Customer Reviews

biOrb Aquarium with Halogen Light, Black, 8 Gallons

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I totally recommend this aquarium kit for anyone just starting out in the fish-keeping hobby. Vitually everything you'll need comes in the box. However, when I bought my BiOrb a year ago, there was no heater included. If you want to keep tropical fish, you will likely need to purchase BiOrb's heater kit if they haven't yet decided to include a heater in the package. You can purchase a small heater at any good pet store, but it's likely to be a bit of an eyesore in the BiOrb.

I keep 3 dwarf African frogs and one dwarf puffer in the BiOrb and there is ample room. Cleaning day is about every 8 weeks and is generally only a matter of changing a few gallons of water and taking out the old filter cartridge and putting a new one in. The tank is well-aerated and you never see fish gasping for air at the top. Plus, it's a gorgeous tank.

My only complaint is that when I bought the BiOrb, I had no idea that they would soon come out with a 16-gallon version. I definitely would have gotten the larger tank, since with the smaller one, you have to severely limit the number of fish or aquatic creatures you keep in it. With the 16 gallon tank, you can have double the number of pets. Still, I'm very happy with my BiOrb.

EDIT: this tank is NOT appropriate for bettas, the filter is too strong.

the tank was really simple to set up, if you follow the instructions there should be no issues

There are several things that you need to know about this tank.

This tank can hold either one beta, or 4-6 (really) small fish

the upkeep of this tank if done the way suggested is EXTREMELY expensive. It runs around 145$ a year.

However you can bring it down to less than 50$ if you follow these guidelines:

(I've added links to the products I mention on amazon, but if you want to save money buy them at the pet store)


a) DO NOT BUY MORE THAN ONE EXTRA FILTER AT A TIME. The filter for the biorb is pretty simple, it is a plastic canister filled with a blend of activated carbon and zeolite cristals topped with a foam ring. Instead of buying a new filter, the old one can easily be reused by washing out or replacing the foam insert and replacing the crystals with a generic blend from petco (the 10$ bottle should last at least year)PETCO Activated Carbon and Zeolite Crystals

b) replacement cartriges come with two different packages of chemicals, one is to make tap water safe for fish, and the other is to cultivate the bacteria needed to keep your tank clean.The first can be replaced by a bottle of tetra aqua safe plus (you can buy this for around $8)Tetra 8-4/9-Ounce AquaSafe Water Conditioner with BioExtract. The company that makes the biorb buys alot of their supplies from a company called API. you can buy a bottle of the bacteria booster at petco for around 10 - 15$ (it's called stress zymeAquarium Pharmaceuticals Stress Zyme 16oz)

c) if your bulb and the replacemment both die, the halogen bulbs are generic and can easily be purchased from third party vendors



THE GOOD
1) this tank is great for beginners
2) It looks AWESOME
3) fast setup
4) It looks AWESOME
5) easy to clean
6) the 5 step filtration system keeps water clear for several weeks

THE BAD
1) the tank does not come with enough ceramic media (the stuff at the bottom of the tank) You need to buy more. it also doesn't include any plants
2) older models of this tank came with a noisy air filter, this filter has been replaced with a much quieter one in newer models.
3) the bubbles from the air filter cause water to splash all over the top of the tank, this forms water droplets all around the tank above the water, this looks really unappealing and short of removing the air filter, I have not yet found a way to solve this issue.
4) the curved bowl acts as a magnifying glass, enlarging everything in your tank. it also creates blind spots.
5) If you leave the tank in direct sunlight the shape of the tank could act as a magnifying glass and set your desk on fire. =)
6) some people claim that fish get sucked into the filter, as there is no suction in this tank period, I believe their fish swam in. There is an optional air filter guard to prevent this from happening

Have to disagree with the other reviewer here ... I purchased a Baby biOrb recently for my new Betta, after having my first betta living in an airless bowl for a couple years. I simply got tired of cleaning a stinky bowl every week. As a result, I went shoppin for a new tank with a bubbler and filter system and found the Baby biOrb.

While I agree that the maintence costs are significant at $132/ year (if you need to change a filter every 4 weeks), the costs balance with ease of maintenance. Personally, my experience with cleaning the Baby biOrb was a snap with the optional suction hose. Took me fifteen minutes to clean the tank, drain the grimey water and add new water. Couldn't have been much easier. And, I am not sure how anyone could have a problem swapping filter cartriges unless they have motor skills issues.

I also built a noise dampening box for the air pump - my only real complaint is that the "whisper quiet" pump sounds like a mini jackhammer after about five minutes.

Great product and looks awesome.

I have owned a Baby Biorb ($69.99) for 10 months now, and I am VERY UNhappy with it. Irreconciliable personality conflicts among fishmates prompted me to purchase a second acrylic tank (10 gallons at only $49.99) within 2 months of purchasing the Biorb, so I am able to report on the comparative performance of the 2 rival tanks. The Biorb is superior to the other tank in ONLY 2 ways: 1) Its silver plastic accents are more attractive than the standard black plastic accents of the 10-gallon tank; and 2) The Biorb's biological filtration system (the ceramic media foster bacterial growth and proliferation, unlike the plain gravel in my other tank) sped up the aquarium's cycling process, whereby the Biorb had fully matured in exactly HALF the time required by the other tank. Now for the BAD news: The Biorb's poorly engineered filter set-up necessitates lifting the soiled filter from the BOTTOM of the tank for replacement, at which time the disturbed filter releases appalling pollution into the tank. The replacement filter barely stands a chance of removing the residual pollution, let alone maintaining a healthy environment for the next "4 to 8 weeks." As a result, I am finding myself replacing the filter an average of every 2 to 3 weeks, which - at $9.99 to $10.99 a pop - becomes ridiculously expensive, and the aquarium's water is perpetually yellow and unattractive. The other tank, on the other hand, boasts a filter set-up on the SURFACE of the water. I simply lift out the soiled filter - only $6.99 a pop - and replace it. No harm done. While the makers of the Biorb claim that the 360-degree view it affords of the fish inside really places Biorb ahead of the competition, I find that my second all-clear hexagonal tank likewise boasts
a 360-degree view. If I had it to do over again, I would NOT invest in a Biorb. The long-term expense is prohibitive, and the performance is poor.

Okay, the people that are writing bad reviews for this product obviously have not followed the directions for the BiOrb tank. This is an awesome product! Yes, there is a limit to the number of fish that you can keep in this environment, but the amount of time that one would usually spend cleaning a fishtank is greatly reduced by the ease of the filter cartridges in the BiOrb tanks. If you understand the process and how the filtration system works, and you have the appropriate number of fish in the tank, and you do not overfeed the fish, you will have great success with this tank. In addition, it is such a beautiful tank. I have three of these tanks, one in each size (Baby BiOrb, BiOrb-8 gallon, and a Mega BiOrb) with two at home, and one in my office at work, and people have always complimented me on the tanks and want to know where they can get one themselves. Also, I would just like to note that I keep tropical fish in my tanks, swordtails, neon tetras and platys, and I have NEVER used the heater in either of my tanks. The fish do just fine in water that is room temperature and I live in the very seasonal northeast. I would only recommend using a BiOrb heater if the room you are keeping the BiOrb tank in is cold (unheated or if you keep your thermostat very low), otherwise, it is completely unnecessary.

i had this tank for couple of years and through trial and error tested out some shortcuts to maintain this tank. Mine is an 8 gal tank. i put a regular aquarium heater(not biorb brand) in the tank and make it tropical.
Strongly suggest not to put goldfish in it since goldfish creates much more mess than tropical fish.
i have 2 angelfish in the tank right now and they are very healthy. Don't feed the fish on the day you put them into their new home, they need time to get familiar with new home.
Change half the water each week to prevent ammonia building up.
Monthly, take the sponge out from filter when changing water and rinse it with the old water and reuse. Then, dump the old charcoal and fill the plastic insert inside the filter with store bought charcoal (the kind with black and white combo for couple of dollars for a jug and can be purchased in any pet store). Turn on little water and rinse the charcoal for a few sec.(becareful not to turn on the water too big or else the charcoal wash away.).
I havent bought a single biorb cartridge in a year and my fishes are healthy and happy.

This Baby biOrb is designed to hold exactly the configuration suggested by the promotional picture: 2 aquarium plants and 2-6 small coldwater fish. It is too small for goldfish, so that pretty much leaves minnows (or you could add a heater). They recommend you add no more than 2 minnows every four weeks, which is unfortunate since minnows prefer to school with fish they're familiar with, but unless you have another tank to put the other minnows in, you're going to have to buy a new batch from the pet store every so often.

It comes with its own special ceramic gravel, which is too light and shallow to root more than a couple plants in it. I find that my own plants keep drifting up to the surface because the gravel is so lightweight.

The base of the tank is round and completely flat, so I recommend putting a trivet or cork pad under it to catch any water drip and prevent slippage. I use a Le Creuset trivet which fits perfectly.

The filtration setup is pretty strange: it's a disposable filter made of a plastic sponge and some activated carbon. They want you to buy a new filter from their particular filter brand every four weeks.

It seems like it would be well-suited for an office environment or a kitchen. Because of the hum of the filter and the quiet splash of the bubbles, it might be a bit noisy for a bedroom, though it's really not very noisy at all.

I was hesitant in getting a filter-type set up aquarium as I virtually know nothing about fish and keeping an aquarium. But I fell in love with some bettas, which are all in their separate living spaces.

The Baby biOrb was instantly a set up that really caught my eye at PetSmart and eventually I bought it. It comes with the tank, filtration system, air pump, water conditioner (two packets used differently), ceramic media, and light at the top. All you have to do is supply fish and water.

Well I already had the fish. The baby biOrb is perfect for a betta. Probably best for a female betta as she doesn't make bubble nests and I think that the filtration system bubbling at the surface would confuse a male betta or making him irritated as his bubble nest wouldn't stay put for long if even a few seconds.

With that said, the biOrb takes about 24 hours to set up. You must condition the water with one packet first before putting your fish in. Also it is recommended to NOT overload the bowl with many small fish. At max, it is recommended to start with only 3 fish. You can build up your tank over a period time adding new fish, say in 1 or 2s, every 30 days. This is to help 'cycle the tank'.

I am new to cycling the tank but there is much more to having any type of aquarium. There is a delicate balance of bacteria that is good for your tank to grow in so as to reduce the amount of ammonia released by the fish and the food and whatever else is hanging around. This process takes a good 6-8 weeks and you'll know when you have achieved a state of 'zero' free ammonia in the tank. Hence, having more than 2 or 3 fish at the beginning, will overwhelm the tank and you will have a hard time cycling the tank, especially the baby biOrb since it is only 4 gallons.

Keep in mind, during the first 2 months, you should be doing water changes even if the filter is working. I would recommend 15-20 percent water changes every 3 days for the first 2-3 weeks. and then 30 percent water changes every 3-4 weeks thereafter.

****
So far, I have had my baby biOrb for about 2 weeks and the water is clear, looks great, and one of my lucky betta's is very happy.

I am looking into buying a 16 gallon biOrb to have it as a female betta community only with only 4 or 5 female bettas.

I also have the 16 gallon and I can tell you that the filter system performs very well indeed. The surface area, which is where the dissolved oxygen is exchanged (and determines the bio-load) is rather small, so don't over populate these tanks. Aeration, bio, chemical, and mechanical filtering are all done by the lift tube in the center. Special gravel is supplied, a sponge filter+charcoal makes it very efficient...the people that designed this tank knew what they were doing. And...they are beautiful !

I always read all of the reviews before making a purchase. This time around I bought sight unseen as Most all of the reviews were very positive. Well, while waiting for my tank to be delivered,
I went to a local pet store to purchas fish food and there was the bi-orb 8 gallon tank set up. I was immediately dissappointed. It has a very strange optical effect being so round and I suspect also having a different index of refraction being plastic. Whenever I have company over, that is always the first thing they say
.."wheres the fish, I cant see him"? You have to sit at a great distance or basically be eye level with the tank. I installed a heater and on a good note, you cant even see that very well.

Another problem i have is the ceramic media that comes with the tank..Certainly not my choice for media and the directions STRONGLY discourage adding anything else. They dont even give you enough to cover the very small bottom of the tank. It is very sharp and jagged. I am wondering how my live plants will look in this tank with these large ceramic boulders and lots of open gaps over the floor area.

One last note..in all fairness. My Betta has never swam so much. He is so active and appears completely happy in his new environment. If I gave him last word, he'd give this tank another star.