![biOrb [US]](http://us.biorb.com/cdn/shop/files/biOrb_logo_social.png?v=1641407431){kind=logo}
Creating and maintaining your aquarium is easy if you follow a few basic principles. And remember, fish-keeping does require a little patience, so make sure you take your time and above all, enjoy it. Watch videos and read our helpful tips and tricks to guide, inspire, and inform you while creating and maintaining your underwater world.
AQUARIUM TIPS & TRICKS
Placing your aquarium
Put your aquarium on something solid. It’s sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But a solid and level base for your biOrb is important. biOrbs are light, but water is heavy. How heavy? 1 gallon of water weighs 8 lbs. So, the water in a small 4 gallon tank will weigh around 30 lbs. Don’t be tempted to move any aquarium when it’s full of water. You could put stress fractures into your aquarium and damage the water-tight seals. Plus, lifting wobbly water is a sure-fire way to hurt your back.
Put your aquarium where a houseplant might wither. Sounds odd, but it really is good advice. You should keep any aquarium away from direct sunlight. Sunlight will give you algae problems and will cause fluctuations in the aquariums temperature which is unhealthy for your fish. So, if you’ve got a spot in your home where houseplants suffer, chances are it’s a good place for your aquarium. Try to avoid walkways and doors too. You should also keep it away from sources of heat like radiators and don’t place it on anything electrical.
Fishkeeping Basics
Adding fish to a freshwater biOrb
Wait 24 hours after setting up your biOrb to add fish. The best advice is to take your time. Don’t be tempted to add too many fish too quickly. Remember that when you add a fish to an aquarium, the aquarium’s bacteria start to multiply to catch up with the waste they produce. Adding fish too quickly will cause high ammonia levels, poisoning the fish.
Take advice from enthusiasts. Chances are, your local aquatic store is run by enthusiasts. Get to know them. Quite often their knowledge of fish is encyclopedic and they’re usually a good source of help and advice. Consult with your local aquatics store to ensure the right fish are gently acclimated to their new home.
Add small fish gradually at a rate of 2 every 28 days. This encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the ceramic media that helps keep water clean.
Keep fish happy and healthy by keeping their home clean. Remember, good fish keepers look after the water, the fish look after themselves. Overfeeding will harm fish and cause the aquarium water to become polluted. Basic routine maintenance is simple to do and very important for the overall health of your biOrb.
Feeding your fish
Overfeeding is the most common mistake new fish keepers make. Fish eat very little and what they don’t eat floats around in the water until it rots. Rotting food affects the water quality, makes the tank dirty and is generally bad news for your fish.
Take advice on how much to feed your fish. Be vigilant and don’t be tempted to over feed. Your fish will be healthier for it and you won’t have to clean up uneaten food.
Going away for a couple of days? Most fish are happy to go without food for a few days without any harm to their health. Don’t be tempted to “put a little extra food in” you’ll only pollute the water. Most fish are fine for up to 10 days.
Pellet or Flake food? We always recommend pellet food for feeding and not flake food. Flake food clogs up your filter and you’ll end up cleaning your tank more often.
Rehoming a Pet Fish
Big or small, furry or scaly... We all love our pets like family. But sometimes circumstances arise, and we're left with no other choice but to find them a new place to live. For the health and safety of your pet and our native wildlife, releasing animals into the wild is never OK. Most pets released into the wild do not survive. If your pet survives, it can become an invasive species that can harm the environment and the economy. If you can no longer care for your pet, visit our Responsible Pet Ownership page for ideas.
Routine Maintenance
Keep your fish happy and your biOrb clean and clear with routine maintenance. Depending on your choice of fish, you may only need around 15 minutes of maintenance per month. Plus, you only need a few key tools to keep it looking great.
Observe fish health and behavior. Are they behaving normally and swimming freely? Feed them if necessary.
Check biOrb for algae and debris. Use the Multi-Cleaning Tool to remove any algae and debris immediately.
Check your equipment. Is the pump running and making bubbles to oxygenate the water?
Change the filter cartridge. biOrb filter cartridges are available in a variety of different kits.
Replace 1/3 of the aquarium water with new water. Use the Cleaner Pump to easily remove debris and siphon out the water. Do not remove the ceramic media from the biOrb.
All aquarium water must be dechlorinated before being added back into any aquarium because chlorine will dissolve fishes’ gills. Use biOrb Water Treatments.
Replace the air stone. Over time, it will become blocked by bacteria and calcification. If you notice the flow of bubbles into your biOrb reducing, then the air stone should be replaced. It only takes a minute and is best done when changing your filter.
Check the one-way valves. Disconnect the airline tube from the Air Pump and lower the airline to a level below the biOrb water line. If water leaks into the airline, either replace the One-way Valve in the biOrb base or fit an additional One-way Valve in the airline 6 inches from the Air Pump.
Maintenance Videos
How to change your aquarium water
How to change your aquarium filter cartridge
How to clean your aquarium
How to change your aquarium air stone
Green Water Problems
Green water is caused by harmless algae, which occurs naturally in healthy aquariums. The best way to prevent green water is to maintain healthy feeding habits and perform regular maintenance. If your aquarium is experiencing green water you want to act quickly and get your biOrb back to being clean and clear.
Here are a few tips on preventing green water problems:
Do partial water changes. Regularly changing some of the water in your biOrb will make your aquarium easier to look after. Water changes dilute harmful nitrates.
Use a testing kit. Green water is sometimes caused by high levels of nitrate and phosphate in tap water. Use a simple water testing kit and get into the habit of testing your aquarium water regularly.
Keep any aquarium away from direct sunlight. Too much sunlight can cause your aquarium water to quickly turn green. Take the necessary steps to safely move your biOrb to a different location with less sunlight. It can also be a good idea to reduce the amount of aquarium lighting to 4 hours per day.
Do not overfeed your fish. Overfeeding is the most common mistake new fish keepers make. Fish eat very little and what they don’t eat floats around in the water until it rots. Rotting food affects the water quality.
Do not overstock your biOrb. Overstocking your biOrb will lead to a polluted and unhealthy environment for your fish.