOrb Cleaning Pads are really good for removing this (use the rough side of the pads for cleaning the inside of your aquarium). Algae on other items within the aquarium can be cleaned using bleach cleaning - see my video on the use of bleach. Great to hear from you. I hope my reply helps. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you for your reply! You ate right, my fluval is about 8 months. It’s actually not too bad due to the fact that I have floating plants that reduce the light. It is mostly brown algae, that is easy to remove, but still stains the white background. Anyway, I have ordered the white biorb, couldn’t help it:) And the pads are in my cart right now. Thank you for you videos, they are really inspirational and helpful!
Hi. I would generally say no, but that depends on the quality of your tap water. The key issue with tap water is the level of nitrates... and, potentially, pH. If your tap is a fairly good quality I would always suggest sticking with tap water as it is far easier to use and will provide you with a consistent water supply that is Government regulated. For most people, tap nitrate levels are often the biggest issue (see my latest video). If your tap nitrate is less than 15ppm I would suggest you use your tap water. RO is good to use if tap water is very poor or if there is a very specific quality of aquarium water needed to be created/ maintained. RO "strips" tap water of everything to provide pure water. RO water is too pure for aquarium use as it lacks important minerals, which also act as a buffer to help retain a consistent pH level. If using RO water you would need to carefully remineralise it (i.e. add the necessary minerals back into the water). Remineralisation needs a fairly good understanding of water chemistry etc. For tap water containing a high nitrate level, rather than RO, I would instead suggest using a nitrate reduction filter. These filters remove nearly all tap nitrates but still retain all other essential water parameters (pH, minerals etc). Water produced this way is easy and is ideal for aquarium use. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark.
Hi. I use the biOrb Intelligent Heater in all my tanks: th-cam.com/video/1rM3JRR3Jds/w-d-xo.html Unfortunately these don't seem to be available currently and biOrb can't seem to make up their minds if they are producing them or not. Frustrating!! Best, Mark
Hi Angela. The biOrb Pearl Media is specifically designed for true bottom feeders, see here. th-cam.com/video/M-SNTgG_-2I/w-d-xo.html. If you are wanting to choose a non-biOrb product you will need to ensure that the media chosen is good at supporting beneficial bacteria as, unlike most aquariums, the biOrb system relies on the substrate media to act as the tank's biological filter. Various substrate materials could be used in a biOrb but smaller sized materials would require conversion to avoid material not being drawn into the central bubble tube filter system. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Hi. Thanks for watching and supporting this new channel. All biOrb ornaments and accessories can be found on the biOrb website here: www.biorb.com/aquariums/. Click on the Aquariums tab and then click on the Accessories tab. The central decor shown in the aquarium in this video is their Coral Reef Ornament Blue. Most of the plants are a mix of Blue Sea Fans and the Kelp Set Small Purple. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Hi - Ive had a bio-orb cube for 4years with no issues - having a problem now that the water is green , last time I changed the filter only the top few mm of the filter were dirty, and just green and cloudy water the artificial ornaments bushes, shells are really dirty. I went to our local aquarium shop and was told it was a "bloom" and it would clear, I'm not convinced! Thanks
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
Just ordered a tube 15 and I was wondering if I could fill the water uo all the way up to the top, because you don’t have it filled up all the way, is there a reason for that?
HI Kellian. You will need to leave a gap between the surface of the water and the top of the tank. The bubbles created though the bubble tube form only one part of how the water within the aquarium is oxygenated to support fish and there needs to be a water-air interface at the surface as well as a need to allow for water surface agitation (movement). Also, if the water is held too high it will also come into contact with the biOrb lighting system. I recall that the biOrb instructions suggest something like a 5cm gap! This gap is also shown in biOrb's promotional material: www.oase.com/_Resources/Persistent/2/a/0/d/2a0d0c730ffe1429d97cf9ff5c86012494e8c492/BI_Catalogue_B2B_2021-2022_EN_62244_V1_lowres.pdf However, I tend to leave a gap of about 1.5cm (which I think is the highest you can go) and have never had a problem with aquarium water maintained at that height. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark
Your videos have been so informative! I bought a second hand biorb on a bit of a whim but am enjoying prepping it. I bought the alfagrog ceramic media as it was about 1/4 the price of biorb, but the chunks are huge... Is this an issue? It means there's lots of gaps under and in-between it.
Hi Sian. The Alfagrog product is identical (and much cheaper!) to the biOrb product but it sounds like you may have purchased the larger sized Alfagrog? They do two basic sizes:: E40 and E25. E25 is the smaller of the two and is very comparable to the biOrb product. The gaps are probably more of an issue with smaller fish... they can often explore the gaps and they may get trapped within the media. The larger size is also a rougher material so is not the best product for bottom feeding fish. Other than that the performance (ability to support beneficial bacteria) is very similar. The larger gaps would promote better water circulation. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb fish getting trapped was my main concern. It's only a 30ltr so I'm looking at having minnows. I've had a look and no mention of e25/e40 in the description but reviews show the much smaller version so I suspect I may have been sent the wrong bags by mistake. Have contacted the vendor!
Yes, it can be sometimes be an issue (with some small new fish|). I agree it sounds like you may have been provided with the larger E40. E40 is a better material to be used in sumps/ separate filter systems rather than as an aquarium substrate material. BTW, I better mention that biOrb have just released a new alternative ceramic media called Pearl Media. I will be releasing a video on this product next week. If cost is an issue, the Pearl Media is far more expensive than Alfagrog. However, its size is far better for smaller fish and its surface is better for bottom feeders. I have tested the product for over a month and its biological performance (i.e ability to support bacteria and conversion of ammonia and nitrite) is as good or better than Alfagrog and biOrb ceramic media. M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb I saw the pearl media on their Instagram I think... It looks great! Although I do kinda like the rugged look of the original, I know some people don't.
Hello from Ohio in the US! I was wanting to set up an aquarium and was doing my online research into smaller tanks when I came across your video series. You are the reason I bought my 30L BiOrb Flow! I got the white just like yours and I am going to be setting it up later this week. I am wondering if you ever quarantine your fish? Some people swear by it and some don’t even mention it. I’ve noticed that in this series, you don’t. Also, do you have a “hospital tank” set up? I wasn’t planning on it, but if you think it is a good idea, I’m willing to find a small tank for that purpose. Thank you for this video series and your in-depth explanations of the process. I appreciate you! P.S. I love seeing your boys in your videos! ❤️
Hi Tracy. Great to hear from you. Normally you might consider using a quarantine tank when adding new fish to an existing fish population. This is to ensure that the new fish are not going add anything unwanted to the tank. I think the key thing to all this is having a good fish supplier that always supply healthy fish and to avoid getting fish from different or unknown suppliers. The aquarium shop I get all my fish are very particular about ensuring they quarantine all of their new fish and do so for several weeks before they mix them into their aquariums and put them up for sale. In fact they point blank refuse to sell any fish that haven’t been fully quarantined. So, in my case, I always stick to the same supplier and haven’t found the need for me to repeat what the shop already does properly. But as you say, some people do this and if you feel this is something you prefer to do then certainly go for it. I do have a spare small tank for the purpose of medical/quarantine but can honestly say I’ve needed to use it once in the past several years (and that fish died anyway!). You could certainly get a cheap tank for the reasons you mentioned and it would always be a good standby for if you need it. Hope that helps. Best,Mark
what if i wanted to use real plants for my tank? which would you recommend and what other products should i use? ideally im going this tank for a female beta. would i have to use a type of sand or soil for the plant to flourish?
Hi Samantha. If you plan to use a biOrb then basically you would be using a tank that utilises an 'under gravel' filter system that relies on a good water flow down and through the substrate ,material and back to the central biOrb filter. Generally sands and soils are not an ideal substrate for the biOrb system. There are numerous good tanks on the market that would be more suitable for these types of substrates, such as a Fluval Edge. If using a biOrb I suggest using plants that do not like a soil substrates and instead obtain their nutrients directly from surrounding water. My video on plants might be a good starting point if you would like to use real plants: th-cam.com/video/jO088r2mmmw/w-d-xo.html. Please also refer to the information held in the video Description. I hope that helps. Mark
Hi David. Thanks for watching and a big welcome to the biOrb hobby! :) To be honest I've not gone down that road but I would guess that everything on this channel (freshwater) can be applied in a similar way. I will be setting up a new Halo 60l very shortly and I am also considering doing the same. I've heard the occasional bad review (but that just might be because keeping marine can be a bit more involved) but I've heard mainly positive reviews. I think the general rule seems to be to "follow the biOrb instructions for setting-up and maintaining the aquarium to the letter" and you shouldn't have a problem. Let me know what you plan to do as it's certainly an interesting option to the norm. Best wishes, Mark
I've had my Biorb for several years. The bubbles have stopped coming out. The instructions talk about an airstone, which as far as I know, I never put one in. And I don't know where one goes. It wasn't in the instructions, and I didn't see it with your instructions. Can you help?
Hi. If you unplug the central air filter tube and take it out of the tank , the (white) airstone is situated centrally underneath and is attached to the tank. See biOrb's instruction video here: th-cam.com/video/ou78Kc0J7ps/w-d-xo.html. Replace the old one with a new one every 6 months. Try replacing it and see if that solves your problem. If you still have the problem of no air bubbles let me know as it can be caused by other things.
When you remove the old air stone there is no reason to switch off the air pump, leave it working. Bubbles should then start to flow again into the tank. If this doesn't happen the likely issue causing the lack of air is that water has entered the airline and is stopping air from the air pump reaching the tank. If that is the case, remove the airline from the pump, put it in your mouth, and blow hard into it until air flows into the aquarium. Attach the airline back on to the pump and all should work again. The normal causes of this are: - The tank's air supply has been turned off for a while and this has allowed water to enter the airline; or, - During a water change you have accidently poured water directly down the biOrb's air tube (this can force water into the airline). Hopefully the above should fix the issue. Best, Mark
Hi Mark, I recently came across your videos. As I'm setting up a new tank, this is perfect timing. A quick question : when filling the tank for the first time do I add Aquasafe to each 5ltr bottle or just the first bottle? Sorry if this is obvious, I'm new to this and want to get the tank set up as precise as yours... Lol.
Hi Mina. A very big welcome to the channel and many thanks for watching. So, ALL water you add to your tank, at any time, must be treated (with dechlorinator such as Aquasafe) before adding. Chlorine is very harmful to fish and also the beneficial bacteria that you will be looking to grow within your aquarium - to deal with the waste products (ammonia) produced by fish and waste food. With Aquasafe you will need 0.25 ml per 5 litres of tap water to detox toxins such as chlorine. So, in answer, yes add each time to each bottle added. The process of setting up a tank from new and adding fish is probably the most critical (and worrying) part of having an aquarium. So don't hesitate to contact me if you are unsure about anything at all. Hopefully my video on adding your first fish will take you right through the process. I highly recommend the use of ATM Colony (if you have a heated aquarium). In terms of fish choice, certainly at this early stage, choose "hardy" fish as they as best able to cope with the various ups and downs of cycling an aquarium. Let me know if you need any advice on any of that and I'd be happy to help. Thanks for getting in touch, Best, Mark
BTW - if you go onto the Step-by-Step channel and go to the Playlist tab I have set up a Library of the relevant videos (and put them in a sequence) that takes you through everything. Hope that helps too. M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much for clarifying, this makes absolute sense. I am just watching your video about adding fish. So pleased I found your series as they are very well put together. Thanks also for your support and I will be in contact if needed. I have subscribed now so that I can look back whenever I need to and I look forward to seeing your future videos... Great work!
Do you have to use the ceramic substrate? I want to plant mine. I've just ordered a 4 gal (15 L) and it will be my first real fish tank. I hear I won't want a carbon filter with live plants. Can I get a filter for this that doesn't have carbon?
Hi Darcy. Out of the box, biOrbs are designed to be used with ceramic media. The ceramic media forms an important part of how they work and forms the biological filter of a biOrb which will be colonised by the beneficial bacteria that are essential to sustain fish (and also plants). BUT... you can get a sponge based conversion kit (not a biOrb product) that allow the use of alternative substrate materials. The additional sponge becomes the place for beneficial bacteria. I must state that I haven't used them - but I do understand they work to allow conversion to grow plants in substrate. I think there are a number of videos on TH-cam that cover this (but in some cases people also take out the central air tube and filter system and replace this with another clamp on system). The alternative is to go with biOrb ceramic media and instead use plants that don't rely on having a root substrate. If you see my video on 'Do real plants work?' I cover some examples of plants for biOrbs in that one. I do hope that helps to point you in the right direction. Just to add - if you do plan to plant-up a 15L make sure that you get appropriate plants for this size tank otherwise it may quickly become overgrown. You will possibly need to also provide an additional plant nutrient product, such as Tropica Premium Nutrition (which is designed for smaller aquariums). The plants I suggest in my video don't require additional nutrients. Best wishes, Mark
Not a problem Darcy. Very nice to hear from you and thanks for watching the videos. I'm very happy to help - just drop me a line. The video I did on plants that I mentioned before is this one: th-cam.com/video/jO088r2mmmw/w-d-xo.html. An example of biOrb conversion is this video: th-cam.com/video/KIgUX_YNd_A/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Just a quick question Does anyone no when I’ve set up the tank, and added the stuff to the water, do I need the pump stil going continuously as I not adding fish for about a week yet
Hi Scott. I would suggest you need to keep the air pump on (heater too if you are planning on a heated tank). When you say "stuff to the water" do you mean dechlorinator (e.g. AquaSafe)? You may as well give the tank a full run in before adding fish.
Yes, perfect. I suggest just let everything run in the tank. Means you can check everything is working well before adding fish etc. How are you planning to cycle the tank? Are you going down the ATM Colony route?
@@StepbyStep-biOrb this bit in a little confused by, in my biorb kit, I got two sachets to put into the water, but I can’t u used the colony stuff, Cudnt c it on Amazon
Hi Scott. I can only suggest that you use ATM Colony "Freshwater" as the means to cycle your tank and add your fish. It is the simplest and most reliable method that I am aware of. It also means you can add all your fish in one go. It is totally up to you which method you opt to cycle your tank with but, if you go down the route of using the biOrb product, I suggest that you stick firmly to the guidance that comes with it. Perhaps add one fish initially and then wait for a week or so before adding the next, and then again another week before adding the next fish etc. Just do it very gradually in terms of the number of fish added each time. ATM Colony speeds things up and allows all the fish to be added from day one. The product should be widely available (most large aquarium shops probably stock it, but certainly you can easily get from eBay etc). If you get it, just get the smallest bottle they do (4oz) as that is all you need for a biOrb. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
are you familiar with using API stress coat as a water conditioner? if so, is it alright to use in my biorb? i asked a question on another video about it, but i’ve just read that the conditioner that biorb comes with can be harmful to fish so i’m not sure if i plan on using it. also thank you SO MUCH for making these videos, they are extremely informative and are helping a ton!!
i have so many questions haha i apologize but i trust your opinion. i am asking because i have spring water that is conditioned with stress coat ready to be put in my tank now, i have tested it with my kit and the pH is reading somewhere between 7.4-7.6. also, my ammonia levels and nitrite levels are both right off the bat about 0 ppm. i want to ask if this is normal?
Hi Grace. Great to hear from you. Yes, I am very familiar with API Stress Coat+ (and also Tetra AquaSafe). They are both dechlorinators/ "water conditioners" (so, they make tap water safe by removing chlorine, chloramines and also heavy metals). Both have good track records in the aquarium world. My suggestion is that you don't use the biOrb product you mentioned and just stick with one of the above for all water treatments as API or Tetra are likely to be the product you will continue to use in the future. Both API and Tetra products contain an anti-stress product (such as aloe vera). Both support the health of your fish. API Stress Coat is really good but I DO NOT recommend this product for biOrb sized aquariums. My recommendation for use with a biOrb is Tetra AquaSafe. And, there's only one good reason for that! Tetra AquaSafe is suited to smaller aquariums and is not so highly concentrated. It is normally applied at 5ml for every 10 litres of fresh tap water (or, let's say, 2.5ml per 5 litres of tap water). That's very easy to measure correctly and is ideal for the quantities of water you would likely use to undertake weekly water changes. On the other hand, API Stress Coat is more targeted at owners of much larger aquariums than biOrbs and therefore is of higher concentration. API Stress Coat is normally applied at just 5ml per 40l (or, in other words for the quantities of water you are likely to use for water changes that would be roughly 1.25ml per 10 litres, or 0.75ml per 5 litres! So, AquaSafe is a far easier product to accurately measure and is easy to apply on a weekly water change basis (it doesn't need a calculator to work out what you need and doesn't need a specialised measuring syringe to use it ). Regardless, both are good products. I hope that helps, Mark
Okay, so, first question... why do you think you need to use spring water? Lol :) Unless there is a really good reason (poor tap water quality) you would be far better off to use tap water. Stress Coat is mainly designed to remove chlorine from tap water but spring water should be free of that. Second question... What stage is your aquarium at? Is it fully cycled with fish in?
Fresh tap water or spring water, if tested, would normally show in a test at around zero for nitrite and zero for ammonia. They would be at a very low trace level that will not be picked up using a standard water test kit. Ammonia and nitrite are mainly substances that are produced in your aquarium as a result of fish related waste including waste food. But spring and tap water will show levels of nitrate (i.e. not nitrite) this mainly as a result of agricultural practises of using fertilisers on fields, which then moves into groundwater and finally into your tap (or spring )water. Spring water supplies may often have a higher nitrate level than most tap water (spring water bottle labels should indicate the level of nitrate - ideally it should be as low as possible). If your tap water has a high nitrate level then yes certainly, the correct type of bottled spring water might be a product to use when it also has a much lower nitrate level. If that makes sense! :-)
Hi Michelle, you only need to treat (dechlorinate) tap water if it has chlorine or chloramine present. In most cases tap water will certainly contain this. Treatment it principally aimed at removing the products added to tap water for a healthy water supply (to people) but which may also include certain heavy metals. Please bear in mind though, most water treatments (such as Prime, AquaSafe etc) include other beneficial things such a stress reduction and vitamins to ensure the overall health of the fish/aquarium. So there are other benefits beyond dechlorination. My own view is that you probably should add treatment as it not detrimental. When you say "softened tap water" what do you mean? This suggests the inclusion of sodium? -If that is the case I would add a note of caution on using it. Best, Mark
Yes, Ive had a similar system in the past, but certain taps (e.g kitchen tap) was retained for source water for drinking water purposes.. My softened water was only used for the water supply through to other things - shower, bath water etc. Anyway, putting that aside, whether to add salt to a freshwater aquarium has been long debated. Basically, it falls between those that think: you should NEVER add salt; those that think you should ALWAYS add salt; and, those that think it should only be applied under VERY CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (e.g. for whole-tank medical treatment). I fall into the "only in certain circumstances" category. If you are new to having an aquarium, I would certainly suggest that you avoid adding aquarium salt and using salt based softened water. Certainly, look into the subject, if you do plan on using this water supply, start here: www.bestspy.org/water-softener-water-safe-aquariums/ Unless your water system provides a means for you extract "normal tap water" ahead of the treatment (perhaps kitchen tap?), the best option would be to use bottled water (or get tap water from another household that hasn't installed a softener system ). I hope that helps. Mark
Hi Patti. All my (four) biOrbs have biOrb Intelligent Heater systems. biOrb stopped producing this heater for some time but now they have starting production again and the heater is available via a very select number of retailers. There seems to be a high demand for them and this tends to have pushed the price up! They are expensive but if you want the most discrete heater that is well matched to a biOrb (up to 60l), it is certainly a heater worth considering. They are a factory set heater (around 24.5C temp) so there is no need to mess around with temperature settings in a tank for tropical fish. Please watch my video which reviews a sample of "other" current suitable heaters here: th-cam.com/video/6DHXGfAgyI4/w-d-xo.html The biOrb Intelligent Heater can be found here: amzn.to/3v1hwsZ. I hope that helps. Best, Mark
You're welcome Patti. The bIOrb heater is the way to go... it is expensive but is the only option if you really want a discrete heater that doesn't distract within the aquarium. I have used them for years and they are still going strong! If you need any help with setting up the new 30L just shout. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark, May I ask for some advice please. I plan on adding fish in about a months time. In the meanwhile I would like to get the Biorb up and running beforehand. How should I proceed please. Thank you in advance.
Hi Donna. I have the biOrb Intelligent Heater. Unfortunately biOrb have stopped producing these as they have changed their electrical supply to their products. Used ones often come-up for sale on the likes of eBay. Best, Mark.
Thank you, I'll be setting my bio orb up this weekend, so glad I found you video, I'm just worried I have 3 panda cory catfish and I'm worried about the media on the bottom being sharp and they get hurt. Thanks again
Happy to help Donna. Not a problem. There are various arguments about having cory catfish on rough media or not. I saw a video a while ago covering this and I've just managed to find it: th-cam.com/video/yzxMHOPpmGY/w-d-xo.html. The same applies about adding them to a new (or cycling) tanks - again various views on that subject too. There is a conversion kit for biOrbs that allows the use of alternative media - such as sand. But, I cant say I've tested though. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Just found your video series and wanted to say I’ve enjoyed them; very informative and I wish I had them years ago the first time I tried to keep fish
Many thanks. I really do appreciate those comments. It was the same reason I started the channel... too much conflicting information, most of it not necessary. it's about getting the basics right. My original plan was to do something just to guide people correctly through the new tank and adding fish stage (and to have healthy fish at the end of it). It has sort of developed from there. Thanks so much for watching and it's very good to hear from you. Best wishes, Mark
I love the "don't tell the misses" start - funny. Thanks for this really great video it is so good to have the detailed process (as you say, set-by-step!). Thank you!
Lol. Sorry, that just came out! Not sure where from though! The pressure of doing a video! :) Thanks for your comments, keep watching.
Excellent video! Thank you for explaining the bubbles because I have been wondering about that. I am in the beginning of cycling my Biorb and saw bubbles in the tank when adding the water and had no idea why. Now that question is answered. Keep up the extra helpful videos!
yes, those bubbles got me worried over a year ago - thought i'd done something completely wrong! :)
I would like to say a big thank you to to you Mark for your invaluable advice, kindness and time in helping me and so many others set up their aquariums . Truly appreciated! xx
You are (all) very welcome xx
So helpful! Especially when there's limited info. out there on the BiOrb! Thank you for making all these videos!
Hi Mollie. Aww that's a nice comment. Much appreciated. I'm glad you find the channel helpful. Thanks for your support. If you need any help, just shout. Best wishes, Mark
Another great and very helpful video for someone like me who is new to getting a biorb. Best Ive seen on youtube. Keep it up.
Many thanks Peter and thanks for the great comments. Best, Mark
Love your videos! Planning to set up the Flow 30L with the aim to add fish in a weeks time. When do I add the ATM Colony to make sure it is totally ready and safe for the fish?
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
Super video, thank you for this, it's so helpful. I wonder where I can buy an intellegent biorb heater? They seem to be all sold out and quite pricey.
That's a good good question! I don't know why they are so difficult to get. I got both mine from eBay... other than that you would need to try smaller outlets that may have one or two in stock. The bigger outlets tend to always be out of stock. And, yes, they are a bit pricey!
Hey, this will help explain your difficulty: Biorb say: "We discontinued this product due to changing the current in our products. We have no plans to replace this with a new version currently."
Nice job bud!
Hi. Thanks for your supportive comment.... much appreciated. If I can help with anything just drop me a line. Best wishes to you, Mark
Thank you for the channel, I'm setting up a coldwater 30l flow biorb, do I need to cycle the water for a period of time before adding colony and fish? If so how long ? Many thanks
Hi Marcus. Sorry for the delayed response... I have been out of the uk with little access to wifi.
I would normally suggest to set up the tank (without fish or bacterial product) and let it run for two or three days... just to make sure everything is running okay. If all is fine, then the cycling of the tank can be started with the addition of fish and a good bacterial product. Cycling of an aquarium is always better achieved with a heated tank as the temp helps to support faster bacterial growth. Note that the product Colony requires a specific temperature range for it to work well. Depending on your un-heated water temp in the tank - this might not be high enough for cycling). A better bacterial product, that isn't so restricted in terms of water temperature, is called Aquavitro Seed.
The steps for cycling are:
1. During cycling add only 1/4 of the tanks final fish number. Avoid sensitive fish species that do not cope with variations in water quality (e.g neon tetra). Add a bacterial product at the same time as adding your first fish (e.g Aquavitro Seed).
2. When you add fish, add a very small amount of fish food and resist feeding for several days. Fish can easily go for a week without food! On day four, feed very lightly and continue to feed lightly once every one or two days during the remaining days of cycling.
3. Aim to keep ammonia to less than 0.50 ppm and nitrites less than 2.0ppm during cycling. But not too much lower! Reducing or stopping feeding is a good way to get ammonia and nitrite levels down. Adding adding a small amount of food is a good way to increase ammonia and nitrite levels if these are too low.
4. During the first several days you can apply further doses of bacterial product. Adding bacteria, even higher than the recommended dose, will not be detrimental.
5. Avoid water changes until your tank is cycled (unless you need to deal with high ammonia/nitrate levels). Bacteria tend to take 2-3 days to adhere to tank surfaces and prior to that will be suspended in the water. Water changes within 3 days of adding bacteria will remove the suspended bacteria!
6. Very high ammonia or nitrite levels should be dealt with by undertaking water changes (to dilute the levels). Normally, aim to replace about 20% of the tank's water with fresh dechlorinated fresh water that is warmed to be a similar temperature as the tank). If levels of ammonia remain very higher, repeat with another water change, that reduces levels but retains these nutrients for the bacteria.
7. When ammonia and nitrite both read and are maintained at about zero parts per million (ppm), feed fish lightly each day and slowly increase food quantities over time. Avoid over feeding your fish!
8. Until the cycling is complete (i.e. ammonia = around zero, nitrite = around zero, nitrate increasing) it is best to avoid cleaning or changes to the biOrb sponge filter and filter media. Also, avoid cleaning the internal tank surfaces or undertaking vacuuming.
9. Once the tank is cycled, I would normally suggest leaving the tank alone for a week, before adding a few more fish. Support the addition of new fish by adding bacterial product and feeding only lightly
I hope that helps.
Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much for the detailed response!
Hi. Thank you for the informative video. I've set up our Biorb Flow 30L. Just wondering what you did with the air pump. Ours is a little noisy and vibrates across the desk. I've suspended it above the tank to create the drip loop, but don't like seeing all the wires etc. Can you share how you set up yours? Thank you.
Hi Nicole. Great to hear from you and congrats on the 30L Flow. Ideally you need to place pumps on a soft surface (they will very likely cause vibration and move on a hard surface, desk etc), this even though the pump has (should have) rubber feet underneath. I just place mine on the carpet and hidden under the desk/table that the aquariums sit on. I can't say that I hear them (just the sound of the air flowing through the central tube in the tank). I can see why you want to hide wires etc (I'm just the same!). Lol.
There is no need to elevate the pump above the tank (the tube has a stop valve which stops water entering the pump/ electrics). So, pumps are best placed on the floor (carpet) below the aquarium and out of the way. Water only tends to enter the tube if you turn off the airflow for a while. If that happens, and you then wonder why the pump isn't working and providing enough air, you just need to gently blow up the pipe to remove the water inside and then add the pump back on. If you wish to place the pump on the desk... have you tried placing it onto a softer material (e.g. a computer mouse matt or similar)? Does any of that help? Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Yes. Thank you this is very helpful. I tried placing it on a silicone mat, but it was still pretty loud. Might try foam later. It is in a bedroom with hardwood floors, therefore we need it to be pretty quiet at night. For now I've suspended it in a pouch and hung it under the desk so its not touching anything. Thank you again for your reply. About to watch your" How to add fish" video.
Hi again. I remembered one of my Subscribers (Oliver) talking about this in the channel's comments and I've managed to track it down as follows "I am quite sensitive to sound and when I plugged in the BiOrb pump I was shocked how loud it was. I asked myself if this was actually for real! I did a lot of research online and decided to change the pump and bought a Tetra APS 50 10-60l (ideal for the Life 60l) and more powerful which would also leave me a redundancy pump in the event of a failure. I plugged it in and although a lot quieter than the BiOrb it was still too noisy. So I had to take matters into my own hands and think how on Earth I can dampen the sound. I didn't realise there is a video on TH-cam where someone used a large jar which also came to my mind, he suspended the pump in it using strong tape and sealing it leaving a small gap for airflow to get in. Kilner jars work really well. Anyway long story short it really works, noise level halved and very happy indeed. Must leave a gap for air as this risks the pump over heating but so far so good and the bubbles look great. Really really happy." So, the jar approach he describes might be another thing to try as it sounds as though the approach works.
Hi Mark, fab videos thank you so much. We are proud new owners of a life 60L. As the heater you use is discontinued would you recommend any others? Thank you
Hi Rosie. Funny enough i will be setting up and doing videos on a new 60l soon :) Yes, shame about the discontinued biOrb heaters - I have three of them and they have always worked great for me. Funny enough (again!) my next video will be looking at three suitable heaters (including the current biOrb 50w). 50w are just enough for a 60l but these are at their maximum size tank so is part dependent on your normal room temp as to whether you would need to move up to having a 100w. It is also partly related to your choice of fish species as a fair number prefer the cooler side of tropical temps. And, not all 50w heaters have the same heat output ! I wouldn't go with more than 100w in a 60 though. You have the choice of adjustable temp or pre-set heaters but this more about personal choice. There's pros and cons with both. You would probably also need a FULLY submersible heater (i.e. one that can be placed fully under the water )...if you intend to hide it behind plants or central decor. On the basis of all that, if you look around you will see that there is a very limited choice of good quality (reliable) submersible heaters that also wouldn't take up too much room )or visuality) in the tank. The choice comes down to a small handful of manufacturers and their products in my view. Fingers crossed my heater video will be finalised and be on TH-cam by mid next week. Is that timing okay - at least you could then see the comparisons between the ones I think are best and allow you to go with one that would suit what you need? Best, Mark.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much - ideally I'd like the get heated up and just a few fish in for xmas day if possible!
Thanks Rosie. Well, as a sneak preview to the vid - the ones I will be looking at are the biOrb 50w (which just happens to be a Hydor heater - but Hydor specify up to 50l for this); Hydor 100W (for 50l to 100l); Eheim thermopreset 50W (for 25l to 60l tanks); and, Fluval M50 Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater. I think these will all be okay in a 60l - (in a room with norm house temps) but if in a cool room in winter I'd suggest the Eheim preset or Hydor 100w. The rule of thumb is normally 1w of heater per litre of water but i think a 50w would be fine in a 60l (especially one with a central ornament, decor and artificial plants etc). Eheim and Fluval are generally seen as being high quality products. You can maybe look at all those online or wait for the video to see what they look like side by side. If ordered from Amazon you can often find next day delivery.
Can you use an external or inline heater for a Biorb life 15? Thanks so much! Your videos are so instructive!
Hi Ellen. In short, yes! But... (and it's a very big but!) you would need to extensively modify the set-up to allow for this. I understand (although never tried it myself) that you would need an inlet and outlet tube for the tanks water supply circulation and this would need to be pumped to allow the necessary circulation from and then back into the aquarium. biOrbs have limited space (holes) for this sort of tubing. I think these sorts of things work great on large aquariums etc but this might be considered to be out of step with owning a biOrb (especially a 15L). The biOrb Intelligent Heater is probably the most discreet of all current heater options for a biOrb (if that is what you are after). I'm not sure that's a good answer for you but i hope it helps. Best wishes, Mark
i m new and have lots of questions.... do we have to use a certain substrate or can we use gravel ? sand ?
Hi. Ideally you should use a substrate that will suit a biOrb's "under gravel" filter system. The system relies on having good water flow down, under, through and around the substrate and back towards the central filter (bubble tube/ sponge filter etc). The substrate also needs to support beneficial bacteria as the biOrb relies on the substrate to act as the biological filter (i.e. to deal with and convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite can be toxic to fish depending on levels). I would not suggest sand, certain gravels may work if they support good bacterial colonisation but, if these are less than about 10mm you need to convert the biOrb's central filter by adding an additional sponge to stop gravels etc being drawn into and clogging up the filter. My video on biOrb's Pearl Media generally covers the above: th-cam.com/video/M-SNTgG_-2I/w-d-xo.html.
The alternative to all of the above is to get an aquarium that isn't a biOrb! In other words, one that relies on a different type of filter system. Something like a Fluval Edge, although there are many other types of tanks on the market that don't use an under gravel filter and therefore the substrate choice is far less important.
Best, Mark
Finally set my tank up today. Should I wait till to tomorrow to put Colony in ? You don't mention it in your video. I have the 30 L flow tank. Same one as this video I think. How much do you put in ? The back of the bottle is quiet basic. Thanks.
Hey my friend.
I normally give it 2 - 3 days after set up to make sure everything is running okay. Particularly heater temp. But, if tank water temp is stable, and is all fine, then all is good to go (in terms of adding initial fish). If using Colony (Freshwater) the first dose is best added at the very same time you add the initial fish. The bacteria in Colony are reliant of fish being present (i.e. to provide ammonia and nitrite food source).
The dose to add of Colony is 35ml per 30l. This should be followed by a very (very!) light feed. Always shake Colony hard, for a good 1 minute, before adding it. Actually, you cant overdose Colony (it is a natural product, not a chemical!)
When cycling using ATM Colony Freshwater my advice is:
- Don't be worried of reasonable peaks in ammonia, and nitrite, as these are very essential to help cycle the tank. If you don't have these nutrients the tank will not cycle or will be very mush delayed!
- Keep adding bacteria to support the cycling. Say, 10ml per day on following days.
- Only undertake water changes during the cycling if they are REALLY necessary (i.e. levels of ammonia or nitrite can get reasonably high but are essential for cycling).
- Use feeding/food as the mechanism to increase or reduce levels of ammonia and nitrite in the water. Stop feeding to reduce ammonia, nitrite or maintain feeding to keep these at a reasonable level that will promote cycling. Zero or very low levels of ammonia and nitrite are not always a good thing to support cycling and will delay the time to cycle
- Don't change or "clean" things such as the sponge filters etc during cycling, leave these well alone.
Hope that helps. As always, any problems, just shout, and I will respond/help asap
Best, M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you so much. I will give it the week, Let everything settle and see how the temps are etc. Will get a testing kit and let you know how I get on. Thanks again for all your help. Your the BioGuru !!
Thank you for this .I would like to purchase an aquarium but I am concerned about the stories I have heard about them breaking / leaking .Do you have any tips about the most secure aquarium to buy ? Glass or acrylic - many thanks.
Hi Fred. I can't say I've heard of a biOrb leaking and certainly this would not be any more than any other type of aquarium. biOrbs are made of acrylic (bonded along edges) which has the advantage of being lighter but much stronger than glass. Acrylic is also optically clearer than glass. The downside of acrylic is that it can scratch much easier (but, most scratches can be polished out with the biOrb scratch remover). biOrbs are designed to be attractive within the home (a sort of "living decoration"!). For this Step-by-step channel, I very often have to part drain, lift and move aquariums around for undertaking videos. I wouldn't like to do that with a glass tank and I'm not sure a glass tank would cope with that sort of handling. If biOrbs were prone to leaking I'm sure, with all the handling I undertake, mine would certainly leak (and they don't). biOrbs have a fairly unique filter system (under gravel) but this system greatly limits what substrate material can be used at the bottom of the tank. So, if you are just specifically after an aquarium (for the sake of having an aquarium) and you want to choose between a broad range of substrate types, you may be far better off looking at a standard aquarium tank (and there is such a huge range available). These are also likely to be far cheaper than a biOrb (and the lower cost may also include a cabinet/stand). Fluval, Juwel and Aqua are all excellent brands so those would probably be a good starting point. I'm sure a good aquarium shop will happily advise you on which aquarium options would be best suited to what you need. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark , thank you for taking the time to give me such an informative answer - I appreciate it. It has given be plenty to think about .Enjoy the weekend and thank you again.
Hello, thanks for a great video! My question is how is it with cleaning? I have a Fluval tank in white and the background got stained with algae and I can’t fully remove it. I love the white Iook, but algae ruins it. I wonder how the biorb cleans up?
Hi Luba. Congrats on having a Fluval (they are are great aquariums). I assume that your tank is still maturing (it can take 6 months to 1 year for that to happen fully)? Algae is all part of the process I'm afraid and will reduce over time. If it is your tank sides that has the algae staining, the biOrb Cleaning Pads are really good for removing this (use the rough side of the pads for cleaning the inside of your aquarium). Algae on other items within the aquarium can be cleaned using bleach cleaning - see my video on the use of bleach. Great to hear from you. I hope my reply helps. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you for your reply! You ate right, my fluval is about 8 months. It’s actually not too bad due to the fact that I have floating plants that reduce the light. It is mostly brown algae, that is easy to remove, but still stains the white background. Anyway, I have ordered the white biorb, couldn’t help it:)
And the pads are in my cart right now.
Thank you for you videos, they are really inspirational and helpful!
We have a reverse osmosis machine. Would you use water from there instead of tap water?
Hi. I would generally say no, but that depends on the quality of your tap water.
The key issue with tap water is the level of nitrates... and, potentially, pH. If your tap is a fairly good quality I would always suggest sticking with tap water as it is far easier to use and will provide you with a consistent water supply that is Government regulated. For most people, tap nitrate levels are often the biggest issue (see my latest video). If your tap nitrate is less than 15ppm I would suggest you use your tap water.
RO is good to use if tap water is very poor or if there is a very specific quality of aquarium water needed to be created/ maintained.
RO "strips" tap water of everything to provide pure water. RO water is too pure for aquarium use as it lacks important minerals, which also act as a buffer to help retain a consistent pH level. If using RO water you would need to carefully remineralise it (i.e. add the necessary minerals back into the water). Remineralisation needs a fairly good understanding of water chemistry etc.
For tap water containing a high nitrate level, rather than RO, I would instead suggest using a nitrate reduction filter. These filters remove nearly all tap nitrates but still retain all other essential water parameters (pH, minerals etc). Water produced this way is easy and is ideal for aquarium use.
Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you. Can you please remind me what the heater you’ve used.
Hi. I use the biOrb Intelligent Heater in all my tanks: th-cam.com/video/1rM3JRR3Jds/w-d-xo.html Unfortunately these don't seem to be available currently and biOrb can't seem to make up their minds if they are producing them or not. Frustrating!! Best, Mark
What can I use if I wanted bottom feeders instead of the rough clay
Hi Angela. The biOrb Pearl Media is specifically designed for true bottom feeders, see here. th-cam.com/video/M-SNTgG_-2I/w-d-xo.html. If you are wanting to choose a non-biOrb product you will need to ensure that the media chosen is good at supporting beneficial bacteria as, unlike most aquariums, the biOrb system relies on the substrate media to act as the tank's biological filter. Various substrate materials could be used in a biOrb but smaller sized materials would require conversion to avoid material not being drawn into the central bubble tube filter system. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Hey mate . I enjoy these videos a lot but just wondered what pieces you used as the ornaments . A link to these would be much appreciated !
Hi. Thanks for watching and supporting this new channel. All biOrb ornaments and accessories can be found on the biOrb website here: www.biorb.com/aquariums/. Click on the Aquariums tab and then click on the Accessories tab. The central decor shown in the aquarium in this video is their Coral Reef Ornament Blue. Most of the plants are a mix of Blue Sea Fans and the Kelp Set Small Purple. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you! This was a great help !
Hi - Ive had a bio-orb cube for 4years with no issues - having a problem now that the water is green , last time I changed the filter only the top few mm of the filter were dirty, and just green and cloudy water the artificial ornaments bushes, shells are really dirty. I went to our local aquarium shop and was told it was a "bloom" and it would clear, I'm not convinced!
Thanks
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
Just ordered a tube 15 and I was wondering if I could fill the water uo all the way up to the top, because you don’t have it filled up all the way, is there a reason for that?
HI Kellian. You will need to leave a gap between the surface of the water and the top of the tank. The bubbles created though the bubble tube form only one part of how the water within the aquarium is oxygenated to support fish and there needs to be a water-air interface at the surface as well as a need to allow for water surface agitation (movement). Also, if the water is held too high it will also come into contact with the biOrb lighting system. I recall that the biOrb instructions suggest something like a 5cm gap! This gap is also shown in biOrb's promotional material: www.oase.com/_Resources/Persistent/2/a/0/d/2a0d0c730ffe1429d97cf9ff5c86012494e8c492/BI_Catalogue_B2B_2021-2022_EN_62244_V1_lowres.pdf
However, I tend to leave a gap of about 1.5cm (which I think is the highest you can go) and have never had a problem with aquarium water maintained at that height. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark
Great
Thank you. Hope you found it helpful. biOrbs are really great but sometimes the instructions provided with them are not always totally clear.
Your videos have been so informative! I bought a second hand biorb on a bit of a whim but am enjoying prepping it. I bought the alfagrog ceramic media as it was about 1/4 the price of biorb, but the chunks are huge... Is this an issue? It means there's lots of gaps under and in-between it.
Hi Sian. The Alfagrog product is identical (and much cheaper!) to the biOrb product but it sounds like you may have purchased the larger sized Alfagrog? They do two basic sizes:: E40 and E25. E25 is the smaller of the two and is very comparable to the biOrb product. The gaps are probably more of an issue with smaller fish... they can often explore the gaps and they may get trapped within the media. The larger size is also a rougher material so is not the best product for bottom feeding fish. Other than that the performance (ability to support beneficial bacteria) is very similar. The larger gaps would promote better water circulation. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb fish getting trapped was my main concern. It's only a 30ltr so I'm looking at having minnows. I've had a look and no mention of e25/e40 in the description but reviews show the much smaller version so I suspect I may have been sent the wrong bags by mistake. Have contacted the vendor!
Yes, it can be sometimes be an issue (with some small new fish|). I agree it sounds like you may have been provided with the larger E40. E40 is a better material to be used in sumps/ separate filter systems rather than as an aquarium substrate material. BTW, I better mention that biOrb have just released a new alternative ceramic media called Pearl Media. I will be releasing a video on this product next week. If cost is an issue, the Pearl Media is far more expensive than Alfagrog. However, its size is far better for smaller fish and its surface is better for bottom feeders. I have tested the product for over a month and its biological performance (i.e ability to support bacteria and conversion of ammonia and nitrite) is as good or better than Alfagrog and biOrb ceramic media. M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb I saw the pearl media on their Instagram I think... It looks great! Although I do kinda like the rugged look of the original, I know some people don't.
I did forget to mention. The E25 and E40 refers to the size limit (grade) of the ceramic media. So, 25 = 25mm and 40 = 40 mm. Hope that helps. Mark
Hello from Ohio in the US! I was wanting to set up an aquarium and was doing my online research into smaller tanks when I came across your video series. You are the reason I bought my 30L BiOrb Flow! I got the white just like yours and I am going to be setting it up later this week. I am wondering if you ever quarantine your fish? Some people swear by it and some don’t even mention it. I’ve noticed that in this series, you don’t. Also, do you have a “hospital tank” set up? I wasn’t planning on it, but if you think it is a good idea, I’m willing to find a small tank for that purpose. Thank you for this video series and your in-depth explanations of the process. I appreciate you!
P.S. I love seeing your boys in your videos! ❤️
Hi Tracy. Great to hear from you. Normally you might consider using a quarantine tank when adding new fish to an existing fish population. This is to ensure that the new fish are not going add anything unwanted to the tank. I think the key thing to all this is having a good fish supplier that always supply healthy fish and to avoid getting fish from different or unknown suppliers. The aquarium shop I get all my fish are very particular about ensuring they quarantine all of their new fish and do so for several weeks before they mix them into their aquariums and put them up for sale. In fact they point blank refuse to sell any fish that haven’t been fully quarantined. So, in my case, I always stick to the same supplier and haven’t found the need for me to repeat what the shop already does properly. But as you say, some people do this and if you feel this is something you prefer to do then certainly go for it. I do have a spare small tank for the purpose of medical/quarantine but can honestly say I’ve needed to use it once in the past several years (and that fish died anyway!). You could certainly get a cheap tank for the reasons you mentioned and it would always be a good standby for if you need it. Hope that helps. Best,Mark
what if i wanted to use real plants for my tank? which would you recommend and what other products should i use? ideally im going this tank for a female beta. would i have to use a type of sand or soil for the plant to flourish?
Hi Samantha. If you plan to use a biOrb then basically you would be using a tank that utilises an 'under gravel' filter system that relies on a good water flow down and through the substrate ,material and back to the central biOrb filter. Generally sands and soils are not an ideal substrate for the biOrb system. There are numerous good tanks on the market that would be more suitable for these types of substrates, such as a Fluval Edge. If using a biOrb I suggest using plants that do not like a soil substrates and instead obtain their nutrients directly from surrounding water. My video on plants might be a good starting point if you would like to use real plants: th-cam.com/video/jO088r2mmmw/w-d-xo.html. Please also refer to the information held in the video Description.
I hope that helps. Mark
Great videos. I'm new on this biorb hobby and your videos are excelent. Many thanks. I wonder what do you think about the marine option.
Hi David. Thanks for watching and a big welcome to the biOrb hobby! :) To be honest I've not gone down that road but I would guess that everything on this channel (freshwater) can be applied in a similar way. I will be setting up a new Halo 60l very shortly and I am also considering doing the same. I've heard the occasional bad review (but that just might be because keeping marine can be a bit more involved) but I've heard mainly positive reviews. I think the general rule seems to be to "follow the biOrb instructions for setting-up and maintaining the aquarium to the letter" and you shouldn't have a problem. Let me know what you plan to do as it's certainly an interesting option to the norm. Best wishes, Mark
I've had my Biorb for several years. The bubbles have stopped coming out. The instructions talk about an airstone, which as far as I know, I never put one in. And I don't know where one goes. It wasn't in the instructions, and I didn't see it with your instructions. Can you help?
Hi. If you unplug the central air filter tube and take it out of the tank , the (white) airstone is situated centrally underneath and is attached to the tank. See biOrb's instruction video here: th-cam.com/video/ou78Kc0J7ps/w-d-xo.html. Replace the old one with a new one every 6 months.
Try replacing it and see if that solves your problem. If you still have the problem of no air bubbles let me know as it can be caused by other things.
When you remove the old air stone there is no reason to switch off the air pump, leave it working. Bubbles should then start to flow again into the tank. If this doesn't happen the likely issue causing the lack of air is that water has entered the airline and is stopping air from the air pump reaching the tank. If that is the case, remove the airline from the pump, put it in your mouth, and blow hard into it until air flows into the aquarium. Attach the airline back on to the pump and all should work again.
The normal causes of this are:
- The tank's air supply has been turned off for a while and this has allowed water to enter the airline; or,
- During a water change you have accidently poured water directly down the biOrb's air tube (this can force water into the airline).
Hopefully the above should fix the issue.
Best, Mark
Hi Mark, I recently came across your videos. As I'm setting up a new tank, this is perfect timing. A quick question : when filling the tank for the first time do I add Aquasafe to each 5ltr bottle or just the first bottle? Sorry if this is obvious, I'm new to this and want to get the tank set up as precise as yours... Lol.
Hi Mina. A very big welcome to the channel and many thanks for watching. So, ALL water you add to your tank, at any time, must be treated (with dechlorinator such as Aquasafe) before adding. Chlorine is very harmful to fish and also the beneficial bacteria that you will be looking to grow within your aquarium - to deal with the waste products (ammonia) produced by fish and waste food. With Aquasafe you will need 0.25 ml per 5 litres of tap water to detox toxins such as chlorine. So, in answer, yes add each time to each bottle added. The process of setting up a tank from new and adding fish is probably the most critical (and worrying) part of having an aquarium. So don't hesitate to contact me if you are unsure about anything at all. Hopefully my video on adding your first fish will take you right through the process. I highly recommend the use of ATM Colony (if you have a heated aquarium). In terms of fish choice, certainly at this early stage, choose "hardy" fish as they as best able to cope with the various ups and downs of cycling an aquarium. Let me know if you need any advice on any of that and I'd be happy to help. Thanks for getting in touch, Best, Mark
BTW - if you go onto the Step-by-Step channel and go to the Playlist tab I have set up a Library of the relevant videos (and put them in a sequence) that takes you through everything. Hope that helps too. M
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much for clarifying, this makes absolute sense. I am just watching your video about adding fish. So pleased I found your series as they are very well put together. Thanks also for your support and I will be in contact if needed. I have subscribed now so that I can look back whenever I need to and I look forward to seeing your future videos... Great work!
@@StepbyStep-biOrb I have found them and working my way through... These are going to make the setting up much less complicated...thank you!
Do you have to use the ceramic substrate? I want to plant mine. I've just ordered a 4 gal (15 L) and it will be my first real fish tank. I hear I won't want a carbon filter with live plants. Can I get a filter for this that doesn't have carbon?
Hi Darcy. Out of the box, biOrbs are designed to be used with ceramic media. The ceramic media forms an important part of how they work and forms the biological filter of a biOrb which will be colonised by the beneficial bacteria that are essential to sustain fish (and also plants). BUT... you can get a sponge based conversion kit (not a biOrb product) that allow the use of alternative substrate materials. The additional sponge becomes the place for beneficial bacteria. I must state that I haven't used them - but I do understand they work to allow conversion to grow plants in substrate. I think there are a number of videos on TH-cam that cover this (but in some cases people also take out the central air tube and filter system and replace this with another clamp on system). The alternative is to go with biOrb ceramic media and instead use plants that don't rely on having a root substrate. If you see my video on 'Do real plants work?' I cover some examples of plants for biOrbs in that one. I do hope that helps to point you in the right direction. Just to add - if you do plan to plant-up a 15L make sure that you get appropriate plants for this size tank otherwise it may quickly become overgrown. You will possibly need to also provide an additional plant nutrient product, such as Tropica Premium Nutrition (which is designed for smaller aquariums). The plants I suggest in my video don't require additional nutrients. Best wishes, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much. I'm sure I will have more questions soon. Thank you for answering 😊 I will be in touch.
Sincerely
Darcy
Not a problem Darcy. Very nice to hear from you and thanks for watching the videos. I'm very happy to help - just drop me a line. The video I did on plants that I mentioned before is this one: th-cam.com/video/jO088r2mmmw/w-d-xo.html. An example of biOrb conversion is this video: th-cam.com/video/KIgUX_YNd_A/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
Just a quick question
Does anyone no when I’ve set up the tank, and added the stuff to the water, do I need the pump stil going continuously as I not adding fish for about a week yet
Hi Scott. I would suggest you need to keep the air pump on (heater too if you are planning on a heated tank). When you say "stuff to the water" do you mean dechlorinator (e.g. AquaSafe)? You may as well give the tank a full run in before adding fish.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb yes the aqua safe, getting a digital thermometer tomorrow, heater and pump both on, found your videos very helpful
Yes, perfect. I suggest just let everything run in the tank. Means you can check everything is working well before adding fish etc. How are you planning to cycle the tank? Are you going down the ATM Colony route?
@@StepbyStep-biOrb this bit in a little confused by, in my biorb kit, I got two sachets to put into the water, but I can’t u used the colony stuff, Cudnt c it on Amazon
Hi Scott. I can only suggest that you use ATM Colony "Freshwater" as the means to cycle your tank and add your fish. It is the simplest and most reliable method that I am aware of. It also means you can add all your fish in one go. It is totally up to you which method you opt to cycle your tank with but, if you go down the route of using the biOrb product, I suggest that you stick firmly to the guidance that comes with it. Perhaps add one fish initially and then wait for a week or so before adding the next, and then again another week before adding the next fish etc. Just do it very gradually in terms of the number of fish added each time. ATM Colony speeds things up and allows all the fish to be added from day one. The product should be widely available (most large aquarium shops probably stock it, but certainly you can easily get from eBay etc). If you get it, just get the smallest bottle they do (4oz) as that is all you need for a biOrb. Hope that helps. Best, Mark
are you familiar with using API stress coat as a water conditioner? if so, is it alright to use in my biorb? i asked a question on another video about it, but i’ve just read that the conditioner that biorb comes with can be harmful to fish so i’m not sure if i plan on using it. also thank you SO MUCH for making these videos, they are extremely informative and are helping a ton!!
also, is it okay to use spring water and condition it?
i have so many questions haha i apologize but i trust your opinion. i am asking because i have spring water that is conditioned with stress coat ready to be put in my tank now, i have tested it with my kit and the pH is reading somewhere between 7.4-7.6. also, my ammonia levels and nitrite levels are both right off the bat about 0 ppm. i want to ask if this is normal?
Hi Grace. Great to hear from you. Yes, I am very familiar with API Stress Coat+ (and also Tetra AquaSafe). They are both dechlorinators/ "water conditioners" (so, they make tap water safe by removing chlorine, chloramines and also heavy metals). Both have good track records in the aquarium world. My suggestion is that you don't use the biOrb product you mentioned and just stick with one of the above for all water treatments as API or Tetra are likely to be the product you will continue to use in the future. Both API and Tetra products contain an anti-stress product (such as aloe vera). Both support the health of your fish. API Stress Coat is really good but I DO NOT recommend this product for biOrb sized aquariums. My recommendation for use with a biOrb is Tetra AquaSafe. And, there's only one good reason for that! Tetra AquaSafe is suited to smaller aquariums and is not so highly concentrated. It is normally applied at 5ml for every 10 litres of fresh tap water (or, let's say, 2.5ml per 5 litres of tap water). That's very easy to measure correctly and is ideal for the quantities of water you would likely use to undertake weekly water changes. On the other hand, API Stress Coat is more targeted at owners of much larger aquariums than biOrbs and therefore is of higher concentration. API Stress Coat is normally applied at just 5ml per 40l (or, in other words for the quantities of water you are likely to use for water changes that would be roughly 1.25ml per 10 litres, or 0.75ml per 5 litres! So, AquaSafe is a far easier product to accurately measure and is easy to apply on a weekly water change basis (it doesn't need a calculator to work out what you need and doesn't need a specialised measuring syringe to use it ). Regardless, both are good products. I hope that helps, Mark
Okay, so, first question... why do you think you need to use spring water? Lol :) Unless there is a really good reason (poor tap water quality) you would be far better off to use tap water. Stress Coat is mainly designed to remove chlorine from tap water but spring water should be free of that. Second question... What stage is your aquarium at? Is it fully cycled with fish in?
Fresh tap water or spring water, if tested, would normally show in a test at around zero for nitrite and zero for ammonia. They would be at a very low trace level that will not be picked up using a standard water test kit. Ammonia and nitrite are mainly substances that are produced in your aquarium as a result of fish related waste including waste food. But spring and tap water will show levels of nitrate (i.e. not nitrite) this mainly as a result of agricultural practises of using fertilisers on fields, which then moves into groundwater and finally into your tap (or spring )water. Spring water supplies may often have a higher nitrate level than most tap water (spring water bottle labels should indicate the level of nitrate - ideally it should be as low as possible). If your tap water has a high nitrate level then yes certainly, the correct type of bottled spring water might be a product to use when it also has a much lower nitrate level. If that makes sense! :-)
I have treated (softened) tap water. Do I still need to treat the water?
Hi Michelle, you only need to treat (dechlorinate) tap water if it has chlorine or chloramine present. In most cases tap water will certainly contain this. Treatment it principally aimed at removing the products added to tap water for a healthy water supply (to people) but which may also include certain heavy metals. Please bear in mind though, most water treatments (such as Prime, AquaSafe etc) include other beneficial things such a stress reduction and vitamins to ensure the overall health of the fish/aquarium. So there are other benefits beyond dechlorination. My own view is that you probably should add treatment as it not detrimental. When you say "softened tap water" what do you mean? This suggests the inclusion of sodium? -If that is the case I would add a note of caution on using it. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you, I have a whole house water softener system that uses a salt brine. I guess I should use bottled water and treat it.
Yes, Ive had a similar system in the past, but certain taps (e.g kitchen tap) was retained for source water for drinking water purposes.. My softened water was only used for the water supply through to other things - shower, bath water etc. Anyway, putting that aside, whether to add salt to a freshwater aquarium has been long debated. Basically, it falls between those that think: you should NEVER add salt; those that think you should ALWAYS add salt; and, those that think it should only be applied under VERY CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (e.g. for whole-tank medical treatment). I fall into the "only in certain circumstances" category. If you are new to having an aquarium, I would certainly suggest that you avoid adding aquarium salt and using salt based softened water. Certainly, look into the subject, if you do plan on using this water supply, start here: www.bestspy.org/water-softener-water-safe-aquariums/ Unless your water system provides a means for you extract "normal tap water" ahead of the treatment (perhaps kitchen tap?), the best option would be to use bottled water (or get tap water from another household that hasn't installed a softener system ). I hope that helps. Mark
Which heater are you using?
Hi Patti. All my (four) biOrbs have biOrb Intelligent Heater systems. biOrb stopped producing this heater for some time but now they have starting production again and the heater is available via a very select number of retailers. There seems to be a high demand for them and this tends to have pushed the price up! They are expensive but if you want the most discrete heater that is well matched to a biOrb (up to 60l), it is certainly a heater worth considering. They are a factory set heater (around 24.5C temp) so there is no need to mess around with temperature settings in a tank for tropical fish. Please watch my video which reviews a sample of "other" current suitable heaters here: th-cam.com/video/6DHXGfAgyI4/w-d-xo.html
The biOrb Intelligent Heater can be found here: amzn.to/3v1hwsZ.
I hope that helps. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you Mark. I am setting up a new 30L Biorb and have found your videos so helpful!
You're welcome Patti. The bIOrb heater is the way to go... it is expensive but is the only option if you really want a discrete heater that doesn't distract within the aquarium. I have used them for years and they are still going strong! If you need any help with setting up the new 30L just shout. Best, Mark
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you so much Mark. I'm going to buy the heater. I really like it.
@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark, May I ask for some advice please. I plan on adding fish in about a months time. In the meanwhile I would like to get the Biorb up and running beforehand. How should I proceed please. Thank you in advance.
What is the name of the heater that you have? Thank you
Hi Donna. I have the biOrb Intelligent Heater. Unfortunately biOrb have stopped producing these as they have changed their electrical supply to their products. Used ones often come-up for sale on the likes of eBay. Best, Mark.
Thank you, I'll be setting my bio orb up this weekend, so glad I found you video, I'm just worried I have 3 panda cory catfish and I'm worried about the media on the bottom being sharp and they get hurt. Thanks again
Happy to help Donna. Not a problem. There are various arguments about having cory catfish on rough media or not. I saw a video a while ago covering this and I've just managed to find it: th-cam.com/video/yzxMHOPpmGY/w-d-xo.html. The same applies about adding them to a new (or cycling) tanks - again various views on that subject too. There is a conversion kit for biOrbs that allows the use of alternative media - such as sand. But, I cant say I've tested though. Hope that helps. Best, Mark