Biorb Gravel/media Question

[thisguyindenver]

First, please no anti-biorb posts. I understand their many downfalls compared to a traditional tank, yet we have one and are going to use it again.

My intro is here if you're interested.

Biorbs - they come with the media (rocks), but I'm wondering who does/doesn't use that?

We had the biorb media on the bottom and then a layer of red gravel on top for over a year and never had any water quality issues. The only issue that we needed to be careful of is the small pieces of gravel getting into the filter/etc while changing it. I cleaned out the whole tank last night and there were little gravel pieces UNDER the filter housing - it was a huge pain to take off the bottom to get them out but now it's all back together and sparkly once again.

Thanks for your input...

 

[AdAndrews]

i have used the media that came with the tank, however have recently changed to pebbles, i thought it needed a change. if you are going to run it with the existing filter make sure the rocks you get are smae size or bigger than the media. Good luck

 

[waterdrop]

well thisguy, I did some searches here on biorb but couldn't turn up anything like I remembered about people doing alternative filtration on these, sorry...

If you go with the existing UG filtration, the fishless cycling is still the same, you just follow our working article (the add and wait method) by RDD up in the resource center and keep a good logbook and post up things here in your thread, especially if you have questions. You need to be sure to have a good test kit and the right kind of ammonia of course.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[thisguyindenver]

AdAndrews: so you're using pretty good size pebbles, huh? And then none of the original rocks? It seems like they would have lots of nooks and crannies for bacteria to "live" whereas the pebbles (are they smooth?) wouldn't. How recently did you change? Have you noticed any difference?

Waterdrop: I did find at least one person so may just contact them directly.

Would still appreciate hearing from more biorb owners!

 

[jennybugs]

Ok...I've pm'ed you a helpful link

The media that comes with biorbs is both great and awful. Great because there is so much surface area for good bacteria to colonise and grow on and awful because it's a PITA to clean

I have had a biorb and biube of every size. Personally I find the baby biorb to be the worst in terms of keeping fish alive in it. I have had no less than 3 bettas that have all not thrived in this size biorb but two that have thrived beautifully in 30L orbs and a 35L biube quite happily. I converted my baby biorb to sand with an internal filter and kept green neon tetra in there. I would never try another betta in a tank so small.

I have a 60L orb with sand an an internal filter in now and love it. My biube is empty at present but will be brought out and converted to internal filters and sand in due time.

The only gravel I would use with a stock biorb would be of pea size as in 8-10mm big and rounded in shape. I have tried the chipping style of gravel and it just held on to the fish waste and none got in to the filter at all. Round pea gravel is good as is ceramic media with stock filtration. Ugly but good

 

[thisguyindenver]

Thanks Jen, are you one of the biorb "experts" waterdrop was talking about?

I guess last time we were using the "chipping style" you mentioned - the waste just sat on top and I vac'ed it up... If you have round ones does it actually get sucked through into the filter?

We covered the stock stuff with new gravel because the old stuff is ugly, and the new stuff is red. Is there any cool round gravel like you mention? Will have to look around for some when I have time. Anyone have any links/sources to recommend?

 

[jennybugs]

Thanks Jen, are you one of the biorb "experts" waterdrop was talking about?

I guess last time we were using the "chipping style" you mentioned - the waste just sat on top and I vac'ed it up... If you have round ones does it actually get sucked through into the filter?

We covered the stock stuff with new gravel because the old stuff is ugly, and the new stuff is red. Is there any cool round gravel like you mention? Will have to look around for some when I have time. Anyone have any links/sources to recommend?

Um not so sure I'm an 'expert' per se, but I do know my way around them and love them when they are stocked correctly

The rounded pea gravel is much more adaptable to the style of filtration that the biorbs and biubes offer when unmodified. If you get the right size that's not too small then the rubbish will flow through into the filter quite freely. It won't be any worse than the ceramic media anyway. Plus you have the added bonus that it is much easier to clean than the media and won't scratch the sides of the biorb if you have the right stuff

You have my link, but this may help you to gauge what you're looking for...

 

[pablothebetta]

Ok...I've pm'ed you a helpful link

The media that comes with biorbs is both great and awful. Great because there is so much surface area for good bacteria to colonise and grow on and awful because it's a PITA to clean

I have had a biorb and biube of every size. Personally I find the baby biorb to be the worst in terms of keeping fish alive in it. I have had no less than 3 bettas that have all not thrived in this size biorb but two that have thrived beautifully in 30L orbs and a 35L biube quite happily. I converted my baby biorb to sand with an internal filter and kept green neon tetra in there. I would never try another betta in a tank so small.

I have a 60L orb with sand an an internal filter in now and love it. My biube is empty at present but will be brought out and converted to internal filters and sand in due time.

The only gravel I would use with a stock biorb would be of pea size as in 8-10mm big and rounded in shape. I have tried the chipping style of gravel and it just held on to the fish waste and none got in to the filter at all. Round pea gravel is good as is ceramic media with stock filtration. Ugly but good

Sorry for the partially unrelated post, but I'm looking myself to convert my baby biorb into sand with an internal filter. How did you do it? I'm struggling to find a way to affix a filter, any help? Pics would be fantastic if you could