Biorb Maintenance

[Aquapotts]

Hi,

I have a biorb setup: which, in case you're not familar with it - is a globe shaped aquarium (60 litres), it has special ceramic media in the bottom to house bacteria and a tube connected to an air pump that runs up the middle to about 2 inches below the surface of the water. As water passes in through the bottom of the tube (below the ceramic media) it passed through a specially fitted filter cartridge.

The instructions say to replace the cartridge every 1-2 months, however is this really necessary or is it just a sales ploy? I know that there are some active agents to stabilise pH levels and resins to keep the water unpolluted as well as some activated carbon. I don't know really understand the full purpose of these things and have read that it is possible to clean filters and re-use them over and over again.

If someone is familiar which the biorb and has some experience with general maintenance, can you please help me get my head round it all....

thanks.

P.S. I am using it as a tropical tank with 4 guppies and just added 4 harlequin rasbora - ammonia and nitrite levels at 0, nitrate about 7ppm.

 

[Truck]

no need to change the cartridge, just give it a rinse in old tank water

 

[waterdrop]

One suggestion that's become common for biorbs is that the mixture of Zeolite and Carbon in the "Disk" be replaced by some other biomedia such as ceramic gravel or another sponge or even just straight carbon if nothing else can be found. Once would hope that the small amount of zeolite and the fact that its positioned -after- the biomedia in the water path would mean that it wouldn't deprive the bacteria of food but in the past people have trouble cycling these and its been felt the zeolite was the cause.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[busterbrit]

I have a biorb 60L that I'm half way through a fishless cycle.

I have done a lot of reading up on what to do.

Don't replace the filter once a month. This is what I'm doing. I opened and took out the carbon and zeolite (white stuff) and then just left the sponge. I havene't found any ceramic media that will fit in there but if I do I will add that. Worst case I will just put some carbon in it.

Then I bought 12 replacement spunges from Orbit which should last me a few years since I don't need to replace the sponge until it starts to fall apart. Just clean it every couple of weeks in old tank water (not new water as it will kill the bacteria).

Let me know how the Harlequin's are doing. I was thinking about getting those or neon's for the mid level.

 

[Floyds mum]

my dads had the 30L for yrs and he only changes it when he can be bothered (every 6 months or so) but i would say yes for it to work properly but someone might have a different answer im not a huge fan of BiOrbs cos i dont like the round shapes but i love the new ones lol

 

[fishnut02]

You don't need to change it every 1-2 months, granted, I don't think it would hurt anything to change it more often, besides your wallet. I haven't replaced my service kit filter for about 6 months or so, granted I still do water changes etc. After a while of rinsing the sponge it does get some waste that doesn't rinse out easily, which is probably when you'd want a new filter. When you do need a filter I found a coupon for 5% off any order at http/www.EverythingBiorb.com. The code is " blog5off "

 

[Aquapotts]

Thanks to all of you for your advice.

The common opinion seems to be that the filter cartridges really do not need to be replaced so often, as long as they are cleaned (in tank water) and looked after regularly.

As for the carbon and zeolite, I think I'll look for substitutes such as ceramic media or carbon. Can I ask, what form is carbon available in? and how long does it remain "active"?

Busterbrit - I am keeping a keen eye on my Harlequins as my guppies are still getting used to now sharing their tank, I will let you know how it goes.

For those of you going through the cycle in a biorb, I have finally succeeded with a fish-in cycle with four guppies over about 5-6 weeks - if you want meto share more info about the process I went through, let me know.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi,

I have a biorb setup: which, in case you're not familar with it - is a globe shaped aquarium (60 litres), it has special ceramic media in the bottom to house bacteria and a tube connected to an air pump that runs up the middle to about 2 inches below the surface of the water. As water passes in through the bottom of the tube (below the ceramic media) it passed through a specially fitted filter cartridge.

The instructions say to replace the cartridge every 1-2 months, however is this really necessary or is it just a sales ploy? I know that there are some active agents to stabilise pH levels and resins to keep the water unpolluted as well as some activated carbon. I don't know really understand the full purpose of these things and have read that it is possible to clean filters and re-use them over and over again.

If someone is familiar which the biorb and has some experience with general maintenance, can you please help me get my head round it all....

thanks.

P.S. I am using it as a tropical tank with 4 guppies and just added 4 harlequin rasbora - ammonia and nitrite levels at 0, nitrate about 7ppm.

Are rasbora pretty kick back fish? I was looking at them and wondered if they'd go with my female betta. The sales guy suggested getting a few.

 

[busterbrit]

Thanks to all of you for your advice.

The common opinion seems to be that the filter cartridges really do not need to be replaced so often, as long as they are cleaned (in tank water) and looked after regularly.

As for the carbon and zeolite, I think I'll look for substitutes such as ceramic media or carbon. Can I ask, what form is carbon available in? and how long does it remain "active"?

Busterbrit - I am keeping a keen eye on my Harlequins as my guppies are still getting used to now sharing their tank, I will let you know how it goes.

For those of you going through the cycle in a biorb, I have finally succeeded with a fish-in cycle with four guppies over about 5-6 weeks - if you want meto share more info about the process I went through, let me know.

Thanks. Keep me updated.

 

[waterdrop]

Carbon(aka charcoal) is commonly found in small irregular chunks usually a bit larger than typical aquarium gravel but can sometimes be had in smaller or larger granulation. Sometimes its gound up smaller, glued to sponge material and offered that way. Of the three major functions of a filter (biological filtration, mechanical filtration and chemical filtration) carbon is an example (along with zeolite and a few other resins I guess) of a "chemical media." It "adsorbs" many different atoms and chemicals from the water. You can read more than you probably want to know about adsorbtion on wikipedia of course.

In an aquarium filter carbon is full and no longer adsorbing anything by day 3 (yup, 3 days, that's it) and is ready to be removed and tossed and fresh carbon put in if you are trying to accomplish something. This is one of the main reasons carbon is considered a "tool on the aquarists shelf" to be pulled out and used, not to be in the filter all the time. It is an excellent tool and its most practical and common uses are to remove medications from the water after their time is up, to remove yellow/brown tannins that have leached into the water from not yet fully aged wood and sometimes to remove the odd organic odor whose source cannot be determined.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Floyds mum]

Are rasbora pretty kick back fish? I was looking at them and wondered if they'd go with my female betta. The sales guy suggested getting a few.

Most rasbora's are pretty hardy, my dads harlequins lasted for a few yrs with no heater and in poor conditions lol

 

[waterdrop]

I'm a huge fan of rasboras.. totally agree about how hardy they are but I will mention to GG that as you get below shoal sizes of 6 and as the get more mature you can certainly sometimes see typical fish dominance behavior where one of the rasboras will decide to herd the rest of the tank below him/her or some such behavior(this is assuming the the tank doesn't have many other fish that are larger than the rasboras, which would probably calm them down). I'm not sure how this would mix with the betta and of course any given betta is a bit of a wildcard on individual personality like other Osphronemidae.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Aquapotts]

I'm a huge fan of rasboras.. totally agree about how hardy they are but I will mention to GG that as you get below shoal sizes of 6 and as the get more mature you can certainly sometimes see typical fish dominance behavior where one of the rasboras will decide to herd the rest of the tank below him/her or some such behavior(this is assuming the the tank doesn't have many other fish that are larger than the rasboras, which would probably calm them down). I'm not sure how this would mix with the betta and of course any given betta is a bit of a wildcard on individual personality like other Osphronemidae.

~~waterdrop~~

Waterdrop, I have come home today to find that one of my harlequin rasbora is missing. I'm pretty sure that either my 4 guppies or the other harlequins have killed and eaten him. Do you know if this is possible and if I have put any of my fish at risk? I was told that both varieties are passive and should get along fine - did I make a mistake in only having 4 harlequins, if so I now only have three and won't be able to get anymore until 18 hours time - your help and expertise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[waterdrop]

I'm a huge fan of rasboras.. totally agree about how hardy they are but I will mention to GG that as you get below shoal sizes of 6 and as the get more mature you can certainly sometimes see typical fish dominance behavior where one of the rasboras will decide to herd the rest of the tank below him/her or some such behavior(this is assuming the the tank doesn't have many other fish that are larger than the rasboras, which would probably calm them down). I'm not sure how this would mix with the betta and of course any given betta is a bit of a wildcard on individual personality like other Osphronemidae.

~~waterdrop~~

Waterdrop, I have come home today to find that one of my harlequin rasbora is missing. I'm pretty sure that either my 4 guppies or the other harlequins have killed and eaten him. Do you know if this is possible and if I have put any of my fish at risk? I was told that both varieties are passive and should get along fine - did I make a mistake in only having 4 harlequins, if so I now only have three and won't be able to get anymore until 18 hours time - your help and expertise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I've lost them from jumping. They can get out when you think there are no openings. It also may have died and been eaten but I doubt it was killed by any of the fish you have. At times we all have to look at the bigger picture. These are tiny fish that normally live in groups of thousands and we do our best but sometimes we are going to lose them. Sorry for your loss. I don't think you are doing anything wrong. --wd--

 

[Aquapotts]

I'm a huge fan of rasboras.. totally agree about how hardy they are but I will mention to GG that as you get below shoal sizes of 6 and as the get more mature you can certainly sometimes see typical fish dominance behavior where one of the rasboras will decide to herd the rest of the tank below him/her or some such behavior(this is assuming the the tank doesn't have many other fish that are larger than the rasboras, which would probably calm them down). I'm not sure how this would mix with the betta and of course any given betta is a bit of a wildcard on individual personality like other Osphronemidae.

~~waterdrop~~

Waterdrop, I have come home today to find that one of my harlequin rasbora is missing. I'm pretty sure that either my 4 guppies or the other harlequins have killed and eaten him. Do you know if this is possible and if I have put any of my fish at risk? I was told that both varieties are passive and should get along fine - did I make a mistake in only having 4 harlequins, if so I now only have three and won't be able to get anymore until 18 hours time - your help and expertise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I've lost them from jumping. They can get out when you think there are no openings. It also may have died and been eaten but I doubt it was killed by any of the fish you have. At times we all have to look at the bigger picture. These are tiny fish that normally live in groups of thousands and we do our best but sometimes we are going to lose them. Sorry for your loss. I don't think you are doing anything wrong. --wd--

Thanks again Waterdrop - there has still been no sign of him, but the good news is that the rest of my fish seem to be doing just fine and interacting with each other well. I do not believe that any of them hurt the other fish, it would seem that I've just been unlucky (but will still remain a little mystified), your comments have been a great help, thanks for your reassurance.