BiOrb Is a Happy Home for Your Fish

What's This?

By Eric Larson2013-11-29 14:10:49 -0500

Product name: BiOrb 15L Flow Aquarium

Price: $149.99 on BiOrb's site, or $124.99 on Amazon

Who would like this?: Any fish owners looking to save space and energy

Fish don't require a lot of attention. As long as you remember to sprinkle some food into their tanks every day and keep their quarters relatively clean, you're doing about all you can as a pet owner — just don't tap the glass.

If you're searching for a gift for your fish-owning (or fish-wanting) pals this holiday season, consider BiOrb's 15L Flow Aquarium.

The tank holds four gallons of water and only uses about two volts of power. Its exterior is made entirely of light-weight acrylic, so it's sturdy and easy to carry. BiOrb is a cinch to move around, making redecorating or relocating a breeze. It's easy to customize with plants, decorations or whatever else your fish — or fish (plural) — prefer. Aesthetically, the tank has a sleek and modern look, making it a perfect gift for homeowners or apartment dwellers concerned with feng shui.

All About Aquariums

Keeping an aquarium can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Are the kids begging for a pet? Fish are a great place to start — they're low maintenance, but still require the care and upkeep to help teach responsibility. First-time fish owners will want to start with the basics, and a tank is number one on the checklist.

BiOrb is easy to clean, set up and take apart, so if you're not quite ready to try and emulate the elaborate tank setups on Animal Planet's Tanked , this aquarium is a simple alternative.

Screen Shot 2013-10-31 at 3.21.37 PM Image: BiOrb

Like most niche hobbies these days, aquarium-owning even has a digital community. The subreddit page r/Aquariums, for one, has more than 26,000 users (or "aquarists") who post tips and homemade aquarium photos every day. Occasionally, even a piece of art will pop up.

Other online resources include AquariumAdvice.com (self-explanatory), AmericanAquariumProducts.com and AquariaForums.com.

Getting Started With Your Fish

The most important thing to consider when starting your own aquarium, writes Lori Barile in a blog post for Aquarium Advice, is what's called "cycling" — growing the correct bacteria needed to consume the ammonia released from your fish's waste. There are two main methods: fishless and fish-in cycling.

Fishless cycling simply substitutes actual ammonia for what would otherwise be produced by your fish. You can purchase pure ammonia for a few bucks at any hardware store. The actual process is very hands-off, and largely involves adding the ammonia, bit by bit, and testing your water's parameters while adding fish slowly over time. The con? It takes a while — and you'll have an empty tank for quite some time.

Fish-in cycling tests both your fish and ammonia levels simultaneously. This one requires a bit more caution — the upside is that you'll have fish in your tank right away, but without careful monitoring, your fish could be harmed by the ammonia levels.

You can read in-depth about both cycling processes here, and stay up-to-date on the 15L Flow Aquarium and other BiOrb products on the company's website.

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