Aquarium Tips & Tricks

Your guide to aquarium maintenance and fishkeeping basics. Learn routine maintenance, placing your aquarium, and fixing green water problems. Find tips on rehoming a pet fish and explore fish keeping tips and tricks in our videos.

Placing Your Aquarium

On a Stable Base

A stable 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 aquarium will weigh up to 30 lbs. Don’t be tempted to move any aquarium when it’s full of water, for your safety and to maintain the integrity of the tank.

Away from Direct Sunlight

Keep any aquarium away from direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause algae and fluctuations in the aquarium's temperature, which is unhealthy for your fish. Find a shady corner in your home, while trying to avoid walkways and doors. Also keep it away from heat sources, like radiators, and don’t place it on anything electrical.

Adding fish to your aquarium

Choose the right fish

Chances are, your local aquatic store is run by fish enthusiasts, and quite often their knowledge of fish is encyclopedic and a good source for help and advice.

Consult with your local aquatics store to ensure the right fish are gently acclimated to their new home.

Wait 24 hours

Wait at least 24 hours before adding fish. The best advice is to take your time. Don’t be tempted to add too many fish too quickly. Remember: 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.

Two at a time

We recommend adding two small fish every 28 days because it encourages the gradual growth of beneficial bacteria in the ceramic media that helps keep water clean.

Keep their home clean

Experienced fish keepers prioritize water quality. Basic routine maintenance is simple to do and very important for the overall health of your biOrb aquarium.

Choose the right fish

Chances are, your local aquatic store is run by fish enthusiasts, and quite often their knowledge of fish is encyclopedic and a good source for help and advice.

Consult with your local aquatics store to ensure the right fish are gently acclimated to their new home.

Wait 24 hours

Wait at least 24 hours before adding fish. The best advice is to take your time. Don’t be tempted to add too many fish too quickly. Remember: 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.

Two at a time

We recommend adding two small fish every 28 days because it encourages the gradual growth of beneficial bacteria in the ceramic media that helps keep water clean.

Keep their home clean

Experienced fish keepers prioritize water quality. Basic routine maintenance is simple to do and very important for the overall health of your biOrb aquarium.

Fits in biOrb

🐠 Species Suggestions

Remember to always consult with your local aquatics store to ensure the right fish are gently acclimated to their new home.

4-Gallon (15L)

Harlequin Rasbora (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 72-77°F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 8
Cherry Barb (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 74-79°F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 8
Red Eye Tetra (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 72-82°F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Black Neon Tetra (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 72-77°F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 8
Killifish (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 72-75° F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Guppy (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 64-82° F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 8
Danio (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 64-75° F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 2
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 8
Betta (only 1)
  • Temp Range: 75-86° F
  • Max Quantity (15L): 1
  • Max Quantity (30L): 1
  • Max Quantity (60L): 1

8-Gallon (30L)

Cardinal Tetra (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 73-81° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Red Swordtail (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 64-82° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Red Platy (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 64-77° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Silver Molly (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 68-82° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6

9.2-Gallon (45L)

Cardinal Tetra (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 73-81° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Red Swordtail (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 64-82° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Red Platy (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 64-77° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6
Silver Molly (up to 4)
  • Temp Range: 68-82° F
  • Max Quantity (30L): 4
  • Max Quantity (60L): 6

16-Gallon (60L)

Goldfish (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 65-75° F
  • Max Quantity (60L): 2
Gourami (up to 2)
  • Temp Range: 72-82° F
  • Max Quantity: 2

Finding a New Forever Home

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 home.

For the health and safety of your pet and the native wildlife, releasing animals into the wild is never okay. Most pets released into the wild don't survive. If your pet beats the odds, it can become an invasive species that harms the environment and the economy. If you can no longer care for your pet, visit Don't Let it Loose for ideas to find their forever home.

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.

Daily

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?

4-6 Weeks

Change the filter cartridge. Our filter cartridges are available in a variety of service kits.

Remove debris and 1/3 of the aquarium water. Use a cleaner pump to do this in minutes.

Replace with new water. Water should be dechlorinated before being added because chlorine is harmful to fish, try biOrb Water Treatments.

6-8 Weeks

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.

3-6 Months

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.

Daily

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?

4-6 Weeks

Change the filter cartridge. Our filter cartridges are available in a variety of service kits.

Remove debris and 1/3 of the aquarium water. Use a cleaner pump to do this in minutes.

Replace with new water. Water should be dechlorinated before being added because chlorine is harmful to fish, try biOrb Water Treatments.

6-8 Weeks

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.

3-6 Months

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.

Got Green Water?

It happens to all of us! Green water is caused by harmless algae that naturally occurs 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, act quickly to get your biOrb back to clean and clear.

Here are a few tips on preventing green water:
  • 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 water test 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 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 overstock your biOrb. Adding too much aquatic life to your biOrb can lead to a polluted and unhealthy environment for your fish.
  • 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.

Helpful Videos

Whether you're setting up your first biOrb or looking for maintenance tips, our video guides are here to make it simple.