Reef One, the inventor of the Biorb fish tank, manufactures a service kit specifically for the maintenance of the unique Biorb fish bowl. While the bowl is partially self-cleaning, it still needs filter changes and water treatment like other aquariums.
The service kit comes with a replacement filter cartridge (the original filter is purchased with the bowl) and cleaning supplies. A special algae cleaning cloth is included in the kit to wipe away algae buildup. A sachet of “stress coat” and “stress zyme” are also included.
While regular cleaning is important, just like other aquariums the Biorb needs to maintain a balance in the water chemicals. Thus, one should only replace up to 30% of the water supply at a time. When cleaning, live plants may deposit some dead leaves and debris, which is important to remove the best you can, since they will quickly turn to waste in the bowl.
Replacing the 30% of water is done by using a special water pump, a kind of siphon that pulls water out of the bowl into something like a bucket placed beside the tank. Replacement water needs to be pre-treated with the water treatment packet included in the service kit.
As with regular aquariums, the Biorb will not stay clean or balanced in-between cleanings if the fish are overfed, there are too many fish in the bowl, or there are messy fish in the bowl (like goldfish, which create a lot of waste). It is thus important to follow feeding instructions and the advice of someone who knows fish well, to determine the right number and type of fish for the Biorb bowl.