Biorb 15 aquarium (Amazon): geni.us/HMn7 Apologies for the length of this video - I got carried away but there are time stamps below for easy navigation. Skip the history lesson if you're not interested - the existing Biorb filtration starts at 08:54 and the upgrade starts at 15:37. Filter Kits, Foams, Biohome, Biogravel etc: www.filterpro.co.uk (FilterPro site has links to Biohome suppliers in other countries) Eheim Substrat Pro: geni.us/98euQaB Follow me on Odysee: odysee.com/$/invite/@PondGuru:0 Contact me on 07772848730 / sales@filterpro.co.uk *******(I don't do texts)******* The Biorb tanks have been around for ages and have had NO upgrades to the filtration since the day they were launched which frustrates the living urins out of me ..... Aaaarrrggghh ....... Oase know that millions of fish die every year in the Biorb tanks yet continue to adopt the model of 'After Sales Potential' - basically profit over health ...... are they owned by Pfizer? (Shizer) ...... maybe, lol 'Mr. X' needs to sort this mess out..... I've backed Oase and dealt with them for well over 20 years - the vast majority of my pond videos use Oase pumps and filters because they are AWESOME but the Biorb filtration system????......damn, it needs an upgrade and now you've got it..... Amount of Biogravel in each kit is as follows: 1.5kg - 15 litre Orb / Halo 2kg - 30 litre Biorb / Halo 3.5kg - 60 litre Biorb / Halo 3.5kg - 15, 30, 60 litre Flow 3.5kg - 15, 30, 45, 60 litre Life I don't do a kit for the 105 Orb but it takes 5kg Biogravel to properly cover the foams. The amount of Biogravel needed is based on the tank base area since it is being used as a substrate in an under gravel filter system - with this system (using Biogravel) you are effectively creating a highly efficient, safe and easy-to-maintain super filter which replicates a living deep sand bed which will process ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for a FULL CYCLE. *TIME STAMPS* 00:00 Intro 00:28 My history with Biorbs and Oase 07:30 The Biorb disasters 08:54 How the Biorbs come set up from manufacturer 15:37 The new and improved set up 32:16 The water conditioner issue 34:08 Inside the Biorb 34:41 Other media options 36:56 Other Biorb kits available online 38:11 Outro The following videos will be useful for learning more about filtration and filter media: Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere. Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what Biohome filter media does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios: (1 US Gallon = 3.8 litres) (1kg = 2.2 lbs) Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat. Remember to use a water conditioner which does not bind / detoxify ammonia, nitrite or nitrate as that type of conditioner will severely limit bacteria numbers by starving the bacteria of 'food'. Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'.....you'll spend less money on treatments too......basically the filter is the foundation of a successful aquarium. This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity We all are on a long path of learning......... RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/ Feel free to share or link any of my videos on FBIbook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching. See you next time. Pondguru
@@deantarricone1855 The best way to upgrade those filters is to buy the plastic inserts so that the foams can be placed horizontally in the first section followed by the media followed by the pump in last section.
@@chosen2030 If you search for 'Pimp my Filter Biorb Tube' it will come up but the 35 is very uneconomical to upgrade due to the huge base area compared to the 30 litre tube.
I just finally bit the bullet after many years on the fence with the born. I love plants as much as fish and this beautiful tank stocked hates plants and fish. Your filter solution is going to help the fish and plants and I have an extra submersible light that I hope will help with lighting. If not I am going to modify the lid to get a better light for plants. I’m so excited!
The standard light is OK for easy-care species of plants e.g. Amazon Sword, Amazon Fern, Anubias, Moss balls, Vallis etc. but for anything more exotic you'll need more light although the highly aerated environment and constantly disturbed surface isn't good for many plants. Best of luck with the tank.
Just ordered my kit this evening. This video helped me realise how awful that volcanic crap is. I see that Biorb have started copying your idea of the small beads. But i will not fork out their prices.
Thanks for the order - with regard to the balls Biorb have come up with they are way too large to be cleaned using a gravel cleaner and since they aren't used over foams or an under gravel plate the water still finds the easiest route making 90% of them pointless, lol
This was my first tank. I had absolutely zero clue about filtration and took Oase at face value while reading the description of biorbs. Figured the price and a brand as big as Oase meant it was all true. Found your channel through finding cures to my dead fish and biorb information. My mind was blown like the first time doing acid. An entire wealth of filter knowledged poured into my brain. My opened third eye now sees straight through the crap aquarium youtubers and filter companies peddle. I am an arbiter of filtration now. Biohome, BCB, slow moving plenums, coarse/medium/fine foams, and emergent plants I control my microcosms with grace. I can create the perfect conditons for fish health, plant growth, and tank longevity. I am a God to my fish, and I am benevolent... Richard is a gift to aquarists, and will not mislead you. Listen to him and learn his truths Im high af lol RIP DANIOS Never forgiven Oase
After watching Richard's videos about the Biorb and having owned two but never been able to get good water quality, I always thought it was my water; so I bought the Biorb Life30 kit from Filterpro. It has now been nearly two years since I have had the media and filter system in my tank, and the water quality is incredible. I still do water changes but never on a weekly scale nor monthly and still the water is perfect (I do check the quality though), I also hoover. I tell everybody about the filtration system from Filterpro, my friend is now thinking about having another one now she has watched the video tonight, she too had the problems with her previous tank. Only thing that has happened to me, was earlier today my little fantail decided to take a swim down the tube and had to be rescued. The tube and centre filter is now sitting in a bucket and am thinking now not to put it back in, especially as it looks better without it. However, am worried that the centre part really needs the fine foam inside it for fine filtration, maybe I could just stuff it under the anchor I have to hold it down? A big Thank You to Richard for helping me at the beginning setting it up and for designing this system to help our fish 😍
Oase has started selling a new media called Pearl media. I recently replaced the media that came with the tank for it. Watching your video the pearl media looks a lot like your Biorb gravel except it’s a different color and they are all uniform in size. I always hated their original media. I’m in the US.
Unfortunately the 'pearl' media is far too large to be of any use as the only problem it solves between that and the original media is that it is smooth instead of having sharp edges. Food (and fish) still gets stuck under the pearl media and it is just as bad to clean properly (with a gravel cleaner) since it is much too large. See how it goes but I was very disappointed when I saw them release that stuff for sale.
Sir, you are the best thing about UA-cam. Truly a man who knows his stuff. I gave up on two Biorbs because they scratch like buggery, any suggestions how to get them out? Cheers Malcolm
Oh no, if I'm the best thing about UA-cam it's no wonder it is a doomed platform, lol. Unfortunately once the tanks are scratched they will always be scratched but when filled with water the scratches will hardly be noticeable when the tank is filled with water.
I know the grave vac will clean the foams but what about the medium it takes more effort to clean gravel vac won’t be enough wouldn’t it involve tearing down the tank eventually also 2 course would be easier like you did years ago
Iv had this thought for a while but when you showed them how to fix the filtration the after sales could be putting carbon and floss in the central filter and that could be the after sales and customers replacing it once a month but one thing I would like to know is does alphagrog support anaerobic bacteria cos I watched another guy he said it did cos he’s used it just takes longer
With regard to the Alfagrog you need to use your own eyes and common sense - it would help to watch the video called 'Looking Inside Filter Media' where I show the structure of lots of types of filter media. Just by using eyes to look at filter media and considering the conditions inside a normal filter it is obvious that a filter media which has the vast majority of its surface area externally cannot support anaerobic bacteria as the environment it will be growing in is all aerobic. However, if the surrounding water is deoxygenated (e.g. very slow flow filter / nitrate reactor) then any media will support anaerobic bacteria as the environment there is suitable for that type of bacteria.
Great Video! Super smart! I am in the USA. I was given I believe 8 or 10-gallon Biorb fish tank. In the box of supplies given with tank were glass balls... small mulit-colored. I put them at the bottom of the tank and then put the ceramic media over them. It seems to be filtering. Do you think it is OK to leave until I change. I just set up all fish and are luckily living. Apologies for all questions as I want to eventually buy you system also Do I need the air stone? I don't have it. I have a fake tree covering thr air tube middle of tank seems air pushes off side. Thanks
Have you done the 45 life I tried to copy from one of your previous videos kinda worked ( better at keeping lizards than fish ) but would like to see if I need to done things differently using aquasoil as a substitute for substrate.
I had a question and forgive me as I’m new to this. I’m looking at getting the 30L Biorb Halo and doing your setup for a Betta fish. Instead of Biogravel I was looking at using Seachem Matrix and capping it off with a layer of smooth fluorite glass pebbles for aesthetics. Would this setup still work? Thanks in advance.
If you're trying to create an under gravel system like I've done here any substrate you use will end up getting mixed together since the system is cleaned using a gravel cleaner. Using the small pumice ('matrix') is no problem since it will do the job of ordinary aquarium gravel but ideally you'd use something which is good for bacteria to colonize and not white in color since white substrate tends to bleach out the color of the fish. A darker substrate is always better for fish color. If you want to build a cheaper (and less effective) version of the set up shown in the video you'd definitely be better off using ordinary aquarium gravel as opposed to pumice due to the color problems associated with white pumice.
Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it. I had one other question. Since the white pumice doesn’t seem to be good for the setup could I use the alpha grog that came with it over the foam and then put a layer of the fluorite glass pebbles over that to make the bottom smooth. I understand it would get mixed up when cleaning but the alpha grog is bigger and easier to separate (or I could just be creating a giant headache for myself 🤷♂️) but would it still provide the same biological filter while covering the large holes and gaps and sharp surfaces that are associated with the alpha grog?
@@AB-oq8qe The reason for switching from the Alfagrog to the small gravel substrate is to make it easy to clean. Adding Alfagrog over foams won't make it any easier to clean. An under gravel system relies on having some sort of small substrate over the top of the foams in the Biorb or over the under gravel plate in a traditional tank. If you use large substrate over the foams you will not be able to clean the system properly. Hope that makes sense.
Thanks for your response. That makes sense to me now. I’ll probably order the biogravel and then use the white decorative stones Oase has on their website to help with the aesthetics. Thanks for all your help.
@@AB-oq8qe As long as you can easily move the stones out of the way to allow you to properly clean the tank (with a gravel cleaner) it's all good but an under gravel system generally wouldn't have large stones over the substrate.
We’ve just got our tank set up using your filter upgrade despite purchasing the kit last year! How long does it take for gel balls to seed the biogravel with bacteria? And what are the chances that the biogravel is too deep and is restricting the water flow in the tank do you think? The water is cloudy and our nitrite level is increasing (ammonia and ph have improved!)
(I'm assuming that you're doing a fishless cycle since there is no mention of fish). If ammonia has gone down and nitrite is rising then that is the cycle in action. The nitrite will come down over the next few days and both ammonia and nitrite will hit zero. As long as you're not using a conditioner which will mess with the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (e.g. prime) the cycle will complete and then you can start introducing fish. Water gets through the Biogravel substrate with no problems since each piece of media is roughly sphere shaped. Ring me any time with questions as I often miss comments on UA-cam. Regards, Richard 07772848730
(my other channel) The Biorbs are generally not good for growing plants but the likes of Java moss, Java fern, Anubias and moss balls will do well enough even with the limitations of the lighting. Plants grow fine in the Biogravel as a substrate but the limitations of the light will restrict success to easy care plants if you want an easy to maintain tank (something which can be cleaned using the gravel cleaner). Hope that makes sense. Regards, Richard
Hi, do i need to repurchase the sponge kit filter when it needs replacing? With normal biorb filter it recommends every 4 weeks to replace, with your kit would i need to keep repurchasing the kit every month? Thanks
They are a bit too big for a substrate as you'll still get the same problems associated with food and fish waste being lost down under the media and it will be difficult to clean such a big media when using a gravel cleaner. It can be a decent filter media in the absence of anything else but as a substrate the clay balls are too big to work like gravel or the Biogravel shown in this video.
Thank you very much for this video and for giving these fish a chance to live properly in this “aquarium”. According to your method, is it possible to add a technical soil for shrimp on top of the Biohome or do you advise against this ? THANKS ❤
As the substrate needs to be cleaned using a gravel cleaner anything you add on top of the Biogravel will get mixed up - an under gravel system is no good for mixing different types of media.
I don't charge for the templates and instructions - just send an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk and tell me which templates / instructions you need and I will send them out no worries.
Hi, thanks for the educational video. I have 5 Biorb tanks that I wish to upgrade the media. I’ve purchased enough Biomedia for two of them, but I can’t afford enough for all five tanks at once. Is there a cheaper alternative?
You could just go with aquarium gravel covering the foams. You'd get all the benefits of a normal under gravel system minus the nitrate reduction unless you use something porous like good quality crushed lava rock.
Hello Richard, interesting video. Could you not have used the center part removed the bottom sponge to make the final small ring sponge? Or maybe it was too small.
Hello I have got a question. Which filter would you recommend for 600 l tank. Fish: 5 adult Doscus, only. Fx6 will be enough? Or would you recommended other? Thank you for Your answer in advance. Krzysztof
Hi, You can call Richard on his telephone number. He doesn't answer texts. An FX6 is good for 5 discus. Live plants, deep substrate, etc will all help too.
I have the cube 30 lt, I wonder if the foam setup should be cut as a circle around the filter or square shape or doesn’t matter. Thk for the view very helpful.
(my other account) If you cut it as a square you will need less media to cover the foams compared to cutting the foams square. I'd say go for square and save the money on the media - no point spending more than you need. The smaller the foams are the more media you will need for the tank.
(my other account) Yes, mot plants are fine planted directly into the Biogravel but the lighting in the Biorb limits the species which will do well - go for 'easy care' varieties of plants which don't need good lights - good species are Java fern, Java moss, Vallis, Moss balls, Anubias and anything else with dark leaves. Avoid anything with red or purple leaves as they need really bright light and often need extra nutrients and CO2.
There are a couple of options and most people go for a block of foam about 1/2" smaller than the tank base to allow the media to hide the foams. I have pictures of each method on the FilterPro site www.filterpro.co.uk on the Filter Kits page (Biorb LIfe / Flow kit).
I think the base area of the 15 litre is the same as the 30 litre? If so then it will take around 2kg of the Biogravel if you use the foams pushed together to make a flat 'block' just smaller than the base size.
I have two 30l biorbs which I have aquascaped and got rid of the internal filtration altogether and now run them on two small canister filters. The inlet and outlet pipes I replaced with soft tubing, stuck to the inner curved walls with suction cups then connected them to two hard plastic U bends over the lip of the orb then 12mm soft tubing down to the all pond solutions EF-150 canister filter and added a 12mm ball valve to reduce the inflow. and they look and work amazing but a bit hard to get in and trim the plants.
@@cindys.4409 I have 2 classics and no drilling but I got rid of the lid and use aqua plant lights clipped to the rim of the orb and then cut lids from perspex, works great, all the stuff I got off of eBay although I think the lights were off Amazon.
@@rushman4173 Thank you for your response. I'd love the 105 Liter, but they're SO hard to find in the U.S. I am also curious at what height do you have your filtration tubes?
They are on the 'downloads' page of the FilterPro site but just send me an email asking for templates and I'll send them no worries. There are templates and instructions for 15, 30 and 60 litre biorbs. My email is sales@filterpro.co.uk
Very good vid. I do have a ? Do you have any videos on the best way to pimp a pond pressure filter? I recently bought one and it has a course foam in the pump and some cut up plastic in the canister and thats it. If so can you direct me to them please? and thank you.
Hi! I am breaking out my old baby Biorb and doesn’t look like you ship to the states so hoping you may can send me the dimensions of the cutout possibly to try to make my own?
(my other channel) I ship all over the world but we have a main distributor in the US - Greatwave Engineering - direct link is US flag at the top of every page on the FilterPro site. That will save you heaps on shipping. Send me an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk and I'll send you the templates and instructions back no worries. Best of luck with the tank. Regards, Richard
Hi, could u please do a video on how to achieve crystal clear water for biorbs please. Im a newbie trying to do my research before purchasing. Thanks in advance
Installing a proper filter system as demonstrated in this video is a major step toward perfect water but as long as you keep the tank out of sunlight it should stay clear (not necessarily healthy) with the standard set up.
(my other channel) Dear Gary, That is a tank which I'm not too familiar with so I'm a bit stuck with recommendations. However if you didn't want to upgrade the filtration in the bottom of the tank (which is the easiest way to get perfect water) you may want to consider the Fluval U3 or U4. Most internal filters don't have much provision for good media but the U series strikes a good balance of features / foams / media. Regards, Richard
@@garywilson331 So it is an orb shaped tank, the one you have? In that case it would just be set up with a foam type of under gravel filtration. You'd need 17" x 23" foams (which I don't sell) as the outer foams and assuming it was somewhere near the orb shape of the 105 litre you'd need 5kg of Biogravel to properly cover the foams. Regards, Richard
(my other channel) My phone number and email is always in the video description and pinned comment. If you're in the UK just phone as I get a nation of emails and sometimes can't get to them all.
Why don’t you make the filters for these biorbs and sell them on Etsy?! I’m contemplating buying a biorb tube but put off by their filter and the ones I’ve seen you make don’t look easy to maintain if all the gravel sits on them.
(my other channel) The maintenance on this system is as simple as using a gravel cleaner once a week to remove uneaten food and fish waste from the substrate just as you'd do with any other tank. With regards to the Etsy selling I had considered it but since I have my own website (FilterPro) which has a direct link to it in every video description and pinned comment I didn't go any further down the road of selling on Etsy. I currently don't have a kit on he website for the tube Biorb but I did cover one of them (35 litre) in a previous video in this series. It was a very expensive job to upgrade that one since the base area was so big but the more modern tube tanks have a smaller base area and need less media. If you haven't bought the tank already I'd say avoid the tube tanks and go for the Flow / Life version as they are much more practical and better for fish. I have upgrade kits on the website for them too.
I recently Purchased some Biogravel and was wondering how well it grows plants. I haven't been able to find any information on this. Should I cap/mix it with some aqua substrate? I'll end up making two different tanks if I can't find an answer
Just got the 30 version, having koi fish and looking after filters I couldn’t believe the constant cartridge changing, have already used my own media and carbon but still the filtration looks inadequate, just ordered your kit, looks great 👍
(my other channel) Sorry, the video description and pinned comment information is so long that the link to the website is easy to miss: Filter Kits, Foams, Biohome, Biogravel etc: www.filterpro.co.uk All the kits are on the 'Filter Kits' page. Regards, Richard
I put a link to the FilterPro site in the video description and pinned comment but they don't show on all devices. I have all the filter kits on the 'Filter Kits' page of my website: www.filterpro.co.uk Regards, Richard
just looking to come back to keeping tropical fish, but why are you now looking to do water changes weekly when in the 80s it was twice a year if not annually have the fish become as soft as the humans?
People are ridiculously soft now and there is no denying that fact. However, any tank would ideally be cleaned once a week using a gravel cleaner to remove uneaten food and fish waste to keep the tank pollution low and to keep the water healthy with fresh water entering every week to re-mineralise the tank. Filtration is everything.
wow this is amazing! i wish i could purchase but i’m from america i really see this helpful and useful for my biorb fistank i currently have fish in but i’ve done my research and i want to put real plants the substrate they provide and filtration is horrible this would really help i was so close to purchasing but i’m in the U.S this is so so helpful though !! thank you for this video and what you sell and do
Hi Richard. How are you Sir? I always say, when it comes to filtration, it is wiser to go for more than recommended to avoid so many fatalities and. Great video Sir. I gave it the 94th big Thumbs up. Thankyou very much for sharing. Take care Sir. 👍🙂❤️
Interesting history on BiOrb, it is sad these big companies don’t put fish welfare before profit! I was wondering if your modifications reduces the number of fish ? Well I mean I guess not coz you will have a better filtration system. I was cutting a fine foam pad for my filter and sliced right through my finger, it was bad! I have a Fluval Flex 57l now and would love to see what you would do with that filter system. I agree with you filtration is everything. If you don’t get the biological cycle right you always end up with dead fish! I usually rate Fluval for great filters etc but some of their new tanks are going down the cartridge type system aka huge after sales market. I am currently using some of your bio home in my Flex but think bio gravel would be better. You can by plastic upgrade media trays for the flex on EBay but they are very expensive…. Do you find visibility an issue with the Perspex tank?
We had some issues with a forum member a few months back running a biorb. Wish this video had been around so we could have referred them too. Ill post a link on their thread, maybe they will see it, but it will be useful for others members should they search up similar issues and they can refer to your video.
There is no comment from you on the last video and I have had no communication from you regarding this. My phone number and email is in every video description and pinned comment - I can't recall ever having a phone call regarding this and your name doesn't come up in any email searches. The last video is on a solar powered pond filter and is totally unrelated to biorbs - feel free to ring any time, that's why I post my phone number so people can phone me any time. The 'filters' in a Biorb when upgraded are simply foams under the Biogravel which is easily cleaned using a gravel cleaner so they can't get clogged or 'disgusting' - therefore I'm not sure where you're coming from with the above comment. With regard to answering comments I have well over 1000 videos on my channel and UA-cam doesn't send me notifications due to the sheer amount which would need to be sent. That's why I give out my phone number so people can phone me any time for a quick answer to a question / problem - How many people making videos on here actually want to speak to people and help them with issues and questions arriving from their videos? Not many.....
Looks like someone deleted it.. Nice to see you actually replying this year... Still stupid idea leaving filters full of crap in tank for 6 months... And it was a nightmare getting tank clean again.. Thanks
@@craigirving5540 'Actually replying this year'? As I mentioned in the previous reply I have over 1000 videos on UA-cam and cannot keep up with the comments as there simply are not enough hours in the day - if you made videos for your channel you would understand that to some degree. That's why I always give out my phone number and email - UA-cam is not my life and I do not spend all day fannying about on phones or computers as that is counter-productive to real life, hence offering instant answers to anyone who phones me as that's the way to sort out any potential problems, misunderstandings and enquiries on a one-to-one basis where I can answer a multitude of questions in an efficient manner. I still can't find an order from you or an email and with regard to your previous comment, it 'Looks like someone deleted it' I only ever delete comments if they are nonsense spam or abusive which get caught by the UA-cam filters for obscenity (swearing etc.) or spam links. Even so, I can't remember seeing a previous comment from you let alone deleting one since I want everything I post on here to be questioned and challenged - that's how people (including myself) learn. It would have been much easier for me to simply delete your comment but I chose to answer in an attempt to help which it sounds like you do not want. Finally, with regard to the 'stupid idea leaving filters full of crap in tank for 6 months' I'm with you on that which Is why I recommend cleaning the upgraded Biorb weekly using a suitable gravel cleaner just as you would with any under gravel system - that's basic tank maintenance and essential to remove any fish waste and uneaten food from the system. Leaving a tank or any filter until it gets filthy and expecting it to magically clean itself is asking for problems
I really despise the additional after sales mentality. So it's satisfying to avoid that. I have several filters that need fine pads replaced regularely, I've bought polyester batting for upholsery in a sewing shop, for the price of maybe 5-10 brand after sales replacements I can cut literally hundreds instead, making them both a fraction of the price in addition to the feel good of deprive the industry of it's after sale robbery tactics. This setup seems very nice, although it uses a WAY overabundance of biogravel usually recommended... this filter for a 15 liter tank uses the amount of biogravel usually recommended for a 150 liter tank. Mixing a smaller amount of biogravel with a much cheaper pumice or chrushed lava rock would make this setup so much cheaper and still extremely effective.
The amount of media needed as a substrate is dictated by the base size, hence the different amounts used in the various sized Biorbs. There is a difference recommending an amount for filtration and recommending an amount as a substrate: Filtration. 1kg per 100 litres (normal stock) to 2kg per 100 litres (heavy stock) and that is based on how much media is needed to provide the habitat for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to grow to a population which will process ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Substrate. Base area of tank x depth of substrate x 1000 = litres of substrate (then converted into kilos) and that is independent of any filtering considerations since the base size dictates the amount of substrate needed to cover it to the required depth. However, by using porous media as a substrate the filtering capacity will be way beyond anything required for filtration so mixing with something else to save money is no problem if you want to go down that route. I hope that makes sense.
Biorb 15 aquarium (Amazon): geni.us/HMn7
Apologies for the length of this video - I got carried away but there are time stamps below for easy navigation.
Skip the history lesson if you're not interested - the existing Biorb filtration starts at 08:54 and the upgrade starts at 15:37.
Filter Kits, Foams, Biohome, Biogravel etc: www.filterpro.co.uk
(FilterPro site has links to Biohome suppliers in other countries)
Eheim Substrat Pro: geni.us/98euQaB
Follow me on Odysee: odysee.com/$/invite/@PondGuru:0
Contact me on 07772848730 / sales@filterpro.co.uk
*******(I don't do texts)*******
The Biorb tanks have been around for ages and have had NO upgrades to the filtration since the day they were launched which frustrates the living urins out of me ..... Aaaarrrggghh ....... Oase know that millions of fish die every year in the Biorb tanks yet continue to adopt the model of 'After Sales Potential' - basically profit over health ...... are they owned by Pfizer? (Shizer) ...... maybe, lol
'Mr. X' needs to sort this mess out.....
I've backed Oase and dealt with them for well over 20 years - the vast majority of my pond videos use Oase pumps and filters because they are AWESOME but the Biorb filtration system????......damn, it needs an upgrade and now you've got it.....
Amount of Biogravel in each kit is as follows:
1.5kg - 15 litre Orb / Halo
2kg - 30 litre Biorb / Halo
3.5kg - 60 litre Biorb / Halo
3.5kg - 15, 30, 60 litre Flow
3.5kg - 15, 30, 45, 60 litre Life
I don't do a kit for the 105 Orb but it takes 5kg Biogravel to properly cover the foams.
The amount of Biogravel needed is based on the tank base area since it is being used as a substrate in an under gravel filter system - with this system (using Biogravel) you are effectively creating a highly efficient, safe and easy-to-maintain super filter which replicates a living deep sand bed which will process ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for a FULL CYCLE.
*TIME STAMPS*
00:00 Intro
00:28 My history with Biorbs and Oase
07:30 The Biorb disasters
08:54 How the Biorbs come set up from manufacturer
15:37 The new and improved set up
32:16 The water conditioner issue
34:08 Inside the Biorb
34:41 Other media options
36:56 Other Biorb kits available online
38:11 Outro
The following videos will be useful for learning more about filtration and filter media:
Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un
Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c
Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF
How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh
Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj
A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere.
Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what Biohome filter media does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios:
(1 US Gallon = 3.8 litres)
(1kg = 2.2 lbs)
Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres
Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres
Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres
Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres
You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat.
Remember to use a water conditioner which does not bind / detoxify ammonia, nitrite or nitrate as that type of conditioner will severely limit bacteria numbers by starving the bacteria of 'food'.
Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'.....you'll spend less money on treatments too......basically the filter is the foundation of a successful aquarium.
This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity
We all are on a long path of learning.........
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/
Feel free to share or link any of my videos on FBIbook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching.
See you next time.
Pondguru
Hey can you do a video for the fluval flex 9 or 15? I think they have the exact same filter system. Or what would you recommended be done?
@@deantarricone1855 The best way to upgrade those filters is to buy the plastic inserts so that the foams can be placed horizontally in the first section followed by the media followed by the pump in last section.
Is there a video on the tube filter kit? If not, I'd like to request that you do one so we can see how it works. Thanks!
@@chosen2030 If you search for 'Pimp my Filter Biorb Tube' it will come up but the 35 is very uneconomical to upgrade due to the huge base area compared to the 30 litre tube.
I just finally bit the bullet after many years on the fence with the born. I love plants as much as fish and this beautiful tank stocked hates plants and fish. Your filter solution is going to help the fish and plants and I have an extra submersible light that I hope will help with lighting. If not I am going to modify the lid to get a better light for plants. I’m so excited!
The standard light is OK for easy-care species of plants e.g. Amazon Sword, Amazon Fern, Anubias, Moss balls, Vallis etc. but for anything more exotic you'll need more light although the highly aerated environment and constantly disturbed surface isn't good for many plants.
Best of luck with the tank.
Just ordered my kit this evening. This video helped me realise how awful that volcanic crap is. I see that Biorb have started copying your idea of the small beads.
But i will not fork out their prices.
Thanks for the order - with regard to the balls Biorb have come up with they are way too large to be cleaned using a gravel cleaner and since they aren't used over foams or an under gravel plate the water still finds the easiest route making 90% of them pointless, lol
I remember watching the biorb upgrade video you did a while back 👍 bought the kit with the biogravel, worked a treat.
Better yet, get a real fish tank and get the biorb into the skip
@@danm8004 its sold now. Was fine at the time but now onto a bigger better more efficient setup.
This was my first tank. I had absolutely zero clue about filtration and took Oase at face value while reading the description of biorbs. Figured the price and a brand as big as Oase meant it was all true.
Found your channel through finding cures to my dead fish and biorb information. My mind was blown like the first time doing acid. An entire wealth of filter knowledged poured into my brain. My opened third eye now sees straight through the crap aquarium youtubers and filter companies peddle. I am an arbiter of filtration now. Biohome, BCB, slow moving plenums, coarse/medium/fine foams, and emergent plants I control my microcosms with grace. I can create the perfect conditons for fish health, plant growth, and tank longevity.
I am a God to my fish, and I am benevolent...
Richard is a gift to aquarists, and will not mislead you. Listen to him and learn his truths
Im high af lol
RIP DANIOS
Never forgiven Oase
lol, great comment, man.
Gave me a laugh first thing this morning and it's a good way start the day.
Best of luck with the tanks and RIP danios.
What a nice fella....... so good when talking to camera.. lots of good wishes
Thanks for the compliment and I'm glad you found the video useful.
Great video, very informative and helpful. Just ordered your kit online for my 60l Life, cheers!
Groovy - thanks for the order. As far as I can tell it went out on Friday so it should be with you on Monday.
This is awesome 😎 Can’t wait to get one for my 4 gal. Thank you for this!
Nice one - best of luck with the tank.
After watching Richard's videos about the Biorb and having owned two but never been able to get good water quality, I always thought it was my water; so I bought the Biorb Life30 kit from Filterpro. It has now been nearly two years since I have had the media and filter system in my tank, and the water quality is incredible. I still do water changes but never on a weekly scale nor monthly and still the water is perfect (I do check the quality though), I also hoover. I tell everybody about the filtration system from Filterpro, my friend is now thinking about having another one now she has watched the video tonight, she too had the problems with her previous tank. Only thing that has happened to me, was earlier today my little fantail decided to take a swim down the tube and had to be rescued. The tube and centre filter is now sitting in a bucket and am thinking now not to put it back in, especially as it looks better without it. However, am worried that the centre part really needs the fine foam inside it for fine filtration, maybe I could just stuff it under the anchor I have to hold it down? A big Thank You to Richard for helping me at the beginning setting it up and for designing this system to help our fish 😍
I'm glad that the upgrade system is working well for you - it turns the orb of death into a self-sustaining orb of life.
Hi Richard would be awesome to see a filter review where they measure actual flow with all the stock media in vs what is written on the box
I crushed my grog with a hammer into 3mm pieces. It worked a treat.☺️
Oase has started selling a new media called Pearl media. I recently replaced the media that came with the tank for it. Watching your video the pearl media looks a lot like your Biorb gravel except it’s a different color and they are all uniform in size. I always hated their original media. I’m in the US.
Unfortunately the 'pearl' media is far too large to be of any use as the only problem it solves between that and the original media is that it is smooth instead of having sharp edges.
Food (and fish) still gets stuck under the pearl media and it is just as bad to clean properly (with a gravel cleaner) since it is much too large.
See how it goes but I was very disappointed when I saw them release that stuff for sale.
Should be able to use a vacuum to suck out that one piece of bio gravel - for the OCD folks.
Sir, you are the best thing about UA-cam. Truly a man who knows his stuff. I gave up on two Biorbs because they scratch like buggery, any suggestions how to get them out? Cheers Malcolm
Oh no, if I'm the best thing about UA-cam it's no wonder it is a doomed platform, lol.
Unfortunately once the tanks are scratched they will always be scratched but when filled with water the scratches will hardly be noticeable when the tank is filled with water.
I know the grave vac will clean the foams but what about the medium it takes more effort to clean gravel vac won’t be enough wouldn’t it involve tearing down the tank eventually also 2 course would be easier like you did years ago
Iv had this thought for a while but when you showed them how to fix the filtration the after sales could be putting carbon and floss in the central filter and that could be the after sales and customers replacing it once a month but one thing I would like to know is does alphagrog support anaerobic bacteria cos I watched another guy he said it did cos he’s used it just takes longer
With regard to the Alfagrog you need to use your own eyes and common sense - it would help to watch the video called 'Looking Inside Filter Media' where I show the structure of lots of types of filter media.
Just by using eyes to look at filter media and considering the conditions inside a normal filter it is obvious that a filter media which has the vast majority of its surface area externally cannot support anaerobic bacteria as the environment it will be growing in is all aerobic.
However, if the surrounding water is deoxygenated (e.g. very slow flow filter / nitrate reactor) then any media will support anaerobic bacteria as the environment there is suitable for that type of bacteria.
Great Video! Super smart!
I am in the USA. I was given I believe 8 or 10-gallon Biorb fish tank. In the box of supplies given with tank were glass balls... small mulit-colored. I put them at the bottom of the tank and then put the ceramic media over them. It seems to be filtering. Do you think it is OK to leave until I change. I just set up all fish and are luckily living.
Apologies for all questions as I want to eventually buy you system also Do I need the air stone? I don't have it. I have a fake tree covering thr air tube middle of tank seems air pushes off side. Thanks
(my other channel) Send me some pictures of how you've set it up to sales@filterpro.co.uk and I will help you wherever I can.
Regards,
Richard
Have you done the 45 life I tried to copy from one of your previous videos kinda worked ( better at keeping lizards than fish ) but would like to see if I need to done things differently using aquasoil as a substitute for substrate.
I have a biorb life and Richard's kit works brillliantly. Water quality is now superb
I had a question and forgive me as I’m new to this. I’m looking at getting the 30L Biorb Halo and doing your setup for a Betta fish. Instead of Biogravel I was looking at using Seachem Matrix and capping it off with a layer of smooth fluorite glass pebbles for aesthetics. Would this setup still work? Thanks in advance.
If you're trying to create an under gravel system like I've done here any substrate you use will end up getting mixed together since the system is cleaned using a gravel cleaner.
Using the small pumice ('matrix') is no problem since it will do the job of ordinary aquarium gravel but ideally you'd use something which is good for bacteria to colonize and not white in color since white substrate tends to bleach out the color of the fish. A darker substrate is always better for fish color.
If you want to build a cheaper (and less effective) version of the set up shown in the video you'd definitely be better off using ordinary aquarium gravel as opposed to pumice due to the color problems associated with white pumice.
Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it. I had one other question. Since the white pumice doesn’t seem to be good for the setup could I use the alpha grog that came with it over the foam and then put a layer of the fluorite glass pebbles over that to make the bottom smooth. I understand it would get mixed up when cleaning but the alpha grog is bigger and easier to separate (or I could just be creating a giant headache for myself 🤷♂️) but would it still provide the same biological filter while covering the large holes and gaps and sharp surfaces that are associated with the alpha grog?
@@AB-oq8qe The reason for switching from the Alfagrog to the small gravel substrate is to make it easy to clean. Adding Alfagrog over foams won't make it any easier to clean.
An under gravel system relies on having some sort of small substrate over the top of the foams in the Biorb or over the under gravel plate in a traditional tank.
If you use large substrate over the foams you will not be able to clean the system properly.
Hope that makes sense.
Thanks for your response. That makes sense to me now. I’ll probably order the biogravel and then use the white decorative stones Oase has on their website to help with the aesthetics. Thanks for all your help.
@@AB-oq8qe As long as you can easily move the stones out of the way to allow you to properly clean the tank (with a gravel cleaner) it's all good but an under gravel system generally wouldn't have large stones over the substrate.
We’ve just got our tank set up using your filter upgrade despite purchasing the kit last year! How long does it take for gel balls to seed the biogravel with bacteria? And what are the chances that the biogravel is too deep and is restricting the water flow in the tank do you think? The water is cloudy and our nitrite level is increasing (ammonia and ph have improved!)
(I'm assuming that you're doing a fishless cycle since there is no mention of fish).
If ammonia has gone down and nitrite is rising then that is the cycle in action. The nitrite will come down over the next few days and both ammonia and nitrite will hit zero.
As long as you're not using a conditioner which will mess with the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (e.g. prime) the cycle will complete and then you can start introducing fish.
Water gets through the Biogravel substrate with no problems since each piece of media is roughly sphere shaped.
Ring me any time with questions as I often miss comments on UA-cam.
Regards,
Richard 07772848730
With the setup like this how would you grow plants? Can you use a smaller amount of the bio gravel and use some active media for plants?
(my other channel) The Biorbs are generally not good for growing plants but the likes of Java moss, Java fern, Anubias and moss balls will do well enough even with the limitations of the lighting.
Plants grow fine in the Biogravel as a substrate but the limitations of the light will restrict success to easy care plants if you want an easy to maintain tank (something which can be cleaned using the gravel cleaner).
Hope that makes sense.
Regards,
Richard
Hi, do i need to repurchase the sponge kit filter when it needs replacing? With normal biorb filter it recommends every 4 weeks to replace, with your kit would i need to keep repurchasing the kit every month? Thanks
you my friend, are a legend
I'm not sure about that but I do my best.
Hi, is it possible to use hydroponic clay balls as the media? Just asking because I have a supply of them at home. Thanks!
They are a bit too big for a substrate as you'll still get the same problems associated with food and fish waste being lost down under the media and it will be difficult to clean such a big media when using a gravel cleaner.
It can be a decent filter media in the absence of anything else but as a substrate the clay balls are too big to work like gravel or the Biogravel shown in this video.
Thank you very much for this video and for giving these fish a chance to live properly in this “aquarium”. According to your method, is it possible to add a technical soil for shrimp on top of the Biohome or do you advise against this ?
THANKS ❤
As the substrate needs to be cleaned using a gravel cleaner anything you add on top of the Biogravel will get mixed up - an under gravel system is no good for mixing different types of media.
@@pondguru I see, thank you for your answer 😊
Hi do you sell the templates for a bio orb 60 seperate ? I sourced all media and foam before I found this video and realised you sell kits
I don't charge for the templates and instructions - just send an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk and tell me which templates / instructions you need and I will send them out no worries.
Hey Richard I have a quick question. I have a 55 gallon goldfish tank and I want to use biogravel as the substrate. How much do you suggest I use.
Hi, thanks for the educational video. I have 5 Biorb tanks that I wish to upgrade the media. I’ve purchased enough Biomedia for two of them, but I can’t afford enough for all five tanks at once. Is there a cheaper alternative?
You could just go with aquarium gravel covering the foams. You'd get all the benefits of a normal under gravel system minus the nitrate reduction unless you use something porous like good quality crushed lava rock.
Hello Richard, interesting video.
Could you not have used the center part removed the bottom sponge to make the final small ring sponge? Or maybe it was too small.
I almost bought one of those today and I. SO glad I came across your video to remind me to be aware of that death zone...✌
Hello
I have got a question. Which filter would you recommend for 600 l tank. Fish: 5 adult Doscus, only. Fx6 will be enough? Or would you recommended other? Thank you for Your answer in advance. Krzysztof
Hi, You can call Richard on his telephone number. He doesn't answer texts. An FX6 is good for 5 discus. Live plants, deep substrate, etc will all help too.
@@naturallyscaped1135 Thank you👍
I have the cube 30 lt, I wonder if the foam setup should be cut as a circle around the filter or square shape or doesn’t matter. Thk for the view very helpful.
(my other account) If you cut it as a square you will need less media to cover the foams compared to cutting the foams square. I'd say go for square and save the money on the media - no point spending more than you need. The smaller the foams are the more media you will need for the tank.
Richard I’m looking for a 6 foot aquarium .
Any recommendation shops ?
Thank you
Can you add plants into the bio media, or does the bio media need to be capped with soil or substrate?
(my other account) Yes, mot plants are fine planted directly into the Biogravel but the lighting in the Biorb limits the species which will do well - go for 'easy care' varieties of plants which don't need good lights - good species are Java fern, Java moss, Vallis, Moss balls, Anubias and anything else with dark leaves. Avoid anything with red or purple leaves as they need really bright light and often need extra nutrients and CO2.
I’ll be upgrading my 105l what diameter sizes do I cut the upper and lower doughnuts as per your previous video. I have 17x 25 wide foams.
how would i do it for the other shapes? cover the entire bottom with the filter foam or just so far around the filter?
There are a couple of options and most people go for a block of foam about 1/2" smaller than the tank base to allow the media to hide the foams.
I have pictures of each method on the FilterPro site www.filterpro.co.uk on the Filter Kits page (Biorb LIfe / Flow kit).
Great video you're a legend!
Great content . I use Seachem Prime on my water change. Is this a bad thing
What would be the best media for bottom tier fish like catfish etc would biohome be too sharp?
Doesn’t pumice raise the ph if you use a lot?
Hence the recommendation to only use it for marine, cichlids and livebearers.
How much biogravel will be required for the Biorb tube 15 lt ? Thk for the video
I think the base area of the 15 litre is the same as the 30 litre? If so then it will take around 2kg of the Biogravel if you use the foams pushed together to make a flat 'block' just smaller than the base size.
I have two 30l biorbs which I have aquascaped and got rid of the internal filtration altogether and now run them on two small canister filters. The inlet and outlet pipes I replaced with soft tubing, stuck to the inner curved walls with suction cups then connected them to two hard plastic U bends over the lip of the orb then 12mm soft tubing down to the all pond solutions EF-150 canister filter and added a 12mm ball valve to reduce the inflow. and they look and work amazing but a bit hard to get in and trim the plants.
I'd love to see pictures! I want a biorb to aquascape, but not sure how to do it with this method of filtration.
Do you have the classic or halo biorb? Your method didn't require drilling, did it?
@@cindys.4409 I have 2 classics and no drilling but I got rid of the lid and use aqua plant lights clipped to the rim of the orb and then cut lids from perspex, works great, all the stuff I got off of eBay although I think the lights were off Amazon.
@@cindys.4409To add to earlier replies I have two 30-litre orbs I wouldn't try it in the small one.
@@rushman4173 Thank you for your response. I'd love the 105 Liter, but they're SO hard to find in the U.S. I am also curious at what height do you have your filtration tubes?
Do you do kits for the Aqua One AquaNano 40 please?
Have you ever pimped the Qubiq 60 pro
I understand the kits available on the website, but what about the template, where can i find that please?
They are on the 'downloads' page of the FilterPro site but just send me an email asking for templates and I'll send them no worries. There are templates and instructions for 15, 30 and 60 litre biorbs.
My email is sales@filterpro.co.uk
Why is the bowl so cloudy?
It is an old tank with a nation of fine scratches - when filled with water they won't be noticeable.
Very good vid. I do have a ? Do you have any videos on the best way to pimp a pond pressure filter? I recently bought one and it has a course foam in the pump and some cut up plastic in the canister and thats it. If so can you direct me to them please? and thank you.
Hi! I am breaking out my old baby Biorb and doesn’t look like you ship to the states so hoping you may can send me the dimensions of the cutout possibly to try to make my own?
(my other channel) I ship all over the world but we have a main distributor in the US - Greatwave Engineering - direct link is US flag at the top of every page on the FilterPro site. That will save you heaps on shipping.
Send me an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk and I'll send you the templates and instructions back no worries.
Best of luck with the tank.
Regards,
Richard
Thanks so much. This entire video is so helpful!
Hi, could u please do a video on how to achieve crystal clear water for biorbs please. Im a newbie trying to do my research before purchasing. Thanks in advance
Installing a proper filter system as demonstrated in this video is a major step toward perfect water but as long as you keep the tank out of sunlight it should stay clear (not necessarily healthy) with the standard set up.
Can you grow live plants in this media?
Yes no worries.
iv heard from many people and random sellers that round bowls are not good for fish. they may be disoriented.
It's probably the worst shape of tank available due to the lack of available swimming space - always better with a rectangle tank.
What filter can I use in a biorb 115 I won't to put aqua soil in it to plant real plants but unsure on filter
(my other channel)
Dear Gary,
That is a tank which I'm not too familiar with so I'm a bit stuck with recommendations. However if you didn't want to upgrade the filtration in the bottom of the tank (which is the easiest way to get perfect water) you may want to consider the Fluval U3 or U4. Most internal filters don't have much provision for good media but the U series strikes a good balance of features / foams / media.
Regards,
Richard
The 115 is same as the 60 same filter just bigger
115ltrs not 60
@@garywilson331 So it is an orb shaped tank, the one you have?
In that case it would just be set up with a foam type of under gravel filtration. You'd need 17" x 23" foams (which I don't sell) as the outer foams and assuming it was somewhere near the orb shape of the 105 litre you'd need 5kg of Biogravel to properly cover the foams.
Regards,
Richard
Yeah orb shaped would that work with aqua soul on top and then caped with gravel
So informative. Any chance I can message you privately about another issue?
(my other channel) My phone number and email is always in the video description and pinned comment. If you're in the UK just phone as I get a nation of emails and sometimes can't get to them all.
Why don’t you make the filters for these biorbs and sell them on Etsy?! I’m contemplating buying a biorb tube but put off by their filter and the ones I’ve seen you make don’t look easy to maintain if all the gravel sits on them.
(my other channel) The maintenance on this system is as simple as using a gravel cleaner once a week to remove uneaten food and fish waste from the substrate just as you'd do with any other tank.
With regards to the Etsy selling I had considered it but since I have my own website (FilterPro) which has a direct link to it in every video description and pinned comment I didn't go any further down the road of selling on Etsy.
I currently don't have a kit on he website for the tube Biorb but I did cover one of them (35 litre) in a previous video in this series. It was a very expensive job to upgrade that one since the base area was so big but the more modern tube tanks have a smaller base area and need less media. If you haven't bought the tank already I'd say avoid the tube tanks and go for the Flow / Life version as they are much more practical and better for fish. I have upgrade kits on the website for them too.
Do you have a video showing how you clean this type of filter setup? Does it eventually need to be replaced?
I recently Purchased some Biogravel and was wondering how well it grows plants. I haven't been able to find any information on this. Should I cap/mix it with some aqua substrate? I'll end up making two different tanks if I can't find an answer
Just got the 30 version, having koi fish and looking after filters I couldn’t believe the constant cartridge changing, have already used my own media and carbon but still the filtration looks inadequate, just ordered your kit, looks great 👍
Hi I can't find the link to buy this kit could someone share it please? I need it for my 60 litre. Thank you
(my other channel) Sorry, the video description and pinned comment information is so long that the link to the website is easy to miss:
Filter Kits, Foams, Biohome, Biogravel etc: www.filterpro.co.uk
All the kits are on the 'Filter Kits' page.
Regards,
Richard
Love both your channels, I’m thinking of getting a BiOrb Cube 30L. Do you have a kit or could you design one for me?
How do I order your bio kit
I put a link to the FilterPro site in the video description and pinned comment but they don't show on all devices.
I have all the filter kits on the 'Filter Kits' page of my website: www.filterpro.co.uk
Regards,
Richard
Thanks as always , great information 👍🏻
What about adding Seachem Matrix to the sides? Would this be a good idea?
As a substrate in place of the Biogravel?
Yes, you can use any sort of small pumice as a substrate.
just looking to come back to keeping tropical fish, but why are you now looking to do water changes weekly when in the 80s it was twice a year if not annually have the fish become as soft as the humans?
People are ridiculously soft now and there is no denying that fact.
However, any tank would ideally be cleaned once a week using a gravel cleaner to remove uneaten food and fish waste to keep the tank pollution low and to keep the water healthy with fresh water entering every week to re-mineralise the tank.
Filtration is everything.
wow this is amazing! i wish i could purchase but i’m from america i really see this helpful and useful for my biorb fistank i currently have fish in but i’ve done my research and i want to put real plants the substrate they provide and filtration is horrible this would really help i was so close to purchasing but i’m in the U.S this is so so helpful though !! thank you for this video and what you sell and do
Hi Pondguru, I almost bought one of those today and I. SO glad I came across your video to remind me to be aware of that death zone... :)
How do I order from you
Dear Mary,
My website is www.filterpro.co.uk and the kits for Biorbs are on the 'Filter Kits' page.
Regards,
Richard
How often should the fine pad in the center be changed?
I noted that you didn’t put any carbon into the filter itself. Do i need to have this ?
filter for Aquael Hexa 60 Aquarium
Do you sell one’ve these upgrade kits for the 105 litre version?
Will the pump need upgrading ?
Hi Richard.
How are you Sir?
I always say, when it comes to filtration, it is wiser to go for more than recommended to avoid so many fatalities and.
Great video Sir.
I gave it the 94th big Thumbs up.
Thankyou very much for sharing.
Take care Sir. 👍🙂❤️
The infamous ball of death. I remember watching the original vid. I’ve got kilos of bio gravel . It’s good stuff
Interesting history on BiOrb, it is sad these big companies don’t put fish welfare before profit! I was wondering if your modifications reduces the number of fish ? Well I mean I guess not coz you will have a better filtration system. I was cutting a fine foam pad for my filter and sliced right through my finger, it was bad! I have a Fluval Flex 57l now and would love to see what you would do with that filter system. I agree with you filtration is everything. If you don’t get the biological cycle right you always end up with dead fish! I usually rate Fluval for great filters etc but some of their new tanks are going down the cartridge type system aka huge after sales market. I am currently using some of your bio home in my Flex but think bio gravel would be better. You can by plastic upgrade media trays for the flex on EBay but they are very expensive…. Do you find visibility an issue with the Perspex tank?
We had some issues with a forum member a few months back running a biorb. Wish this video had been around so we could have referred them too. Ill post a link on their thread, maybe they will see it, but it will be useful for others members should they search up similar issues and they can refer to your video.
Nice one - it's all about sharing ideas so thanks for that.
mr Steve x won't be happy hahahah great video
You should of still had your shop. Quality fish etc. Good advice.
👍
I hate them orbs haha but great video and information as always
Don't do it... I did and filters get clogged with crap... Disgusting.... Told him that on last video he posted and no reply.
There is no comment from you on the last video and I have had no communication from you regarding this. My phone number and email is in every video description and pinned comment - I can't recall ever having a phone call regarding this and your name doesn't come up in any email searches.
The last video is on a solar powered pond filter and is totally unrelated to biorbs - feel free to ring any time, that's why I post my phone number so people can phone me any time.
The 'filters' in a Biorb when upgraded are simply foams under the Biogravel which is easily cleaned using a gravel cleaner so they can't get clogged or 'disgusting' - therefore I'm not sure where you're coming from with the above comment.
With regard to answering comments I have well over 1000 videos on my channel and UA-cam doesn't send me notifications due to the sheer amount which would need to be sent. That's why I give out my phone number so people can phone me any time for a quick answer to a question / problem - How many people making videos on here actually want to speak to people and help them with issues and questions arriving from their videos? Not many.....
Looks like someone deleted it.. Nice to see you actually replying this year... Still stupid idea leaving filters full of crap in tank for 6 months... And it was a nightmare getting tank clean again.. Thanks
@@craigirving5540 'Actually replying this year'?
As I mentioned in the previous reply I have over 1000 videos on UA-cam and cannot keep up with the comments as there simply are not enough hours in the day - if you made videos for your channel you would understand that to some degree.
That's why I always give out my phone number and email - UA-cam is not my life and I do not spend all day fannying about on phones or computers as that is counter-productive to real life, hence offering instant answers to anyone who phones me as that's the way to sort out any potential problems, misunderstandings and enquiries on a one-to-one basis where I can answer a multitude of questions in an efficient manner.
I still can't find an order from you or an email and with regard to your previous comment, it 'Looks like someone deleted it' I only ever delete comments if they are nonsense spam or abusive which get caught by the UA-cam filters for obscenity (swearing etc.) or spam links. Even so, I can't remember seeing a previous comment from you let alone deleting one since I want everything I post on here to be questioned and challenged - that's how people (including myself) learn. It would have been much easier for me to simply delete your comment but I chose to answer in an attempt to help which it sounds like you do not want.
Finally, with regard to the 'stupid idea leaving filters full of crap in tank for 6 months' I'm with you on that which Is why I recommend cleaning the upgraded Biorb weekly using a suitable gravel cleaner just as you would with any under gravel system - that's basic tank maintenance and essential to remove any fish waste and uneaten food from the system.
Leaving a tank or any filter until it gets filthy and expecting it to magically clean itself is asking for problems
If i become rich randomly ill make you a big business'
The bio orbs are a big joke, there is no way to do maintenance on a running tank without removing the fish SMH.
I really despise the additional after sales mentality.
So it's satisfying to avoid that.
I have several filters that need fine pads replaced regularely, I've bought polyester batting for upholsery in a sewing shop, for the price of maybe 5-10 brand after sales replacements I can cut literally hundreds instead, making them both a fraction of the price in addition to the feel good of deprive the industry of it's after sale robbery tactics.
This setup seems very nice, although it uses a WAY overabundance of biogravel usually recommended... this filter for a 15 liter tank uses the amount of biogravel usually recommended for a 150 liter tank.
Mixing a smaller amount of biogravel with a much cheaper pumice or chrushed lava rock would make this setup so much cheaper and still extremely effective.
The amount of media needed as a substrate is dictated by the base size, hence the different amounts used in the various sized Biorbs.
There is a difference recommending an amount for filtration and recommending an amount as a substrate:
Filtration.
1kg per 100 litres (normal stock) to 2kg per 100 litres (heavy stock) and that is based on how much media is needed to provide the habitat for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to grow to a population which will process ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
Substrate.
Base area of tank x depth of substrate x 1000 = litres of substrate (then converted into kilos) and that is independent of any filtering considerations since the base size dictates the amount of substrate needed to cover it to the required depth. However, by using porous media as a substrate the filtering capacity will be way beyond anything required for filtration so mixing with something else to save money is no problem if you want to go down that route.
I hope that makes sense.
Hate these things. Massive scam tank