Biorb Aquarium Reviews: Biorb Fish Tanks, The Good & Bad

I have been checking the Everything Biorb Blog all morning waiting to see when they would publish what the “big savings” were, and it is finally up.  The big announcement was that they are selling a coupon book with over $150 in coupon codes and discounts for biorb aquariums & supplies.  I went ahead and checked it out, and it seems like a pretty good deal.  Since I have a couple biorb tanks I figure I will use the codes over the next year or two (they never expire) and I will definitely get my money out of it, its only $12.95.  I figure if I use one of the $10 coupon codes I’ve already made my money back.

I went ahead and bought mine & didn’t have any problems, here is a list of all the coupons that come with the Everything Biorb Coupon Book.  So if you think you will use them and its worth $13, what do you have to lose?

1. 10 off any order
2. $5 off any order of $25 or more
3. $10 off any order of $45 or more
4. $15 off any order of $65 or more
5. $20 off any acrylic biorb stand
6. $20 off any order of $105 or more
7. $10 off any order of $90 or more
8. $22 off any order of $122 or more
9. 10% off any biorb life aquarium
10. $15 off any biorb or biube aquarium purchase over $80

Here is an excerpt from Everything Biorb’s blog -
“It is time for our announcement, we have created a way to save you a ton of money on your biorb supplies and accessories, our Biorb Coupon Book. With over $150 in savings, discounts, & coupons, this book won’t hurt your pocketbook. The Biorb Coupon Book is over a $50 value but for our loyal customers it is temporarily only $12.95, but hurry, because there are only 500 available, and with over 1 million biorb owners in the U.S., those 500 won’t last long!!”

Barrett General Biorb bio orb, biorb, biorb coupon, biorb discount, biorb sale, biube

Do you have a favorite Biorb Accessory?  One that puts a smile on your face everytime you use it, or that makes your aquarium maintenance easier?  Share it with us!  We want to know what biorb and biube accessories or supplies you like the best.  Send us an email (info@biorbreviews.org), or just post a comment and let us know your experience.

From our readers feedback so far the top rated biorb accessory is the biorb siphon hose, let us know if you agree, disagree, or have other recommendations!

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This post addresses whether we think the biorb life aquariums are worth the price.  If you want more detailed information and specs about the biorb life aquariums visit our biorb life review pages under “biorb aquarium reviews.”

Biorb Life Broad Overview

Reef One introduced the Biorb Life Aquariums at tradeshows in early 2008, but they didn’t hit the market until late 2008.  There are three sizes, the biorb life 30,45,& 60.  There are three colors in each size, chilli red, piano black, and pearl white.  They are the newest tanks to their line of designer biorb aquariums & the first biorb aquariums to have flat sides.  Prices for the biorb life tanks in the U.S. range from $295 – $450 depending on the store & size of the tank.  

The big question is, what makes the biorb life tanks more expensive than other biorb aquariums, and are they worth the upgrade in price?

Biorb Life 30 – (8 gallons)

Biorb Life 45 (12 gallons)

Biorb Life 60 (16 gallons)

For our comparison we compare the Biorb Life 30 with the Classic Biorb 30

The Biorb Life 30 is 8 gallons and can be compared in volume to the classic biorb, which is also 8 gallons.  An average price for the classic biorb is around $130, about $160 less than the Biorb Life 30, so what’s the difference?  The Biorb Life tanks come with the Biorb Intelligent LED Light which alone costs $105, so if you tack that to the classic biorb that brings the classic biorb price to $245.  The guts of the biorb life tanks are the same as the classic biorb and biube tanks.  You can use the same biorb service kit filter, same airstones, and all the other accessories.  So the remaining $50 price difference between a classic biorb and the biorb life tanks is either in the construction of the tank itself, or the price tag for a newer, hip aquarium design.  

Construction Differences between the Biorb Life & Classic Biorb Tanks

The acrylic of the Biorb Life tank’s is thicker than the Classic Biorb’s

The shape of of the Biorb Life tanks is different than the Classic Biorbs (two curved sides and two flat sides)

The Biorb Life Tanks have colored acrylic wrap on the two curved sides of the aquarium

Construction Difference Summary

We aren’t experts in acrylic or fish tank manufacturing prices, but we think it is safe to assume that thicker acrylic & colored acrylic is going to cost more than thinner, non colored acrylic.  Exactly how much, we don’t know, but we think its safe to say that the majority of the price increase from the classic bio orb tanks to the biorb life tanks can be attributed to the biorb intelligent led light, and the new design and construction of the biorb life aquariums.  Compared to the regular biorb aquariums we think that the biorb life aquariums are very comparable in price based on the additional features they come with.  

Review Summary

If the Biorb Life is in your price range, we highly recommend it.  When compared to a regular square fish tank it is A LOT more expensive, so you have some of your own decisions to make.  But, compared to the other biorb tanks, the biorb life tanks are comparable in price when you strip down the upgrades and construction differences.  The big question is does the biorb life fit into your budget, if it does, we say go for it.  If it doesn’t you can always save, or go for a classic biorb, or biube pure.   These tanks still look great, are easy to maintain, and you will definitely enjoy them.  

If you want an elaborate fish tank with live plants & lots of fish, you are probably better off buying a regular fish tank.  However, if you are looking for a tank that is easy to maintain, and will be displayed in your home, office, or showroom where you frequently have guests or entertain, the Biorb Life is an excellent display tank.  Since they max out at 16 gallons, you can’t put a ton of fish in the aquarium, which means easier maintenance for you.  Reef One’s unique filter design also helps to keep maintenance easy and less time consuming.

Barrett General Biorb bio orb, biorb, biorb life, classic biorb, review

If you have a Baby Biorb, Biorb Life, or any of the Bio Orb Aquariums you should be familiar with the biorb service kit.  The Service Kit is the basic filter that is used in all the Biorb Aquariums.  So you’ve used, cleaned, and replaced a biorb service kit, but do you know what the service kit does, or what makes it different from other aquarium filters?  This post highlights the Biorb Service Kit, both its design & functionality, in order to help show why the biorb service kit is special.

Biorb Service Kit Filter Cartridge

In all the biorb aquariums the mechanical and chemical filtration is housed in the easy-to-change filter cartridge (service kit). This cartridge is replaced when the chemicals are depleted and before the mechanical filter becomes blocked ensuring that the water conditions remain optimal for your fish.

The unique cartridge based filtration system inside all biOrbs and biUbes has been specifically designed to effectively and safely eliminate the organic waste produced by fish and uneaten food, keeping the water clear and the fish healthy. In order to keep water quality high all Biorb/Biube aquariums use five separate stages to optimize the water, meaning less maintenance for you and a healthier environment for your fish. The 5 stages of water optimization consist of biological, mechanical, chemical, water stabilization, and oxygenation.

Mechanical Filtration

The Standard Biorb Service Kit filter cartridge includes a chemically nonreactive mechanical filter that traps particulates, like fish waste and uneaten food, as they pass through. Unlike many aquariums, Reef One’s mechanical filter is separate from the biological filtration allowing the removal and disposal of the filter cartridge, containing the mechanical filter, without affecting the biological filtration. Replacing the mechanical filter housed in the easy to change filter cartridge ensures that the trapped particulates don’t have time to break down and adversely affect the water quality.

Chemical Filtration

The chemical filtration in the filter cartridge is a blend of different resin particles selected to remove toxic substances, other than ammonia and nitrite which is broken down by the biological filtration. Certain organics can discolor aquarium water making it yellow, while also reducing light penetration. The highly effective resins bond with these substances at a molecular level to ensure the aquarium water quality remains high. The chemical filtration is located in the easy to change filter cartridge ensuring that chemical filtration can be removed when depleted (typically every 6-8 weeks).

Biological Filtration

As many of you know one of the most important aspects of a healthy aquarium is biological filtration.  Biological filtration occurs when beneficial bacteria within your aquarium break down harmful fish waste and chemicals, this process takes place after your aquarium has cycled.  In the Biorb Aquariums the biological filtration takes place in the Biorb Ceramic Media.  This means that you can replace the filter, without removing the beneficial bacteria that help to break down fish waste in your aquarium.

Sources: Reef-One.com, EverythingBiorb.com

Barrett Biorb Maintenance/Cleaning, biorb accessories bio orb, biorb care, biorb filter, biorb filtration, biorb service kit, biube

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They also have the NEW & POPULAR BiUbe Pure in limited stock

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