biOrb Aquarium | How to decorate a biOrb

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If this video was helpful to you, and you would really like to support my Channel, you can do so very easily by buying me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/markbstepbo
To see a wide range of videos about biOrbs, please visit my full video library here:
/ stepbystep-biorb-aquar... .
The information below includes a number of suppliers that currently stock the items shown in this video. These links are there to help you easily find and identify the correct products I describe. You do not need to purchase via these links!
biOrb LOOP 15 litre (standard lighting): amzn.to/3WfuU8t
biOrb LOOP 15 litre (MCR lighting): www.pond-planet.co.uk/search/...
biOrb LOOP 30 litre (standard lighting): www.pond-planet.co.uk/search/...
biOrb LOOP 30 litre (MCR lighting):www.aquatix-2u.co.uk/products...
biOrb Intelligent Heater: amzn.to/3FHMxqs
DECORATIONS SHOWN IN THIS VIDEO
Sea fan small white: amzn.to/3vL23xa
Aquatic topiary ball set of three: amzn.to/3Xh6hZj
Sea pearls and kelp dark green: amzn.to/3Grk5tv
Plate coral and button polyp set: amzn.to/3k2HWYA
Coral fans and shell set: amzn.to/3iioCGo
Anchor Decoration: amzn.to/3WUBRft
3 Kilos biOrb Pearl Media: amzn.to/3HR27Tn
PLEASE NOTE: For guidance on how to set up a new aquarium to support fish please see my video here:
• biOrb Aquarium | Sta...
VIDEO DESCRIPTION
Just when you thought choosing the correct fish for your aquarium was a difficult decision you then also need to choose what to get to decorate your biOrb! Argh!
Arguably, one of the most straightforward ways to decorate is to simply purchase one of the biOrb Decor Sets. The work is already done for you! The box sets contain all you need to decorate a new aquarium and are available in a range of themes and tank sizes. Ensure you match the set with the size of your aquarium to ensure that everything is included and is of the right size and scale.
For those owners that might want to go a step further, this Channel suggests that you have a look at the published (online) biOrb Catalogues as these provide some great ideas on how to get the best out of your aquarium.
These can be found here:
Oase biOrb Catalogue 2022:
issuu.com/isabellemann/docs/b...
Oase biOrb Catalogue 2017/18: www.biorb.com/fileadmin/Resou...
Oase biOrb Catalogue 2016:
www.aquaticdesign.co.uk/wp-co...
Thanks for watching and supporting!
Mark
Step-by-Step
#stepbystepbiorb
This channel is purely a hobby for me and I aim to support new aquarium owners going through the struggles that may often accompany the setting-up and managing of an aquarium. The Channel is not supported, sponsored or funded by any other parties. I will never ask viewers to donate money for my Channel or for any of my services. I have provided links to products that I may refer to in my videos, in order for you to easily find them. The links I provide are "Amazon Affiliate Links", where the Channel earns a very small commission. If you decide to purchase an item via a link it will be at no extra cost to you. But, if you can get the items you need locally then please do so :-)
Formal Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
biOrb Aquariums | Tips on decorating a biOrb

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5 янв 2023

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Комментарии : 106

@Kiki-kf7on Месяц назад

Beautiful

@peteratherton1792 6 месяцев назад

Thank you, you've inspired me to buy the exact same one, with all the bits- hope plaigerism is okay :)

@StepbyStep-biOrb 6 месяцев назад

Lol. That's great news. I personally think this layout of ornaments etc is probably one of the best for this particular design of tank. I'm really glad the video was a help. Best wishes, Mark

@cassywoodard2077 4 месяца назад

I really enjoy watching your videos and very much enjoy seeing the tanks you put together because they are so beautiful. I really love the color scheme you chose for this tank I can't believe how utterly beautiful it is. I'd love to say I would choose the same exact pieces but I don't think I could afford that much decor for mine or actually I just won't pay some of biorbs high prices for their decor. Yes there decor is elegant and very fitting for their tanks, but it also is just a tad pricey for my taste. I think I would go with one of the kits..but I definitely will get that anchor cause it just jumps out in that white tank it is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing and explaining what you do it helps me to feel more confident about setting up my own tank.

@StepbyStep-biOrb 4 месяца назад

Hi Cassy. Really nice to hear from you. Yes, there is a high cost involved in using biOrb products to decorate one of their tanks, and especially if you do it all in one go. There are other products that are far cheaper, especially artificial plants such as these: amzn.to/4a6j6w7 and amzn.to/49asddU. I agree though... the anchor design is nice and is also specifically designed to work with the central bubble tube. Best wishes, Mark

@peterwentworth9181 Год назад

Beautiful. Think l will perchance some topiary balls for my aquarium. They give a nice soft appearance.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Many thanks Peter. Yes, its the second time I've used these and they are a nice addition. Thanks, as always, for your support/ watching. Best wishes, Mark

@pjuk Год назад

I've never understood why they just don't make the access holes slightly bigger, especially on the Life60! Could easily have a bigger insert to rest light into in the middle and be so much easier to maintain.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

I totally agree Peter. The biOrb Tubes have lift off lids allowing full access to the whole tank. Great idea! Although I can see that approach wouldnt work with all biOrb designs, that would be the way to go with tank designs such as the LOOP. Anyway, hope you are well, and thanks for watching. Best, Mark

@PeanutTheBoySquirrel Год назад

Wow, these are great tips! I love the information you provide in your videos. This is very useful for people who want to decorate their biOrbs. Thank you so much for sharing this! I love how you set up yours.

@StepbyStep-biOrb 7 месяцев назад

Hey. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Best wishes, Mark

@Justiinexxx Год назад

I received a biOrb aquarium for Christmas and I’ve been binge watching your videos since! Thank you so much, they are really helpful. My biOrb Life has been cycling for a few days now, and I can’t wait to add fish to it and make great use of all your tips.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Justine. Congrats on the biOrb Life and welcome to the biOrb gang! :). Thanks for watching the Channel's videos. You mention you are currently cycling the tank, are you undertaking a fishless cycle or do you plan to add a bacterial product such as ATM Colony of Aquavitro Seed when you add the fish?

@Justiinexxx Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thank you! I’ve added a bacterial product and will add more when adding the fish to the tank

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Great news! All you need now is to get some fish in :) Best wishes, Mark

@markkenny3596 Год назад

Thanks Mark. Brilliant video as always 👏

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Many thanks Mark. I hope all is well... thanks for watching. Best wishes, Mark

@beckbeck2882 Год назад

Looks amazing! I don't have a centre piece in my tank (60l cube) but I think it needs one now! Thanks for the video.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Many thanks. Nice to hear from you. Yes, a central ornament can really help with the overall appearance. Thanks for watching and commenting. Much appreciated, Mark

@robertS-angler Год назад

@step-by-step just want to say thank you so much mark for all your research and hard work on your videos, I followed all your instructions from the api testing kit, to colony cycling the tank and what fish suits my tap. I wish I could send you a picture of my results after 1 successful week of cycling and adding my fish. I'd say they look very happy to me :) keep doing what your doing. Your the best!!

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Robert. Your'e welcome. I'm really glad my Channel helped with setting. everything up and I'm glad that things seem to have gone well. The three things that people often do wrong are to choose the wrong fish (for their tap quality), overfeed fish, and not keep an eye on the tanks water quality (through testing). Sounds like you are on the right journey to having all those things cracked! Thanks for you support, it really does help to keep me going. Best wishes, Mark

@mkemp01 Год назад

A work of art.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Just like you my friend! HNY and nice to hear from you :)

@tiktokanimals-funnyandcute Год назад

Beautiful biOrb Aquarium . Thanks for your useful tips. New sub here.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Thanks for the sub! I've done the same with your channel :)

@goncalosantos9767 Год назад

Hello Mark, the loop model is very beatiful! About the decoration i liked but i’m changing my mind, and i’m introducing real plants on my Life 30. I have only the central grey rock decor and a small plastic Biorb plant. I hope Biorb will produce a 45 version of Loop, and probably i will buy it. 😅

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Goncalo. Great to hear from you and that you are moving to increasing real plants. If biOrb do their normal thing, I'm sure a 45l will be released, and what would be even better than that, a 60l. Now that's a tank worth getting! Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching.

@mimi6633 Год назад

Nice set up, looks beautiful! I was sad to see that Biorb doesn’t offer the pearl media in the US. We’re setting up my daughter’s first Biorb tank, so will resort to the ceramic media it came with. Love your videos, very educational. Earned a new subscriber 😊

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi. Really lovely to hear from you and thanks for your comments. A big welcome to the Channel and thanks VERY MUCH for supporting the Channel by Subscribing. As a Subscriber, anything I can help with... just holler! Great to hear you are setting up a tank for your daughter, a wonderful idea. I'm sure she will love it. Yes, go with ceramic media for the time being (not sure why the distribution of pearl media from Oase biOrb in the US is so poor) and then maybe look at changing over to pearl media, if that is what you want to do, later on. Best wishes from across the big sea, Mark.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Mimi. Just checking in on you and to ask how things are going with that new tank for your daughter?

@pamuppal4468 Год назад

Looks beautiful, with the decorations in looks very similar to the 35ltube on camera. I love the plate corals set, let me know how they hold up, I have the white sea urchins set and the white flakes off after a while. Look forward to seeing your fish in there.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Pam. Thanks for watching and nice to hear from you again. All the fish are in now (moved from another tank) and they already seem to be feeling at home. Interesting comment you made about the white sea urchins and paint flaking off. Havent heard of that issue before. Might be worth contacting biOrb about that to see what they say and if they can offer you a replacement. M

@pamuppal4468 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb I'm glad all the fish have settled into their new home. I will contact Biorb and see what they say, it's very odd, I have the white starfish set in the same tank and good as new.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Yes, give it a try. Can't say I've ever heard of biOrb decs flaking. Just tell them we will post their response on this Channel :) LOL

@paulamackie6778 Год назад

It looks amazing. Any idea what fish you will put in it?. Lovely to see the 3 tanks together. Thanks again

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Paula. Many thanks to you for continuing to watch and support my channel. Much appreciated. Regarding the fish, they will be fish I already have. Basically, having four tanks is my limit so I'm going to "decommission" an existing biOrb tank and replace it with this one (to retain the four tank number). So, the fish to go in this one will be some lovely male/female cherry barbs and a small gang of pygmy cory. I plan to add three of the fish today and cycle the new tank. The tank I'm replacing is a 30L Flow (i currently have two the same!) and this going to be given to an elderly neighbour... she often comes round to see the tanks and has always wanted an aquarium. So I'm going to let her have the 30L Flow, and then add a small number of colourful "very easy to look after" fish etc. Best wishes, Mark.

@todaysdentalcare4049 Год назад

Sorry to keep asking questions. I’m just setting up a flow30 for the waiting room in my dental practice. Am I better using Pearl media instead of the ceramic it comes with?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Lol. That's not a problem. Feel free to keep asking! To some extent it comes down to which you prefer in terms of appearance. But... in comparison, ceramic media (the original) is more difficult to clean as it traps dirt/waste easier. If adding very small fish, some may have a tendency to get trapped within/under ceramic media. This tends to happen to new, small fish and also if there is too much food sinking down to the bottom of the tank - as they fish try get to it and get stuck!. Crushed floating fish flakes are generally the best to use. For owning a biOrb I would seriously suggest getting a gravel vac. They are arguably an essential thing to get as they make removing waste and doing water changes far easier/faster. This type of vac is the only one that works well with biOrb ceramic media or Pearl media: amzn.to/426Jr9b Best wishes, Mark

@user-gu5yv6wv3m 11 месяцев назад

Just got a biorb classic 60l. I will definitely be using your videos to help me setup. The only question I have is about the biorb artificial plants, do you just drop them (gently of course) into the tank, are the balls heavy enough to stop them floating about, or do they need to be buried….any help will be gratefully received as I can not find an answer anywhere.....

@StepbyStep-biOrb 11 месяцев назад

Hi. Congrats on the Classic 60.. It's a really great tank and is probably the one I like most (of all the different tanks I have) Yes, all the biOrb plants are weighted so that they easily sink. They won't even try to float and will remain in the place you put them! As you say, you just gently lower them into the tank. I do know people like to bury the weighted end into the substrate but most people, including me, prefer to leave them to just rest on top. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

@brianreece7139 11 месяцев назад

Great to know…many thanks for the advice…

@cmua9798 Год назад

I love the biorb contemporary designs , but it looks rather tricky to get fish out of them ?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi. Thanks for your comments. Yes, biOrbs have limited access to the overall tank (but not overly worse than other tank designs) , but it is not in any way problematic for requirements such as tank maintenance etc. You mention, what seems to be a need for, getting fish out of the aquarium? I'm not exactly sure why you would ever want to do this? Can you let me know why this would be a thing you would plan/ need to do? Best wishes, Mark

@cmua9798 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb if I had endlers & they had fry etc

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hey thanks for replying. If you are really intent on breeding fish (for whatever reason) then perhaps a standard shaped tank would be a far better option (rather than a biOrb). I would normally aim to stock all male Endler's in my tanks. Most of the suppliers, that I use, only supply and sell males. I'm not sure my normal stockist actually sell Endler's females! I've had Endler's for many, many, years, they are a great fish (if all male!). So, basically, if your sole intention is to breed and sell fish, a standard aquarium might be a far better option. Best, Mark

@cmua9798 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb thanks for the reply- many years ago I had a 5 foot fish tank- loved it & have been hankering to get more fish again , but I didn’t want to have such a big tank to deal with . I’ve always had a soft spot for endlers & guppies.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

No problem. Endler's are one of my favourite fish and I've had them for many many year's. I can see where you are coming from. I've only had and maintained Guppies and Endler's as all males though. Both are very prolific breeders (and will also interbreed). In a tank the size of a biOrb (even a 105l) I would only seek to add males of these species. Yes, a 5 ft tank seems a far better sized tank if you intend to breed either of these two species. Best. Mark

@romeopersaud420 Год назад

Any knows if the whole top of this tank can be removed like the tube tanks which makes it easier for cleaning ?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Romeo. This design has a fixed lid so cant be removed like the Tube design. Best wishes, Mark

@romeopersaud420 Год назад

Thanks for the reply Mark.

@debbienorwood3723 Год назад

Hi Mark, I am looking for some advice on stands or units that would fit a 30L biorb. I know I could get a biorb stand but they don't do it in white I was wondering if yourself or anyone in the channel could recommend me a stand or unit please. Thanks

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Debbie. Yes, biOrb only do stands in silver or black nowadays! To be honest, any reasonable household table would happily hold a 30L (I've known people who have gone down the Ikea route for theirs!). All my tanks, apart from one, are placed on furniture. Of course, aquarium stands are specifically designed to hold aquariums and will all very easily take a 30. I would certainly get on Amazon or eBay and search using "aquarium stand" as both of these should throw up suitable stands that are readily available. M

@SarahWalton-xo7sg Год назад

@stepbystep Another great video from you. Can you redo my Biorb for me pleeeaase!? Sort of joking - LOL. The new tank looks amazing. But all your tanks do anyway. Big thanks and hugs. S

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Sounds like a deal! Lol. :). Thanks as usual for your support and watching my videos. M

@kristinacenyte5475 11 месяцев назад

Hi, i love you video there is plenty of information… well i still got s question. I just bought a loop 30l. And i am confused should i add in to it a gravel converter??? As you did in another video. I am going yo refill it with pearl media. Thank you in advance 😊

@StepbyStep-biOrb 11 месяцев назад

Hi Kristina. Congrats on the Loop 30L. It's a lovely tank. The only time you would need to do conversion is if you choose to add a media that was not designed for use in a biOrb and was too small for the biOrb system (such as fine gravel, sand or biohome gravel). Without the conversion, the biOrb filter system would simply suck the small media under it and this would reduce the flow of water through the filter system. However, biOrb Pearl Media is specifically designed for bIOrb aquariums so the tank does not need any conversion applied. The product is ready for use out of the box. Sorry if my video was confusing. Best wishes to you and your new tank, Mark

@kristinacenyte5475 11 месяцев назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb oh now I understand thank you so much for a quick reply:)

@kristinacenyte5475 11 месяцев назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi again😊 i just got another question. I am doing my investigation how to cycle my aquarium faster. So in one of videos i spot it this product Fritz Aquatics Fishless Fuel Ammonia Solution for Aquariums. I just want to ask you did you hear about it and would you recommend it. What is a timeline aquarium to cycle without a product until I could get a fish in? Thank you in advance:) Really want to hear your opinion.

@StepbyStep-biOrb 11 месяцев назад

Hi again. Yes, I do know of it. Despite their hard sales pitch it is simply liquid ammonia that is suitable for cycling. Basically, NH3 (i.e. ammonia) is NH3 - and lots of aquarium companies sell NH3. Generally I would say "traditional fishless cycle" (i.e just using ammonia) takes substantially longer than cycling undertaken with the addition of a bacterial product (measured in months rather than weeks). This is because it needs to wait for bacteria to naturally occupy the tank and to start to grow a bacterial colony. It is a slow process. But the addition of beneficial bacteria to a fishless cycle will help to speed this up as this instantly adds a large amount of bacteria. So, rather than just adding the ammonia itself, the key thing is to add a good beneficial bacterial product alongside the ammonia product. The ammonia solution you describe is simply the food source needed to promote the growth of the first stage of beneficial bacteria (Nitrosomonas) you've added. You then must maintain the tank's ammonia above 2.0 ppm (say 3.0 ppm) and avoid the ammonia getting either too high or too low to help drive the cycle until the tank is cycled. Generally, you will need to calculate how much ammonia to add each day to maintain the correct reading of ammonia. Regardless of the cycling method used, cycling is always best undertaken using accurate daily water testing using a reagent based test kit (e.g. amzn.to/3Qt1cg9) Once cycled you can look to add fish to the tank. How long it takes to cycle will vary due to the variation of water conditions/parameters in a persons tank. So, there isn't a specific answer to how long it takes. It can be quick but it can also take ages! My general advice, especially to anybody new to owning an aquarium and understanding water quality, is to instead use fish-in cycle with Aquavito Seed: www.aquavitro.com/seed.php. This simplifies cycling and avoids the need to keep adding NH3, because it is the handful of fish added and their feeding that provides the release of natural NH3 to support the growth of beneficial bacteria. I can normally complete a fish-in cycle within 5 days. But, I've known exactly the same approach to take several weeks with some other people when tank water parameters aren't perfect. Correctly cycling a tank is probably the most difficult aspect of starting an aquarium, but once completed, life becomes far easier (as long as you then choose the most suitable fish for your tank and your tap water quality). Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

@kristinacenyte5475 11 месяцев назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb thank you so much for your answer:)

@grant666uk Год назад

Wee question for you Bud. I have just bought a center peace that goes over the bubble tube but sits on top of the filter. I don't think there will be enough pearl media to hide said filter. Does the official slate tube statue go right over both the tube and the filter ? Did think about buying it but its around £35 !!! Thanks again. ( there again I could just do what you did in this video and hide it with rocks and plants. )

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hey bud. I mainly have biOrb ornaments that sit on top. I don't (wouldn't) look to have media that goes right up to the top level of the filter. I think that you just go with what you want... As you say, you can use pebbles etc if you want to "hide" the filter. I'm not sure the canister part of the filter is that obvious anyway. Certain biOrb ornaments do go right over the top of the tube and over the base of filter canister. I have one of those! The slate based ornaments are all "sit on top" designs. But, hey, you live in lovely Scotland... you must have endless supplies of natural pebbles/ stones that you could use instead of the biOrb ones!? Where's your nearest pebble beach? Lol! Or, get your self over to Arran... an aquarium pebble dream place! I have a fair amount of beach pebbles in my tanks collected from beaches in Wales, Arran etc . They look really good and I know exactly the reason and the place I got each one from. Those have more personality!! Alternatively get one of the biOrb pebble kits. This one is probably a nice one (in my opinion): amzn.to/3HM0Rk7. Hope that helps my friend. Happy pebble hunting if that's the route you go down! M

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

BTW. If you want to use collected natural rocks/pebbles in the tank you will need to test them first, to make sure they are reasonably inert and won't change water parameters (hardness, pH) . If you do fancy that, let me know and I'll tell you the test you would need to take when choosing the best stones. M

@grant666uk Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb you know I never gave that a thought. one of my other hobbies is wild camping on hills and lochs etc. Will start looking out for nice pebbles and drop you msg when I get some. Nice one.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Yep, go natural on those sorts of things. You choose one pebble, your other half chooses another and the dogs choose the rest! All sorted!

@paulamackie6778 Год назад

Hi again. I've only gone an got myself a loop 30l. This biorb business is addictive. Just wondered how long you waited before transferring your fish from the flow to the new set up? I'm doing the same

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Paula. Well if you plan to replace the flow with the loop that is probably straightforward especially if you also plan to transfer the media too. Is that what you plan to do?

@paulamackie6778 Год назад

I'm going to switch to the pearl media. I plan to set it up, add the colony and then add the fish . But how long di you advise before transferring the fish?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Ah, I see. Okay, I would normally set up the tank as normal. Soak your pearl media as I described in the video I did. Then add to the media to the tank, add warmed dechlorinated water, turn on the heater and run the tank for 2 days (just to settle things down). The tank should be fine after that to add fish and do the normal apprach using Colony. In addition remove a good handful of media from the flow and add that to the loop. Remove the sponge filter in the flow and replace it with a new one. Add the flow's sponge filter to the filter cartridge in the loop. Any BB you can transfer from the existing tank to the new one will really help speed up the cycling.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Also, when transferring fish from one tank to the other, you will need to go though the normal process of acclimatising them to the new tank water. Dont just catch the fish and add them straight to the Loop. So place some of the Flow's water into a fish bag, catch the fish and then add them to the bag. Do the normal thing of adding the bag to the Loop and then keep adding small quantities of the Loop's water to the bag (say every 5 mins). Do that for 30 - 40 mins and then the fish should be ready to add to the tank. :)

@paulamackie6778 Год назад

Thanks Mark. Much appreciated 🙏

@user-vo1kf5qw2c 6 месяцев назад

Hello Mark. I hope you're doing well. I have a few questions but I don't know under which video I can write them. So I'll try just here. 1) I've noticed some small scratches on the inside of the "glass", probably from the stones or it happened while cleaning. I've tried to remove them with the biOrb cleaning pads but that didn't help. Do you have a suggestion how to get rid of these scratches? 2) On some of the biOrb sculptures, like the Stackable Rock Sculpture, the paint is peeling of after a few weeks in the water. Under the paint the material (plastic) gets visible and the that really detracts from the sculpture. The shop where I purchased them say that the paint is not harmful for the fish and the owner send some new ones. But these new sculptures have the same issues. Do you know about this problem and do you have an advice? 3) What is best for the health of the fish: the soft blue light at night or the light just off so it's dark in the aquarium? Thank you for your support and all the best. Roel

@StepbyStep-biOrb 6 месяцев назад

Hi Roel. All well with me and I hope the same with you. 1) I assume the scratches are visible when the tank is full of water? The only way to remove scratches, I'm afraid, is to use the biOrb scratch remover (cream). This works very well, but without knowing the degree of scratches, I'm not sure if it would completely remove them. Unfortunately, you would have to apply the scratch remover in a "fish out" scenario. Then add the fish back in once the polishing is done. I have 5 tanks, and over many years, and can't say I have any scratches on the inside of the tanks. Any thoughts on how this happened to your tank? 2) In terms of "paint" coming off, I am am only aware of issues with some of the biOrb white sculptures. That's it! Thanks for letting me know. I would strongly suggest you get on to the biOrb technical department and raise the issue with them. Hopefully they will sort the issue out for you. It's the first time I've heard of this issue, and especially after just a short period of time. Let me know what they say. 3) I don't use the timer and night setting (moon light). I always turn tank lights fully off at night time (manually). For the most part I leave the lights off during the day too, as my tanks are positioned in places where they get adequate natural lighting, without adding tank lighting. This helps with diatom control. If you have real plants then you will need to rely more on the tank LED lighting to support the plants, but less so the fish. I have spent a lot of time in Brazil, in the wild environments associated with a lot of the fish I have. When it gets dark there, it is VERY (VERY) dark! For me, lights off is more representative of the wild environmental conditions. Fish need their "sleep" too! Best wishes, Mark

@user-vo1kf5qw2c 6 месяцев назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi again Mark. Thanks for your time. The scratches are small but visible - when the tank is full of water. I think the scratches occurred after vacuum the ceramic media. Is the scratch remover suitable for scratches on the inside of the tank? BiOrb writes on their site that it only can be used on the outside.. I'v sent an email to biOrb and told them about the issues with the paint coming of and enclosed some pictures. I let you know when I hear from them. Is it possible to send these pictures to you? Thanks for the tip about the light. I started with turning the lights off at night and use a middle to low brightness during the day. Best, Roel

@StepbyStep-biOrb 6 месяцев назад

Hi Roel. I certainly know of a fair of number people that have used this inside the tank. These have tended to be individuals who have purchased a previously used tank and have removed (or reduced) internal scratches before using as an aquarium. It is certainly a fish-out scenario to undertake. The tank would need to be completely emptied and dried off. Then, after using scratch remover, it would need to be thoroughly cleaned out before re-use (with fish). I suppose it depends on how bad the scratches are and whether it is worth all the effort to reduce the visibility of scratches. The ability to remove scratches, using the scratch remover, is possibly limited and depends on how bad they are. Best, Mark

@user-vo1kf5qw2c 6 месяцев назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Hi Mark. Because the scratches are very small (I'm to critical...?) I'll take care in the future and if they get worse I'll try to remove them when I change the ceramic media. biOrb UK has sent an answer that they will pass the pictures onto their quality department to investigate them and they'll sent 2 new ones. So that's nice. Hope the new ones will last longer. Best regards, Roel

@StepbyStep-biOrb 6 месяцев назад

Thanks Joel. Yes, keep an eye on the those scratches! The scratch remover will help, but needs a big intervention when applied to an existing aquarium. I would hold off, unless you really need to do it. Great that biOrb are on the case for you. I do find them good at dealing with issues (customer care) although most biOrb owners don't even think to contact them. They do have a good (responsive) technical support team and they are well worth contacting if you have product issues. Hope it all works out. Best, Mark

@victoriaelizabeth222 Год назад

Beautiful tank. I’m glad you got a break from me keep asking you questions and you had time to post this! 🤣 any idea how the moss balls hold up with algae? Are they easy to clean.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Thanks Victoria. I love your new photo BTW! Feel free to keep asking please. To me, the channel's more about that than the posting of vids (and doing the vids is often very hard work and never easy for me to fit in). In terms of algae, I think the moss balls will probably be fine (just the same as all other things in the tank). The bleach dip approach is the way to deal with that and to get things all back to looking brand new again. Are you having algae/diatom issues? M

@victoriaelizabeth222 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Ah thank you. Yes I’ve never got rid of the diatom issue since I’ve had the tank (May last year). However! I’ve definitely noticed the rate in which it grows has really decreased. I wonder if it’s because we are in the colder months. My tank isn’t heated. I do add a small amount of anti algae stuff to the tank on water changes which helps. I’ve never used bleach for cleaning but I will bear in mind. What fish will you put in the loop? 👀

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Okay. Diatoms are very likely to be a reflection of nitrates within the tank (i.e. their main food source, so, lower tank nitrates will help to reduce/eliminate diatoms/ algae). Also, it does take a while for a tank to properly mature and for them to become far less of an issue. Do you have elevated nitrates in your tap water (i.e. even before you add it to the tank)? Let me know your tap nitrates (just get the ppm form your water suppliers info for your postcode - no need to test). Reducing tank nitrates should see a reduction of diatoms (it can take a little while though as is best done gradually). Adding some real plants can also help (a little bit). My next video is probably going to go back to the boring stuff and will be about dealing with tap nitrates. Watch out for it. Regarding the fish for the tank... it is fish I already have. Basically, I'm going to "decommission" an existing biOrb tank I have and the fish in that one are going to get a new home (some lovely male/female cherry barbs and a small gang of pygmy cory). The tank I'm replacing is going to be given to an elderly neighbour... she always wanted an aquarium so I'm going to sort one out for her, and add a few very easy to look after fish etc.

@victoriaelizabeth222 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Thanks for info :) some very interesting points. I definitely do have nitrates in the tap water, but reading wasn’t high I don’t think. I will look on my water suppliers website. Funny you should say this! Over the last couple of months, we’ve reduced the amount of food we give the fish. I noticed it on the plants uneaten. This could be it by the sounds of it. What a really lovely thing to do for your neighbour! Bless! I hope BiOrb are aware of you and gift to you for all you do for the brand. If they do, you could run comps! ;) haha

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Yep, just enough is good enough when it comes to feeding. I always say that a healthy fish is a hungry fish. Signs of waste on plants suggests possible over feeding. One good thing you can also do, in this case, is have one day every week when you simply don't feed them. That will help force a bit of a clear up, but the approach is good for health reasons (to help clear out their gut)! Who are biOrb, never heard of them?? Lol.

@jpl0202 Год назад

Mark, I want to use natural sea shells and rocks from the ocean.would it be ok to just soak natural objects in aqua safe like you did here?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi. Yes, using natural material in an aquarium is a really great thing to do. BUT... You need to test natural stones before you add them to your tank, to make sure they are deemed as being "safe", in as much as they wont change the tank's water quality parameters. You can use a drop of lemon juice or vinegar to do this but by far the best method is to use one drop of the Nitrate Bottle No. 1 from the API Freshwater Test Kit (as this has a high acidic content). If the drop starts to fizz when added to the rock you may be better off not using it. If you are collecting from a beach take along a bottle on Nitrate test solution and test before collecting - to avoid wasting your time collecting the wrong type of stones! Adding shells to a tank is similar. Normally shells are added to a tank to raise pH levels of the tank due to the release of calcium. For example, oyster shell is very commonly added to aquariums to raise the pH of soft acidic water (although generally a tank's pH will not raise above pH7.8 when shell is added). If you already have a high pH then adding shell isn't going to make a noticeable difference to your pH. The key decider for this is your fish and the range of pH they are happy with. If your tank's water pH is already towards the top end of their pH range I would suggest not adding shell. The best way to prepare natural stones and shells before adding to an aquarium is to clean them very well under running tap water. Then slowly boil them in a pan for say 20 - 30 mins and then let them fully cool down before handling (trust me... don't try to handle hot stones!! LOL). Follow this with a 24-hour soak in the AquaSafe solution as I describe in the video. A "double dose" solution is fine. They will then be fine to add to the tank. BTW: I have heard of people people using microwave cookers to heat stones but I would strongly suggest you don't do this... stick with boiling water! I have natural stones in all my tanks (collected from various beaches) and I always do the above method before adding them to my tanks. With the fish I have, I do not want to raise pH so I therefore avoid adding shell. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Mark

@jpl0202 Год назад

@@StepbyStep-biOrb Mark, if the rock fizzes with the nitrate test can I spray the rock with polyurethane to seal it? I really love the rock.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

I think polyurethane has become far less used in aquariums with an increased preference for plastic based spays. I'm afraid it is a level of detail that I can't say I have great knowledge about. Personally I would only use "safe" rock in my aquariums.

@paulamackie6778 Год назад

Is there any distortion with the loop ?

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi again. Yes there is, but that largely goes for any the curved tank designs. It's hard to describe it as it isn't the same as that found with the classic 60l, and isn't the same as the Flow. The classic has distortion all round. The Flow distortion (which is fairly pronounced due to the high curvature) comes when you look at the tank through the rounded corners (i.e. viewed slightly from the side). The Loop distortion comes when you look down through the tank end-on. LOL... that's my best attempt at describing it!! :)

@amyc8112 Год назад

Hello, a separate comment. Have you ever used the scratch fix Biorb offers for the outside of the tank? I used it today and actually made my tank look worse! I had one small scratch and now it looks like many micro scratches everyone in a circular pattern where I applied the paste. 😔 What did I do wrong? Curious about your use with this product. Thank you!

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

Hi Amy. I have used it for a small scratch on one tank and it did polish out. It's the first time I've heard of it making the tank worse. When I applied it I basically did what this guy shows in this video (in this case on a biOrb Air) but the same applies to the outside of an aquarium: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d84PnentAEo.html.

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

I've just checked the reviews of it on Amazon and most comments are positive (or people saying it didn't work). I did find this though: "I am experienced with cleaning acrylic plastics i did it tons on old school mobiles and likes of psp etc and pc window sides which are mostly acrylic. the cleaning pads OASE supply are perfectly good but after you have gone over the surface dont use them again. you will just add tons more micro scratches in the acrylic and get no where fast. get a second sachet when you make your order and then apply it to a micro fibre cloth to the tank in all the same places dont use a polishing cloth like you use for furniture polish chances are its slightly rough and will also likely create futher micro scratches. by using a micro fibre the scratch remove will make light work of the micro scratches and also prevent any futher swirls or pattern transfer from oils to the tank surface."

@amyc8112 Год назад

Thank you for a response! I watched that video. I did everything the guy did except I used the more abrasive side of the pad. I took the remaining paste and did it again with the smoother side (while holding my breath) and it looks much better!My other thought was there was something on the pad that caused minor scratches? Who knows. It does look better now though. I though I destroyed my tank initially. Thanks again!

@StepbyStep-biOrb Год назад

That's good news Amy. I think the last step will also improve it - to use a very soft microfiber cloth to buff the finish. The biOrb high gloss polish is also very good. I use it all the time and really gives my tanks a glossy finish (and I love the smell of it!!) LOL. Best, M

@denisetilley3559 11 месяцев назад

Do you have your tetras sent from Brazil?

@StepbyStep-biOrb 11 месяцев назад

Hi Denise. In this tank the focus of the stocking are species of fish found in Brazil but the fish themselves are sourced from within the UK. Best, Mark