# Water conditioner for biorb



## tinky75

hi have biorb - I know lots of different views on these tanks, majority I've read were not good, however I already had one and will need to keep for a while. My question is, I have ordered a service kit with filters and sachets of water conditioner and biological booster - normally I've used tap safe which I put in water and left 10 mins before putting in tank - are these sachets recommended or should i just use tap safe? Also came with a water optimiser. Never put so much in before is it worthwhile doing so?


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## NaomiM

Check what the sachets actually do - you should ideally have a conditioner which neutralises chloramine as well as chlorine, as chloramine can be found in tap water in many areas. The best conditioner out there IMO is Seachem Prime as it also neutralises ammonia, and is good value for money as it's highly concentrated so you only need small amounts.

It's highly recommended to do a fishless cycle before adding fish - it will save you a lot of hassle and potential fish deaths/long term problems down the line. If you need info on how to do this, there's a good article here: http://www.tropicalfishforums.co.uk/index.php?page=setting up your new aquarium


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## tinky75

Hi tank has been set up for 5 weeks - unfortunately my old tank was leaking and I would not have the filter on so I had to get a new tank - got the biorb - and transferred all the water and fish and hoped all would be all ok. As its be 5 weeks ordered the service kit and wondered if anyone who gets the same uses it all?


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## tinky75

hi posting on here again regarding this. In the service kit I have a two pack sachet - water conditioner and biological booster, which i use when I change the filter. It also came with a water optimiser a small pump bottle and says put into tank every week. In my old tank all I used to use was tap safe, which I put in a 5ml water and let stand for 5 mins before I put each 5ml into tank. I have lost 2 platys and am wondering if it is because I have not used a tap safe because I assumed the new that has come with the biorb service kit replaced the tap safe I was using. 

Anyone with a biorb - do you just use what comes with the service kit or something else ? And would I be right to start using the tap safe again as well as ?


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## NaomiM

Have you tested ammonia and nitrite levels? It sounds more likely that you could have a water quality issue.


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## 3dogs2cats

Tinky75, sorry I know you asked about this a while ago but on the off chance you do check back in, I would just like to say you do not need to be buying the service kit and replacing the biorb filter sponge despite what the manufacture tells you.

I had a biorb some time ago, by biorb I mean the original sphere shaped design, I am aware of different designs I can not claim to know anything about them at all so I am only aiming this at the sphere type. The sponge filter just needs cleaning off in tank water when doing a water change. Unless it absolutely falls apart it does not need replacing, it acts as filter by trapping dirt particles, while it is capable of performing that job just rinse and put back in place.. You will not loose all your beneficial bacteria by changing it because the Biorb is designed so the bacteria grows mainly on the special substrate provided, but while some is going to grow on it you do not want to be chucking it out every 4-6 weeks like the manufactures suggest, besides which it is waste of money replacing something that does not need replacing!!

Regarding the water conditioner and bacteria boost, these used to be ( I think anyway) API stress coat as the water conditioner and API stress enzyme as the booster, It has been a while since I have had an orb but if still the same Stress Coat is perfectly fine as a water conditioner and if you have used that in place of Tap Safe I would be very surprised if that would cause a problem, there should be no need to also add Tap Safe.
I have never felt the need to be adding boosters or optimisers I just routinely test water to keep an eye parameters.

Have you been able to get the water tested? as Naomi has already said it does seem a water quality problem rather than anything to do with water conditioners 

I did not dislike the Biorb as such, although I found it distorted view of fish and because of substrate found it hard to clean, I just wanted to go onto bigger tanks and so do some aquascaping, the design of the orb is a little restrictive to do much designing!!


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