BiUbe mod

[kilyth]

Most people will be familiar with the BiOrb and BiUbe. I was gifted one just about 10 months ago, which started me off on proper fishkeeping. It didn't take me long to figure out just how inadequate this tank is for just about any fish and since then I have been pondering how to make it better. I bought a filter and decided to swap over to it 'sometime soon'. It's been on the shelf for six months

Today, while changing the water, I have been prompted to get my arse in gear and do it. The valve on the air line has broken and is leaking water into the air line. It's not getting into the pump, but since it seems that the airstone powers the filter I don't want that line compromised at all.

I fished out my new filter and have it prepped and in the tank but there's a problem. Because the tank for some reason has european 2 pin plugs instead of Irish 3 pin plugs I've been running it through an adaptor. The new filter has a 3 pin plug but, due to the set up of my extension cord, I can't have the current filter adaptor and the new filter plugged in at the same time. Is there any chance that BB can could colonise the new filter without water actively flowing through it so that in a couple of weeks I can unplug the old filter and turn on the new one? I'm due to change the BiUbe filter next week (yes, I know you shouldn't change your filter, but this is actually part of the BiOrb/Ube users manual, it must be changed every 6-8 weeks) so I can squeeze it into the new filter then. Would that be enough.

Current tank set up, with new filter at top right.


I've put this in a journal because I intend to document the change over.
Eventually I want the tank to look something like this:

ETA: Oh, if you're wondering about the little white dots; those are thanks to my nerite snail.

[sheamurai]

Any chance you can run the new filter on an empty container of some sort, and do a fishless cycle? If you fed the container ammonia, once it was cycled you could just install it on the tank and away you go.

If you took filter media out of the new filter and put it directly in the tank for a month r so, it would eventually get coated with BB. I don't imagine actual flow is a requirement, as the BB inhabit all surfaces of the tank. Flow just helps gets waste/food to BB on all the inner surfaces of the media. The media has to be exposed to ammonia, tho, so just hanging the filter off the back of the tank with water in it would not be sufficient.

Your best bet, IMO is to get a small bucket or container, and fishless cycle the filter on it, then just transfer it over once cycled.

[kilyth]

Genius!

[sheamurai]

awww gee, I'm blushing! ;)

[kilyth]

Tested the water my filter is cycling in

Amm <0.6
pH 7.0
nitrAte 5
NitrIte ~0.1

[kilyth]

I transferred my tetras and gourami to my 120L tank and emptied the Ube the other day. The fish seem to be loving their new digs (pics to follow in my 120L journal).


You can see at the bottom of the tank the circle where the filter is designed to sit. this is a filter that's supposed to be changed every 8 weeks.




I removed all the ceramic medium at the bottom and replaced it with gravel. The filter and bubble tube went into the bin (after the filter had been squeezed into the new water). I tied off the airline at the bottom, and will fill it with superglue in a day or two as the waterproof valve isn't al that waterproof and it's dripping a little. I don't intend to use the airstone as I find them very noisy.

The water is pretty clear now, and I moved my betta back in there last night, I'll get some photos of him tomorrow.

[sheamurai]

be cool to see the final product...

[kilyth]

I put a pre-cycled filter in there, brought it up to temperature and moved the betta in. It's absolutely silent now, and should be much easier to keep clean.

I'd love to put something else in there. I'm thinking apple snail, a couple of Otos, or some dwarf frogs.



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