Biorb Tank Warning

[CCandJC]

We have recently set up a 30 later Biorb tank and now have 3 black and 4 neon tetras plus 2 ghost shrimp. However two days ago we did a count and only had 3 neons! We searched the tank by moving plants and stones but couldn't find it so assumed it had died overnight and the shrimps had eaten it. Then this morning we looked in and could see the neon under the plastic casing lying on top of the filter sponge! Quickly we took out the filter and to our amazement the neon was still alive!! It is back in the tank now but looks very sorry for itself and not moving much.
I am so saddened by this as I feel guilty for not checking properly
Does anyone know of similar incidents and how it got in there?
How do we avoid this happening again??

 

[techen]

Heya, A 30L Tank is too small for neons in the first place. I'd recommend you keep the shrimp and get a betta. But that's all I'd put in a tank that size.

 

[the_lock_man]

Best thing to do with a biorb is take the water out, put a light bulb in, and call it a table lamp. Horrible tanks.
 
THe main problem is the lack of surface area, because it's spherical. THis means that although there's 30l of water in there, you've only got the same amount of gas exchange as a tank roughly 10l in capacity. (The main way that oxygen gets into the water, and carbon dioxide out is at the surface, forget the fact there might be some sort of bubble device in there, it still all happens at the surface. This is what I mean by gas exchange). How many people on here would recommend any fish in a 10l tank? I probably wouldn't.
 
Anyway, moving to some constructive advice for the way forward, you sound like you are in a fish-in cycle situation. Have a read of the article in my green link in my signature area, and if there's anything you don't understand, ask. You need to test your water daily and change large amounts of your water daily too. It is likely that the neon is suffering from ammonia poisoning, and got sucked into the filter because it was too weak to escape. The only way to keep that from happening again is get rid of the ammonia (and nitrite) from the water, until your filter has built up enough bacteria to do the job for you.

 

[CCandJC]

Thanks for replies. Since buying the Biorb I've heard loads of bad reports about it and wish we hadn't got one but we have never kept fish before so didn't know the science behind it. The tank has been running for 2 months now. We do weekly one third water changes and rinse the filter in the old tank water. We only put the neons in a week ago after we had had the water checked and were told it was perfect. All the other fish seem very strong and happy. If we lose anymore I think we will bin the Biorb and get a proper tank!

 

[the_lock_man]

Thanks for replies. Since buying the Biorb I've heard loads of bad reports about it and wish we hadn't got one but we have never kept fish before so didn't know the science behind it. The tank has been running for 2 months now. We do weekly one third water changes and rinse the filter in the old tank water. We only put the neons in a week ago after we had had the water checked and were told it was perfect. All the other fish seem very strong and happy. If we lose anymore I think we will bin the Biorb and get a proper tank!

 
How long had the other tetras been in?
 
And what are your current ammonia and nitrite readings?

 

[CCandJC]

We put the black tetras in after one month of cycling and the neons in a month after that. I need to take a new water sample to the aquarium shop as we don't have our own testing kit. I'm off to do that now and gonna buy our own testing kit.

 

[the_lock_man]

Your water changing regime is fine for a mature filter, you've only had fish in there for 5/6weeks so it's unlikely yours is mature. I'd love to know what the levels were when the fish store said they were perfect, because I'd be willing to bet they weren't.
 
When you get them to test again, ask them what the actual numbers are. Anything other than 0ppm for ammonia and nitrite is not perfect, nitrate can be anywhere from 5ppm up to 75ppm and be fine.
 
With test kits, make sure you get liquid drop test kits. I personally use the Salifert range, because I reckon they're the best, I used to use the Nutrafin ones, but they're a bit expensive. Many people use the API Master kit, which is widely available on Ebay and Amazon for about £20-25, there are a few issues with getting the tests right and reading the results right, which is why I stay away from them, but it's the most popular kit by far on this forum.

 

[phoenixgsd]

you say the tank has been running for two months then the tetras were put in a month after cycling. that leaves 4 weeks, sorry but a tank cannot cycle in just four weeks, how did you cycle? have a read of the link already given to understand the process, your already 1 month in so a test kit is essential
i use the API master kit, it has been the best peice of equipment i have throughout my whole fishy experience so highly reccomend it

and unfortunatley as all ready said, i have to agree, bi-orbs arnt the best tanks

 

[akfox18]

i have one of the biorb life tanks. the squarer looking one. I too, lost somebody. a shrimp. we could not find it anywhere! nearly a month on and as we were doing a water change, we un-did the filter and out it popped, slightly pale having had no light for a month but healthy and no smaller than the others in the tank. nearly 6 months on and he's still doing fine!