Pimp My Filter #49 - Biorb Tube 35 litre / 9 US Gallon Tank 

Biorb Tube 35 litre with LED light (Amazon): geni.us/wDGsFvq Biorb Tube 35 litre with colored LED lights (Amazon): geni.us/TtJtmb Biorb Tube 35 litre various models (Ebay): ebay.us/NqAvUf This is a much better design when compared to the 'orb' shaped tank as there is more swimming space here. However, that means that the base area is much larger and so requires more media to properly cover the foams in this upgraded filtration system. Biorb 'orb' shaped upgrade: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-82d0gMD3WAU.html The two options for covering the foams were the Biogravel and the Aquatic Soil - both of which can be found below: Biogravel (Biohome page): www.filterpro.co.uk Aquatic Soil (Amazon): geni.us/SA7pBX Aquatic Soil (Ebay): ebay.us/cHOgKp Sorry, Google / RU-vid see fit to send me almost no notifications for comments so you're best bet to reach me is to phone on 07772848730 or send an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk (Richard) Biohome products and foams: www.filterpro.co.uk FilterPro site has links to worldwide distributors. Amazon Reviews: amzn.to/392EZ2g INSTAGRAM: bit.ly/2KAk1fx WHAT IS A FULL CYCLE? *If someone tells you the aquarium nitrogen cycle ends with the production of nitrate that is incorrect - please read on* 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 ultimate 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 Avoid using any products which claim to remove, detoxify or bind ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as they will have a noticeable starving effect on the bacteria which will manifest as an inability to achieve a full cycle due to a low population of bacteria on a starvation diet. Let Nature do the work and as long as you have a suitable sized, well set up filter there is no reason why a full cycle won't be achieved. You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that the recommendations 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. 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'. If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on: sales@filterpro.co.uk 07772848730 (Richard) Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win. The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible: 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 This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study. We all are on a long path of learning......... FILMING EQUIPMENT: Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE +Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3 Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI mini tripod: geni.us/87f7 Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of others as I am not on any of those sites. See you next time. Pondguru

I thought you had quit putting out videos. Today I was scrolling through my subscriptions and saw this video. I want you to know I so appreciate your training. I have modified every filter I have from tanks in the house to ponds outside, using your philosophy. Others ask me how I could have thought of doing that? My standard response... "there is this guy from over the pond called the Pond Guru" he teaches me much of what I know.

Cheers as always. Please do some follow up vids on your giant pond filters 🙏🏻👍🏻❤️

Didn’t need to call you after this little treat popped up! Thank you! 🥰

how do you replace the filter by the tube without having to remove all the gravel? Does it get everywhere?

You're so generous mate, been using your products and always satisfied. Appreciate it

Thank you so much for this video!! I have a Baby Biorb and the substrate is a nightmare as you said. I want to get bigger biorb but before I do I have searched for months for a new substrate, you just solved my problem. I am going to do this and I'm going to share this video on Facebook. I've been searching for this fix for a year now! Thank you so much from across the pond.

You’re going to have to destroy your scape every time you need to clean that course sponge

Had a biorb for years without issues, tried your upgrade and it turned into a nitrate factory, gone back to the original design, regular maintenance is the key to success with these tanks and don`t buy a new kit each month just rinse the sponge and hoover the media

Hi welcome back happy New Years

The rock is for an anaerobic type of bacteria. This can take up to 4 to 6 months to develop. It does a good job at nuterlising the Ammonia and nitriatis and reducing nitratas. it's not for mechanical filtration. The middle sponge would grow aerobic bacteria fast. It is the only real mechanical filtration in the tank, so it needs to be cleaned regularly. The rock is fine with the odd gravel vac. I personally think ita a good filtration. My shrimp and snails help break down leftover over foods around the stone to also aid the filtration.

Excellent upgrade thanks

Nice little upgrade.

I enjoy all your pimp your filter videos.

Looking well my friend.

Great video!

Thank you so much for this video.

How is the giant outdoor filter going? Any updates?

I know this is old but wow thank you.

I don't mean to be critical, but I felt from the start that it will be an advertisement of biohome products. 5kg of biogravel is £65! He says in the video that it is the only option to achieve full cycle filtration. We are talking about a 35L tank! 5kg of biogravel or lava is an absolute overkill. All you can keep in a tank of that size is one betta or 5 neons, and with weekly water changes all you need is that small sponge filter which was there originally to keep ammonia, nitrites and nitrates at zero. These fish will produce a tiniest amount of waste that will be diluted easily with a 60% waterchange. if you use this set up, you will have no chances of planting anything in the substrate because you will have to uproot your plants to remove those black sponges for cleaning, so using planting soil as he suggests is pointless!

Question is how do you clean the outer sponge without ruining the scape and uprooting the plants

Hey 👋 great video When will you be releasing the complete tour of the huge pond filter and how the water in the pond is looking? Hope you are well! Stay safe.

Very informative thank you so much

Can you do a video on a nitrate rector including the bio gravel please

I love this. How often do the pads and center filter need changing?

Great Recommendations! I was thinking of adding mesh/foam to my biorb base since I have replaced the ceramic media entirely with small gravels but seems that the filtration was kinda horrible due to the gravels interfering with the filter. The ceramic media is horrible for owners who put small fishes as they simply swim within the gap for fallen food and get killed when they got stuck. Will add in the foam during my next tank maintenance!

Though about making it in 1-3 mm size, black and a bit denser so you could plant in it well?

Can you put in Bio Gravel without the large carbon sponge? Doesn’t seem like it would be easy to replace the sponge everytime.

Can you mix the soil and biogravel to get the best of both worlds? @pondguru

Thanks for this information! I just added the foam around my filter. At what point will I need to change this? Feels like it's going to be a lot of work when it's time to change but I love being able to use the pebbles I wanted to with this biOrb.

Would the main circular underground filter chamber need to be taken out at times to be cleaned though?

How often do you recommend doing a water change with this setup? Thank you

I was wondering if I, using a rigid mesh, raised the sub straight above the intake line of the filter would that produce a better flow and therefor a cleaner cycle?

I’m curious ,What are your thoughts on BCB anoxic filtration?

Would it be OK to put aquarium soil on top of the biogravel? Say like fluval stratum to make a layer of soil on top or would that block the filtration

Hi just been watching your biorb 35lt tube upgrade kit just wanted some of your excellent advice about changing the air stone when they wear out and how often do you change the carbon and centre sponge also do you part the bio gravel to get to them been watching your videos excellent stuff regards ian

Hi I purchased a biorb life 60 and watched this video so decided to copy with the aqua soil on a larger scale. Am just wondering how often would you change the sponges ?

Hello, would this exact setup of your modification work with this tank as a saltwater tank with fish only?

Do you have to change the large sponge on the bottom?

Just wondering what your thoughts are on plenums? Do you think having a low flow undergravel filter with biogravel might achieve a full cycle?

It increase the PH or any water chemistry??? I keep Discus fishes and it is established tank, now i want to use this Bio-Gravel as a full tank gravel.

Just wandered if pondguru answers these comments. I also wander how often you have to completely empty evert to clean it all. You would have to completely disrupt everything including plants, fish, substrate. Does anybody know ?

Do you do an upgrade kit for the Cube biorbs? specifically the 60l?

Hi Rich, hope you're keeping well in this cold weather! I'm sure it's no problem from the real men of the North West! Would love to see some giant pond filters. Very cool. Hope you're keeping well and thank you for the delivery of Biohome over Christmas! Best Wishes

If i have a biorb already with fish in, can i upgrade the filter and put in the biogravel or should i keep my original biorb media because it already has the bacteria? How often do you replace the sponge in the middle? How long do the big sponges last before needing rinsing? Thnks

For a cost friendly option could you use both the bio gravel and the aquarium gravel mixed together? Because that would help for those of us who want to plant real plants at the bottom. Also was that a carbon pad you cut for the bottom?

Can I use sand in this setup? Reason is to introduce shell dwellers fish.

In the other biorb video you had a small filter ring below the large ring. Why did you skip it here?

Curious where I might buy the foam you are recommending for the Biorb in the States? It looks like filterpro is still not sending internationally. I recently purchased a Biorb and would like to pimp my filter as you suggested.

Would FWVAL Stratum work for the gravel?

can you put sand for substrate ? thanks ^^

Hello I just upgraded my booth 16 gallons biorhythms with exactly what you recommended spend over $100 on the biohom gravel and after 3 weeks I put 1 beta male and 4 other small fishes but my question is how often I should clean the bottom and change water??

Hi! Great video! Was wondering if you can do the same filter mod, but with a marine setup, using live large particles crush coral?

@pondguru I have a BiOrb 60l orb shape in my classroom and would like to go this direction. So, if I am understanding correctly, if I do the filter pimping, I can put the aquatic soil over the filter and go with that? I am not thrilled with the BiOrb, but it was funded by parents/grandparents and want to make sure I am using it.

It just looks like a pain in the arse to maintain.

Do the curved walls make it hard to see the fish?

Biorbs in shops never have fish in them, there is a reason for this, they are crap at being fish tanks !

How true is that with this type of tube tank fishes can become blind? I went to my aquarium store to ask for this substrate and when I shown the tank type they say this is not good for all fishes. I bought a 15L Biorb tank but not yet started the setup and that make me worry If I made a bad purchase.

How would we clean the sponges when theyre burried?

Is this clay based soil? I’ve always wanted to try a set up like this but was told it disintegrates with undergravel filters. 🤔

Hi mate, it’s abit off topic for the video, but I just wondered what happened to your detecting videos! You made the best content on RU-vid in mine and a lot of other people’s opinions! Cheers

Does this biogravel can hold plants? If so is it required co2 for plants to remain healthy ?

OK I get that your making it filter better but I see no proof of any fish hurting them self's on the biorb specific ceramic media they actually recommend, why else would they recommend it ?

Won’t the mulm just block the porous nature of bio gravel ?.

Very awesome video so helpful I appreciate your information bless 🙌 you brother 🙏 and have a fabulous Christmas 🎄 holiday ✌💚❤🎁🧑‍🎄🤶🎅🥳🐟🐟🐟🐟🐠🐡🐚

What kind of foam are you using in the video and what kind of pad(white) did you place inside the filter?

I did everything you said to do but with biorb cube 60L, sides the carbon shit. Thank you first off. Now, I used fritzyme turbostart 700, biohome bacteria starter balls, fritz 700, and fueling the bacteria with fritz fishless fuel... holy fuck the results are in. This is the third consecutive day after adding over 2.0 ppm ammonia via fishless fuel and getting 0 ppm ammonia 24 hours later.... now Im about to add plants and diy a light onto the cube. Will do one good dose of ammonia before sending for my cherry shrimps. After the shrimps are happy, Im getting some rummynose tetras. After they all have acclimated I'll pick up a male full moon betta. Going for red and green aesthetic. This video saved my biorb which honestly I shouldve returned after it murdered my danios. Poor little fellas didnt stand a chance against the ball, [cube], of death. Thank you and thank you great wave engineering!

I have a biorb flow but would like to convert it to a marine tank for a clownfish pair. Is this possible with this type of tank?

I wouldn't use it as a nano tank I'd convert it into a fluidized media filter connected via in line to my sump. Alot of those small kiddy tanks are just not practical.

this video was extremely helpful! this made my tank thrive much more 👍👍. thank you!

Thanks ☮☯️🎬🏆🌈🐟🌱🌿

Thanks 👩‍🌾🌊☯️🎉🌠

Brasil !!!!

Hi just watched your video and you've reaffirmed everything we've ever thought about the poor filtration of BiOrbs for years. I have had several different shapes and despite the extortionate price of some of them, I do love them. Currently have the 35l tube, been running it since May and have to say am struggling with small fish losses and consistent nitrate/nitrite spikes despite partial water changes every other day at the moment. Unfortunately the Biogravel is probably not financially viable but will certainly go with Aquarium soil before I give up on this expensive hobby once and for all. I've put so much money in so far have not much else to lose but somebody probably is gonna get my tank for a song via ebay if this doesnt work. Appreciated your video though, well explained thanks!

Definitely not practical. Taking centre tube out to clean would be hassle enough nevermind the under gravel sponge

That must be a bitch and a half to maintain. Every time you want to clean that filter, you'd have to destroy your entire set up! What's the point?

Biorbs are absolutely awful. Recently picked up a common goldfish and a ryukin from one of these 😫 you’d get so much more for your money buying a tank like clear seal or something and making a nice scape with a DECENT filter

Mmmmmmmuck

Really hate these things, definitely no fish just plants maybe a snail or shrimp 🦐

biorb is overpriced rubbish in reality

You've ruined it. Every substrate grows useful bacteria. The deeper the better.

first or nothing