Help with BIORB fish tank

lillybell

I have had a biorb fish tank since xmas. The bubble filter has stopped working. I have replaced the air stone, but the bubbles are still weak and then eventually stop.

All advice welcome. :rolleyes:

alanobrien

lillybell wrote:

I have had a biorb fish tank since xmas. The bubble filter has stopped working. I have replaced the air stone, but the bubbles are still weak and then eventually stop.

All advice welcome. :rolleyes:

Never had one myself but i have had lots of others.
Firsty, if there are any air tube joints check these for leaks.

I suspect the bubbles are powered by a small diaphragm pump. If so it could be that the little rubber diaphragm has come loose or worse it may have even split.

If so you will need to replace the diaphragm or take the whole thing back for replacing.

cargo

I have a biorb for about 2 years and has never failed but as above post says there is not much can go wrong sound like the pump on its way.

speedyjoe

Have you checked the non-return valve under the base ? I know I had to replace the one on mine a couple of years ago but unfortunately I don't recall the details :-(

lillybell

Thanks for the replies. It is really appreciated.

I have ordered a new pump. Can anyone advise what height to postion it at? Have I burnt the old one out by having it too low?

yumzone

Ours is at the same height as the base of the fish bowl, we have had ours a good few years and have replaced the pump as the old one got noisy ... Good luck

speedyjoe

lillybell wrote:

Thanks for the replies. It is really appreciated.

I have ordered a new pump. Can anyone advise what height to postion it at? Have I burnt the old one out by having it too low?

Mine sits on the floor about a metre below the tank but I do have two non return valves to protect it, even if the power goes off for quite a while it doesn't seem to cause a problem.

I recall a bit more about the non-return valve issue I had. They might have changed the non-return valve used now, they changed the airstone design, but the one originally fitted to my early Biorb appeared to be of fairly poor quality and when the power went off after I having the tank for a couple of years the tube filled and when the power came back on the pump wore out. So if you are going to have the pump below the level of the water then it's a good idea to get a second valve installed close to the air inlet.

cargo

"valves return" how ignorant am I,way to techie for me.
Anyway our pump sits about 18 inch below at the mo as the biorb is sat on the middle table of a nest of three.

Think the pump was called a little jem.

basill

My original Biorb supplied pump got a bit weak and feeble, I found knocking it on the table livened it up for a while. It will probably need replacing though.

B

lillybell

basill wrote:

My original Biorb supplied pump got a bit weak and feeble, I found knocking it on the table livened it up for a while. It will probably need replacing though.

B

Thats exactly right. I gave the pump a little bash!! And it decided to give a pathetic effort. But stopped again, although it still makes the annoying buzzing noise, so there is still life there.

Can another pump be used other than the reef one?

basill

Mine is a 240v one but I see on the web that there there are Reef One pumps available that work on 12volts for safety and I think use the same transformer as the light unit.
Almost any small air pump will do, usually the box is marked with the size of tank it is suitable for. If you are in doubt ask at the fish shop. You may have to trim a little bit off the air pipe when you get your new pump to make sure it is a good tight fit and doesnt leak air.

B