Biorb Classic 15/30/60/105 – Review & Setup Guide

The biOrb Classic includes four models (BiOrb Classic 15/30/60/105) with different sizes from 4 to 28 gallons. These clear acrylic spherical tanks are designed to become the focal point of modern home furniture. The special design makes them unique from other tanks on the market; however, it also confuses hobbyists to understand their working mechanism. Don’t worry! You will soon realize that these tanks are so easy to set up after reading this article.

Great And Unique Ball-Shaped Design

BiOrb Classic aquariums have taken over the aquatic world with more than one million sold worldwide. Take the time to look into these great looking tanks and understand why fish owners are flocking to them.

The stylish design of the tank combines the traditional yet simple look of a fish bowl with the performance of a ‘hi-tech’ fish tank. The clear acrylic construct enables it to be more shock resistant, stronger, lighter, clearer when compared to glass aquariums.

There are four models for you to choose: biOrb Classic 15/baby BiOrb (4 gallons – 15 liters), biOrb Classic 30 (8 gallons – 30 liters), biOrb Classic 60 (16 gallons – 60 liters), biOrb Classic 105 (28 gallons – 105 liters). Based on the number of fish you want to keep, you should choose one model that is big enough to maintain a healthy environment for the fish.

What Comes In The Package?

In the previous picture, they are:

• A clear acrylic ball-shaped aquarium
• (1) Lighting unit with connection cable and ON/OFF switch
• (2) Cover insert
• (3) Box filter with bubble tube
• (4) Air hose with integrated non-return valve
• (5) Ceramic substrate
• (6) Aerator pump with connection cable
• (7) 12V transformer
• Solutions: water conditioner, beneficial bacteria liquid
• Others: sponge filter cartridge, air stone
• Manuals: operating, lighting unit operating.

BiOrb Filtration System

A small box filter (4) on the middle base of the biOrb Classic is the heart of its entire filtration system. This filter is connected and powered by an external air pump (included). When operation, the air flow from the air pump is pulled into the filter box, then it escapes out of the water through the bubble tube (5) that indirectly makes the water flow through the filter media inside the box, thus purifying the water.

The biOrb filtration system advances the traditional box filter by combining it with the bottom space of the tank (3), where you can place a huge amount of ceramic media, to improve biological filtration.

Totally, this system provides five filtration stages to improve and maintain water quality and clarity.

1. Clean Water

   Clean and oxygen-rich water flow is produced by the air driven filtration system that constantly changes the water surface. The freshly oxygenated water provides an ideal environment for fish healthy as well as supports the helpful bacteria in stage (3) and (4).
   
   

2. Fish Waste Removal

   Any fish waste is pushed down by the circular flow of water and then will be detoxicated and trapped by the following stages (3 and 4).
   
   

3. Ceramic Media

   ​Ceramic media (included) and gravel (buy separately) located at the base of the aquarium provide a massive home for beneficial bacteria to thrive and provide a considerable biological filtration. These beneficial bacteria will remove nitrogenous toxins (ammonia, nitrites) degraded from fish waste and protect your fish and shrimps.
   
   

4. Trap solid Wastes

   The sponge cartridge included in the box filter traps solid wastes. You can fill any form of filter media in the filter box as well as the bottom substrate to achieve the water quality you want.
   
   

5. Results

   The clean water is then returned and oxygenated by the bubble tube to repeat the cycle.

Which Sizes Of BiOrb Should I Choose?

BiOrb Classic fish tanks come in a variety of sizes, you can be sure to find a tank that will suit your needs best. Use the rule “one gallon of water per one inch fish” to determine which size you will need and how many fish you can keep in the tank.

If you are bent on being simple and would like to put a small Betta fish tank on your office desk, the 4 gallon BiOrb Classic 15 (also called as baby BiOrb) will suit you best. If you want to keep cute freshwater shrimps, I strongly recommend the BiOrb Classic 30 (30 liter – 8 gallons).

If you want a more elaborate and extensive setup with tropical or cold water fish, the larger classic BiOrb Classic 60 or 105 will work for you.

The BiOrb Classic 105 (28 gallons) is sometime chosen for saltwater aquascaping. Remember that the larger tank you choose to build a saltwater reef system, the easier for you to maintain the tank. It is not easy to build a successful reef system with a small biOrb if you are a beginner. However, a reef system built in a spherical biOrb tank is so beautiful and worth to try.

How To Set Up The Tank?

(1) Lighting unit, (2) Cover insert, (3) Box filter with bubble tube, (4) Air hose with integrated non-return valve, (5) Ceramic substrate, (6) Aerator pump with connection cable, (7) 12V transformer

Assembling the tank

• Position the box filter (3) in the middle base.
• Spread the ceramic substrate (5) and your own substrate (if have) on the tank bottom.
• Connect the air hose leading out of the aquarium (4) to the air connection of the aerator pump and fit the aerator pump above the subsequent level of the aquarium water.
• The aerator pump (6) and lighting unit (1) attach to the same plug-in transformer (7), so just connect them together
• After setting up the tank, just put the lighting unit (1) on the cover insert (2) and place them on the tank.

Setting up the tank

You should prepare all necessary things for the setup before starting. Luckily, the product comes with most things you will need to set up a fish tank and you only need to buy substrate and some decorations for aquascaping (if you want).

Following is the amount of substrate you will need for each size of biOrb:

• BiOrb Classic 15 – biOrb baby (4 gallon) will need approx 3 lbs of gravel
• BiOrb Classic 30 (8 gallon) will need approx 6 lbs of gravel
• BiOrb Classic 60 (16 gallon) will need approx 15 lbs of gravel
• BiOrb Classic 105 (28 gallon) will need approx 25 lbs of gravel.

If you intend for a tropical fish tank, an aquarium heater is an essential equipment you have to buy separately to ensure the proper temperature for the fish.

• 25 watt heater for BiOrb Classic 15
• 50 watt heater for BiOrb Classic 30 and BiOrb Classic 60
• 100 watt heater for BiOrb Classic 105.

After you have prepared all for the setup, go to my full guide for setting up a freshwater fish tank to know what to do. You should also acquire some knowledge about cycling a new fish tank as well as the method to acclimate newly buying fish to ensure your fish healthy. Make sure buying fish is the final work you have to do after the tank get cycled and ready for fish.

How To Maintain?

The design of BiOrb aquarium actually makes it very easy to maintain. BiOrb even makes this work easier by producing a BiOrb ultimate maintenance kit bundle that includes everything you will need during the maintenance process.

The major thing that you need to do is to clean the acrylic wall and change the aquarium water every 4-6 weeks (follow the instruction from the manufacturer).

• Firstly, use an algae magnet cleaner to remove the algae on the internal acrylic wall.
• Then, use a vacuum cleaner to siphon out the removed algae, dirt and debris in the substrate and replace partial aquarium water.

Save the removed old aquarium water to clean your filter media. This helps to save the helpful bacteria on the surface of the filter materials.

The biOrb box filter is designed to be easily removed out of the water for cleaning and maintenance. The sponge cartridge can be easily cleaned with just a slight twist in the old aquarium water once water changes. Sometimes, you should change the sponge cartridge if it is too old.