The Effectiveness of Live Rock in Reef Aquariums

Live rock is not just a decoration for reef aquariums but can be an extremely useful addition to saltwater systems. It is collected from the vicinity of a coral reef and consists mostly of aged coral rubble (branches or masses of reef-building coral skeletons) of varying sizes. It varies in quality depending on location from which it was collected. The surface of the rock is often brilliantly colored with calcareous algae, macroalgae, sponges, and even small corals. Burrowing organisms such as worms and crustaceans create a labyrinth of caves and tunnels through the rock, often giving it a very porous nature. On the exterior of the rock and in the open pores where water circulation makes oxygen available, aerobic nitrifying bacteria can be found in large numbers. These bacteria perform the nitrification that is present in virtually any biological filter. An interesting benefit to live rock is that it also harbors live anaerobic denitrifying bacteria in its deep recesses that break down nitrate molecules.

Live rock is an excellent addition to the sump of a central water system. At times I have relied solely upon it to filter the water in my aquarium. It is best, however, to rely on live rock as an enhanced source of natural filtration. The bottom of the sump can be covered with cured live rock that is void of organisms that require high light levels. Room light is usually enough to keep certain algae species alive, but a fluorescent light can improve the growth of these plants and also the nitrification of wastes. Live rock is not without disadvantages. The burrowing organisms within the rock secrete waste and when packed tightly together drastically reduce flow rates through the rock. Over time nitrogenous wastes can build up in crevices of the rock. Weekly or monthly purging of the rock will keep these wastes from becoming harmful.

Live rock should not be added directly to broodstock aquariums, as many demersal spawners will place their eggs on or within the rock. For species such as dottybacks, whose eggs must be removed for hatching, the rock makes this task extremely difficult. Gobies will find the tiniest of holes to spawn in, and removal of the fish or the spawn becomes a daunting task.

Macroalgae Filters in Saltwater Aquariums

Much debate and alarm have been raised about the destruction of wetlands, mangrove forests, seagrass beds and saltmarshes. These habitats are vital to the survival of coral reefs. Terrestrial waste products leach into ground water where they eventually reach the shoreline. As the water trickles past the roots and leaves of these plants, most of the waste products such as nitrates and phosphates are stripped from the water. This concept can be used to filter aquarium water as well.

Many plant filters have been created for use in freshwater aquariums. There is no single-best design for these filters, but the concept is simple. Plants are to grow either fully submerged in the sump (aquatic species) or propped up so their roots penetrate the water's surface and strip ammonia, nitrogen, phosphates and other toxins from the water. Freshwater tanks are easily filtered with a great variety of plants. Fitting a marine aquarium with a plant filter is more difficult, since relatively few plants can tolerate sea-water. There are a few plant candidates for such filters that may or may not be suited to every marine enthusiast. These filters require a lot of space and may not fit in a small fish room.

These natural filters should not be the sole means of filtration, but are worth the time to set up. The easiest way to benefit from plants is to place a handful of Caulerpa or Chaetomorpha in the sump over some live rock, give it some light and allow it to flourish. These aquatic macroalgaes rapidly if supplied with the right conditions. The faster the plants are allowed to grow, the more waste products they will remove from the water. Frequent pruning will ensure waste removal and facilitate new growth. More elaborate systems can be set up, but simplicity of maintenance is a key issue in selection. Algae turf scrubbers remove ammonia, nitrates and phosphates, but are not easy to acquire and can be difficult to maintain.

Caution should be taken with plant filters as pH and dissolved oxygen levels may be drastically altered by the addition of a mass of photosynthesizing plants. Drastic changes can be prevented with a timer to light plants only at night or when the aquariums are unlit.

What To Consider When Buying a 100 Gallon Aquarium

When planning to buy a 100 gallon aquarium tank, whether you are keeping one just for fun, appearance, or for commercial reasons, you need to be sure to understand how to maintain it. Appropriate maintenance of a 100 gallon aquarium will guarantee a healthy surrounding for the pet fish and live rock to live in it. Before making the decision to buy a 100 gallon aquarium, here are various points that need to be kept in mind:

When you look online, there are lots of different sorts of 100 gallon aquarium tanks to choose from. Not only do they appear in a wide range of prices, but they're not manufactured from only glass nowadays.

The Construction

The more old fashioned types of 100 gallon tanks is going to have a metal framework which helps to to keep the sheets of glass that help to make the fish tank bond together. Usually, the metal structural part for these sorts of tanks are composed of either of angle steel or chrome steel, which are glued together at the corners of the frame and the glass will then position into it. As a way to prevent water from seeping out of the aquarium fish tank, a putty aquarium tank substance is used around the 4 corners of the glass and the metal construction. Even so, if these aquariums are not set on a even spot then the shape can begin to contract and might end up in the glass shattering. Occasionally the construction of a 100 gallon aquarium tank can be manufactured from wood, and generally plywood is chosen because it is less likely to burst apart if it interacts water.

Resources Used Today

Nowadays, most 100 gallon fish tanks are being constructed from acrylic substance. Most of these tanks built from this material may cost more in a few situations depending on other suppliers, but they weigh less than glass constructed aquariums and are less likely to break.

What To Do When Your Reef Tank Has A Bad Case of Cyanobacteria (Slime Algae) and Diatoms

If you plan on keeping a saltwater aquarium for any amount of time, whether it is a reef tank or a fish-only with live rock tank (FOWLR), you are likely to experience an outbreak of cyanobacteria and diatoms. Cyanobacteria or "Cyano" is also referred to as green slime algae (also comes in red and brown). As it's name implies, Cyanobacteria covers rocks and sand with a thin slimy film. And while it is easily removed by siphoning, if the conditions that support it are not improved, then it will quickly return.

Cyanobacteria and diatoms are brought on by the following factors:

- high phosphate (>.5) and silicate
- high nitrates (>25ppm)
- insufficient current/water movement
- high organics
- low alkalinity (<3.0>

Three products that work to treat the symptom (not the cause - see above) are as follows:

- Chemiclean, which will eradicate the cyanobacteria (reef safe - we've used it in our service business for years)

- Granular Ferric Oxide (removes phosphate and silicates) - we prefer Rowaphos, but there are other brands that work as well too. This is great for removing phosphate, although a bit expensive. Remember to focus on lessening the source of input of phosphate into your system (i.e. tapwater and foods). For tapwater we filter with RODI (target is zero TDS). As for the foods, we strongly recomment rinsing your frozen foods prior to feeding. You'd be amazed at the amount of gook (scientific term) that would otherwise go into your tank/system.

- Doxicyclene hyclate - it has been years since I've used this for treating RTN (rapid tissue necrosis) in corals, but we also noticed that it was great for temporarily eradicating cyanobacteria. I say temporary, because this is just treating the symptom and not the cause. As long as the original cause (see above) is still there, the cyano will likely return.

If your type of saltwater tank is a fish-only with live rock (FOWLR), you are always going to have significantly higher phosphates, nitrates, silicates and organics to deal with than you would in a reef tank - even if you had the same number of fish in a reef tank. This is because in FOWLR tanks, there are no (or very few) corals, sponges, coraline algae, clams, filter feeders, etc. to help remove nutrients from the water.

So with a FOWLR tank, you will need to be more aggressive with use of carbon, GFO (granular ferric oxide - removes phosphate) and with the removal of detritus. I strongly recommend "storming the tank" at least twice a month (during normal/ideal conditions), but I would recommend doing it once a month in your current situation.

What I mean by "Storming the tank", is putting a powerhead on a stick/pipe and blast the rock to liberate detritus that has collected in the live rock. And then having some type of mechanical filtration in use to remove the detritus now that it is suspended in the water column.

To do this you can use a canister filter, D.E. filter (diatomacious earth), or even a small powerfilter (hang-on-the-side). Or if you don't have any of these items, you can storm the tank with the powerhead and then siphon it off the surfact of the rock/sand as you do a large water change. With this method I recommend blasting with the powerhead twice during the water change, allowing it to settle out for siphoning between blasting.

So if you end up with an outbreak of cyanobacteria or diatoms in your reef tank or fish-only tank (FOWLR), consider yourself fortunate that it is just cyanobacteria and dyatoms, which are relatively easy to get rid of, and not something more difficult like bryopsis or hair algae. And remember, you are better off preventing than reacting.

Don't Buy Your BiOrb Aquarium Until You Read This

If you don't have the time to gather together all of the equipment that you need to setup a standard home or office aquarium or if you are a beginner aquarist and you need aquarium setup to be straightforward or perhaps you don't want to spend hours every month maintaining your aquarium then the BiOrb aquarium range is ideal for you.

Not only do all of the BiOrb range look stunning but they also have a unique built in 5 stage filter system that keeps the aquarium water crystal clear. In addition they come with special ceramic 'gravel' which is porous and is able to hold a very large number of the friendly bacteria responsible for keeping ammonia and nitrite levels down. Maintenance wise all that is necessary is to change the filter cartridge when specified and to change some of the water every month to keep down the nitrate levels.

The biggest thing to remember is that the BiOrb range is totally made up of relatively small aquaria compared with normal size glass tanks. The biggest mistake that you can make with a BiOrb tank is to fill it with far too many fish, much more than the filter and aeration system can handle. Even one goldfish in a baby BiOrb is too much and of course fish grow and can easily outgrow your BiOrb aquarium. Some fish, whatever their size are just not suitable, they may need lots of plants or more water than the BiOrb can provide.

So here is a list of advantages:

Good design and excellent lighting effects consistent through the whole BiOrb range
The baby BiOrb will fit where other tanks won't
Everything you need is in the box including full instructions
The BiOrb range is made from plexiglas acrylic which is ten times stronger than glass
The filter cartridge is easy to clean and change
The 5 stage filtration system keeps the fish healthy and reduces maintenance
and disadvantages:

BiOrb quality and design does not come cheap
The small size of these tanks limits your choice of fish and their numbers
The top opening of the globle shaped tanks can make cleaning more difficult
Conclusion

Taking everything into account there is no doubt that these aquariums look great, particularly with the special lighting effects provided by the intelligent LED lighting. For an easy entry into the wonderful world of aquarium keeping they can certainly be recommended.

What Makes a Flowerhorn Lucky

Have you seen a flowerhorn? It is not a thorny flower found in the deepest recesses of the forest. Rather, it is a hybrid of various species of South American cichlids that was developed in Malaysia in the late 1990?s. The flowerhorn has a characteristic hump on the top of its head. There are also markings on the side of the fish. This unusual features of the flowerhorn adds to its charms. The flowerhorn cichlids has become one of the favorites of aquarists to care for. This is because of the relative ease in keeping them, as well as the associated luck it brings to those who own them.

There are different kinds of flowerhorn fish. There is the red dragon, the kamfa, the Thai flowerhorn also known as the Thai silk, and many more. These different types of flowerhorns share the same features.

The flowerhorn sale was at its highest in the early 2000. The hump on the fish?s head has been associated to the Chinese God of Longevity, Shou Xing. It also resembles the gourd the god carries with him which contains the water of life. The markings on the sides of the flowerhorn fish, on the other hand, resemble the Chinese characters and numbers. And in some rare occasions, they resemble the character for luck.

There were some occasions in the past where flowerhorn owners attributed their good fortune on the fish. A woman won the lottery. She claimed that the numbers she used were the numbers on the flowerhorn she owns. There are also business owners who experienced increase in sales since they placed a flowerhorn in their shop. With events like these happening around, the market for flowerhorns was stimulated.

Indeed the association between flowerhorn and of the great fortune some owners have amassed while caring for the fish is still an issue of dispute, there is no denying that the flowerhorn fish is becoming the favorite of many aquarists. There is no harm in believing that flowerhorns are lucky. Be it that you believe in luck or you just want to have a fine specimen in your aquarium. After all, there is no harm in trying. If you don?t win the lottery, at least you have a wonderful fish to have as a pet.

The Best Freshwater Aquarium: Glass Vs Acrylic

Many people who are getting started in aquarium keeping will be faced with this question, and it can be quite confusing. It's not easy to decide between acrylic and glass for the best freshwater aquarium without knowing the pros and cons of each, so in this article we will have a look at why you may opt for one instead of the other.

Let's start with glass, the age-old material that has been used for many years to make all sorts of things. It is so trusted because it has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.

To start with, glass is much heavier than acrylic. When you consider which is the best freshwater aquarium, you will find that acrylic is the better option. It is much lighter and as a result, even the stand that you use will not be unduly strained. If you think about the possibility of an accident, you are much better off with acrylic too - it will not shatter into tiny, dangerous fragments if it ever falls down. True, the glass aquarium that you buy may be made of toughened glass and therefore hard to break, but this does not mean that it's unbreakable.

Acrylic, though much lighter, is a much tougher material. The material strands are blended in such a way that they can take a lot of strain without giving way and this is what makes it shatter-proof. Glass on the other hand will worry you if it gets even a tiny crack, because it will put strain on the entire structure especially considering that there is the weight of water to make the pressure that much more. As an aside, if you own a glass aquarium and it has a crack, consider replacing it because that is an accident waiting to happen.

Acrylic will also give you options with shape because it is mouldable without making it weaker. Glass is too, but the more you bend and play around with glass, the more delicate and brittle it tends to become. With acrylic, you will be able to get tanks in many different shapes, and you can choose the best freshwater aquarium that is something other than just square or rectangular.

If you ever need to modify your tank, maybe to put in an overflow system, go with acrylic. You can cut it easily with common tools that you can get at your tool store. Glass would require a glass expert and any holes will tend to leave the entire structure rather unstable.

Glass, because of its nature will tend to distort images and light. This means that depending on the angle from which you are looking into your fish tank, you may see that the fish and whatever else is in the tank look distorted. This will not happen with acrylic. Glass tanks also tend to be that much thicker, another factor that will distort view.

Glass does have its positive attributes though; it's a natural material and it will not discolour like acrylic. Acrylic tends to yellow with time, and because your fish tank has algae in it, if you are not very regular with the cleaning, you may find that the color of the tank has permanently changed. Glass will also outshine acrylic any day - you just can't get the same gleam however much you polish an acrylic tank. With an acrylic freshwater aquarium, you are always watching out not to scratch it - scratches are unsightly and they will affect the general attractive look of the tank.

Acrylic, because of all these qualities, will be more expensive, as well as more tasking to ship - it has to be wrapped very carefully so as not to get scratched. All that said though, you are much better off with acrylic as the best freshwater aquarium, so long as you clean it regularly enough for it not to yellow fast and avoid getting scratches on it.

Designing the Perfect Aquarium

An aquarium can range from a small fish bowl to public aquaria that can house marine fish such as sharks and other sea animals including turtles and sting rays. However, the essence of an aquarium is not necessarily what living creatures contain them but how it is designed.

An aquarium can be used as decoration in some cases, to brighten up an event or simply placed in a cosy living room. If you own a fish tank or small aquarium of your own then there are tips on how you can aquascape the water filled space.

When a new fish tank is bought, one of the first things you will consider is the ornaments and plants that will accompany the inhabitants of the tank. The key is not to overload the space with novelty ornaments as it will look too overcrowded. One of the biggest dangers of designing a small household aquarium is getting too eager and filling the tank with too many objects, which makes it look crammed. Yes, we all believe the classic castle ornament belongs in our fish tanks, but too many novelty items can make it look too 'busy'. By all means keep the traditional ornament, however don't go over the top.

Another good tip is to have a good mixture of ornaments and plants in your aquarium. It is important to create a balance so the tank refrains from looking too cluttered. For example you could use artificial or live plants along with plastic figures. However, do not use too many plant forms as it is important for the fish to move around easily and sometimes artificial plants can restrict that. You could also add rocks to the bottom of the aquarium to add a more natural feel to the space.

In addition, adhering to a theme for your aquarium is an option when considering a design. Some fish tank owners like to create a sunken ship scenario or recreate the image of the barrier reef. It is up to you which theme you choose, and you can consult local aquarium or pet shops for ideas about a specific genre for your tank. On the other hand, if you're eager to keep up to date with modern designs then I urge you to go to your local aquarium shop and inquire about new trends and new ornaments available. Also, look around the shop's own displays and try and recreate their design.

Finally, when creating a design one of the aspects that must be considered are the inhabitants of the aquarium. It is important to keep the most natural living space for the fish you have housed in your tank. Look online or ask in your local aquarium shop about the natural setting of your fish depending on the species. I advise you to consider this because even though it is important to create an eye catching design it is vital that the inhabitants of the aquarium can adapt to the setting you have provided for them.

There Are Many Different Fish Tank Filters

A fish tank filter is one of the pieces of equipment that you will need to get your fish aquarium set up properly. A freshwater fish filter will help to circulate the air in the water for your fish. This really helps to maintain a healthy environment. These filters help to run all the water in the aquariums through the fish tank filter at least four times an hour. It is recommended for small to medium fish aquariums to have a power filter or an under-gravel filter but a canister filter is recommended for the larger aquariums.

One of the first filters was the corner filter which set in one of the back corners of the aquariums and is one of the cheaper fish tank filters sold today. They have a less powerful flow intake which is good for those that have breeding tanks.

The canister freshwater fish tank filter is more powerful and fits best on medium to larger tanks. The canister can be hidden in the back of the aquarium and it forces water through the filter media instead of flowing past the filters. If you wish to increase the biological filtration capacity of the canister filter then you will want to add a bio-wheel. The only disadvantage of the canister filter is that it is very difficult to take apart for maintenance and cleaning and is just as difficult to get it primed and restarted.

The next fish tank filter is the diatomic filter which removes the very small particles in the water. This kind of tank filter is used most often when diatomic algae is a problem. These diatomic freshwater fish tank filters are only used for specific situations so most often standard filters are used with a diatomic insert to be used when needed.

Then there is the fluidized bed fish tank filters which use sand as the filer medium and it is a very efficient biological filter. Even though it takes a while longer for these particulate substances to mature they make excellent filters and they can be used in any size fish tank.

The most commonly used fish tank filter is the power filter. It hangs off the back and is so simple to install and maintain. It provides mechanical and chemical filtration and can be combined with a bio-wheel to help biological filtration increase.

The under gravel filter has been around a long time and is placed on the aquarium floor and then the air pump pulls the water down through the rocks along with the unwanted matter. The UGF is inexpensive and is very easy to set up. It is also maintenance free but if you use live plants in your aquariums then this can cause the UGF to clog.

Caring For Your Goldfish

In some cases it might happen to the owners that their aquarium fish die in tragedy out of improper care. Once you have made up your mind to keep goldfish at your home, it is imperative that you should have a good knowledge about how to take care of your goldfish. Even though it does not take much labor in caring for your goldfish, it does need meticulous care since they are so delicate. You can seek suggestions from the pet store in your neighborhood concerning how to care for your goldfish. Also, you can read some books or get some online information with regards to taking good care of goldfish.

A large aquarium can provide better environment for goldfish since they need more space to swim and play. Moreover, a large size aquarium rather than a fish bowl or container can help the goldfish breath into more oxygen to keep them more healthy.

Then you have to decide the amount of goldfish you would keep. The size of the aquarium should be taken into consideration, also, collect enough information about different kinds of goldfish and figure out which one best suits you.

A large number of goldfish demand top quality water. Prior to putting in water to the aquarium, make sure that your tap water should run for five minutes so as to rule out any chemical or dirt. As a matter of fact, keeping it over night is the best way to get it off lots of chemicals such as chlorine, copper or any other deleterious metals.

Get Rid of Those Bad Snails in Your Fish Tank

It may be nice to put in a snail or two in your tank. Problem is, they can easily multiply overtime and take over your tank. Just one snail is capable of producing an army.

The best and safest way to remove snails in your tank is to remove them manually. Many aquarist have tried (and have been successful) in baiting snails with food such as lettuce, zucchini or cucumber. The lettuce can be pinned at the side of the aquarium, near the top. Zucchini or cucumber is best placed inside a clean bottle. Place it there during the night, and you will find a swarm of snails you have not seen in the morning. You can also spend some time maintaining your tank daily. Carefully look for any movement in the leaves or the gravel surface. Sure enough, you will find snails that are just hiding or munching away. Another way of removing snails is by introducing fish types that eat them. Loaches and Cichlids are perfect for eating away snails and snail eggs. Some loach types are ravenous eaters of snails and can even suck them from their shells even if they are beneath the substrate.

Introduction of chemicals such as copper can be used, but it is highly risky. Although it can eradicate much of the snail population in a short amount of time, this method must be done carefully and with extreme caution. Not only will it eradicate your snails, it will also produce some damage in your plants and fish.

Carefully consider each method of clearing up snails in your tank. If all else fails, you can totally clean your tank, flush out the substrate, and treat your plants. It is best to always treat new plants and remove the water in which your fish came in with to prevent any other unwanted snails from getting into your tank.

Live Aquarium Plants - Background Plants

In an aquarium, background plants refer to those plants that are normally placed at the rear of the aquarium. These aquarium plants are usually taller plants with longer stems or leaves. They are placed at the rear of the aquarium for mainly two reasons. Firstly, they enhance the appearance of the aquarium background scene. Secondly, they help to conceal unsightly items such as filter tubes and heaters at the rear of the fish tank. Sometimes, these aquarium plants are placed at the front corners of the fish tank to the further enhance the overall appearance. Some common background plants are described below.

Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)

Cabomba caroliniana is a fine-feathered plant which is light green in colour. This aquarium plant looks stunning when planted in groups of three or more. It grows fast and lives well in bright lighting. It can grow up to a maximum height of about 50cm. Cabomba caroliniana is one of the most common species available and fairly easy to keep. An advantage of having this plant in the fish tank is that it is good for filling up spaces and hiding areas at the background. Another advantage is that it can be used to capture the eggs scattered by fishes. The majority of community fish kept in aquariums uses the egg-scattering method for their reproduction. The disadvantage with this aquarium plant is that fish loves to nibble on it and its leaves come of very easily. Thus, you will often find many leaves floating around in your planted aquarium.

Elodea (Egeria densa)
Elodea is a popular aquatic plant. It is fast-growing and can grow to a height of about 50cm. It is a suitable plant for beginners. Growing the Elodea has many benefits. Firstly, it is easy to keep as it survives well in a wide range of conditions. Secondly, it grows very thick if kept in bright lighting and thus, is an excellent plant for filling up spaces. Thirdly, it secretes substances that help to prevent algae growth. Fourthly, Elodea is known to remove great amounts of nitrates. Hence, it helps to purify the water. Lastly, a small piece of the plant can actually regenerate to become a new plant within a short period of time.

Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
The plant derives its name 'Amazon Sword' from the fact that it grows in Amazon and the shape of its leaves is similar to that of the blade of a sword. This beautiful plant can greatly enhance your aquarium decor, especially when it blooms. Echinodorus bleheri lives well in moderate lighting. However, a point you need to note is that Echinodorus bleheri has large roots and thus, it needs additional fertilizers for it to grow well. Also, if you placed this plant in your aquarium, you need to ensure that the large roots of the plant do not choke out other plants.

Freshwater Aquarium Plants - Why You Want Live Ones

Live freshwater aquarium plants assist in maintain the natural balance in your tank. Simultaneously they do a lot for the aquascape. These inhabit plants can stipulate the water in the aquarium by taking away carbon dioxide in addition to as sulfur substances. They likewise further the development of bacteria to help get rid of other permissive waste in the tank. This natural filtration breaks up ammonium hydroxide into a lesser extent adverse substances that live plants utilize as food. Plants will utilize these nitrites and nitrates as a source of more demanded nitrogen for themselves.

I am certainly everyone has heard of photosynthesis. This is the method where plant life use light to produce food inside themselves and emit oxygen in the process. This is really valuable in holding the water in the tank for your fish. Just think once you switch off the light in the aquarium and it becomes dark, those plants will invert the process and ingest oxygen and emit carbon dioxide similar to your fish's breathing process.

Live plants may likewise be a food source for some species of fish that likes a large number of vegetation in their diet. Of course this entails that you may have to continue replacing the vegetation if your fish experience a big appetite.

You might also discover your fish's color is brighter in a naturally planted aquarium and those live plants will likewise give them many more sense of security. A healthy planted aquarium will furnish a little protection for pregnant fish attempting to break loose from the more combative males. Simultaneously it allows shelter for the smaller timid fish and those fragile, long-finned fish.

Live plants can supply additional, more pleasurable dimension to your fresh water aquarium. as you gain experience, you can expand your knowledge of live freshwater aquarium.

BiOrb - The Aquarium of the Future

There is no getting beyond it. As far as care for the humble Goldfish is concerned boy have times have changed and how have they changed.

OK Hands up those who if asked who would know what a biOrb is? Well the answer would be is that a biOrb is the future as far as a home for our domestic friend the Goldfish is concerned.

No longer content with a simple bowl made from simple glass with the odd throw away from Grannies house clearance lurking in the bottom no sirree, the Goldfish has moved on to bigger and better things and a closer in section of what exactly a biOrb does will give us a clearer understanding of why.

Firstly you have to consider the technology involved here and it has to be said that this is quite impressive. All biOrb Aquariums utilize a unique five -stage system to improve and maintain water quality and clarity. This, as keen owners of tropical fish will be only too ready to Admit is essential in the healthy welfare of our fishy friends.

The optimized water is better and stays clearer for much longer than conventional systems. The five-stage process includes biological, mechanical and chemical filtration along with water stabilization and 100% oxygenation.

One of the other interesting and revealing things about a biOrb is that they are made out of Acrylic as opposed to conventional glass. Now Acrylic is a clear plastic that looks similar to glass but has properties that make it superior to glass. All biOrbs are constructed out of acrylic and this enables the biOrb to be stronger, much lighter and have an overall superior finish compared to similar aquariums made out of glass.

One of the other benefits of acrylic over glass is that acrylic is much more shock absorbent than glass which in turn means that all acrylic aquariums are much more able to withstand the shocks and accidental bumps that occur from time to time without breaking.

But being lighter and stronger is about much more than that.

Being lighter means that biOrbs are approximately 50% lighter than conventional glass aquariums and the knock on effect is that it would be difficult if not impossible for someone to carry a 60 litre for emptying whereas the 60 litre biOrb is within the ability of a strong person to pick up, carry and empty.

Being stronger means that the acrylic biOrbs are up to 17 times as strong as conventional glass aquariums and this considerably decreases the chance of the aquarium breaking. It is a little known fact that one inch thick acrylic is actually bullet proof. The other thing and benefit to acrylic is that it can be drilled and worked with without the possibility of it shattering and becoming completely useless.

Lastly the finish on acrylic aquariums is actually superior to glass aquariums and the added benefit is that if scratched, an acrylic aquarium can be polished and restored whereas its glass counterpart, if scratched remains scratched.

There is a whole lot more to biOrb aquariums and this will be discussed at later briefings.