PondQuip Australia

PondQuip takes pride in selling the highest quality brands in pond, reptile and aquarium supplies through our online shop.

Garden Pond Pumps and Filters

We will cover all your fish pond pump needs, you can choose from our huge range of submersible pond pumps, from the worlds best manufacturers of pond equipment.

Marine Aquariums and Supplies

PondQuip's range of marine aquariums specifically designed to make having a marine coral reef as simple as possible, catering to the special lighting and filtration needs of a marine aquarium.

BiOrb Life Collection 30L, 45L and 60L and Fluval Edge Collection

Check out PondQuip's range of freshwater aquariums designed to be more than a fish tank, they are piece of furniture.

Outdoor Garden Water Features

Our wide range of water features varies from garden statue fountains to LED laminar jets.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Fish Tanks: How Do I Choose the Right Size

If you have never owned a fish tank before you may think that a smaller tank will be easier to handle than a larger one. While this may seem like good logic, the opposite is actually true - larger fish tanks typically require less maintenance than smaller tanks. There are several reasons why this is true and it is wise to familiarize yourself with the benefits of large versus small tanks before you decide which tank size is right for you. If you know the advantages and disadvantages associated with different size fish tanks you will be better equipped to make an educated decision regarding your own tank.

Large VS Small Tanks

Though it may seem strange to think that larger tanks are easier to maintain than smaller tanks, it all has to do with the water volume in the tank. Small fish tanks like BiOrb Life 30L, Fluval Edge 23L or Fluval Edge 46L, contain less water than large tanks and small water volumes are more easily affected by outside influences. For example, if the aquarium heater in a five gallon tank were to give out it would not take long for the water in the aquarium to become cold. A larger tank, for example Red Sea MAX 250 Marine Aquarium or Juwel Vision 450 Aquarium, however, holds more water and, thus, would not cool quite so quickly. The water volume in a fish tank also plays a role in maintaining stable water chemistry. As your fish excrete waste and as uneaten fish food builds up on the bottom of your tank, harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrites are produced. While in small tanks the presence of these chemicals can quickly affect water quality, large tanks have a greater water volume to dilute these toxins. This is especially important for new aquarium hobbyists to realize – the greater water volume in larger tanks is more forgiving of the mistakes novice aquarists are likely to make than smaller tanks. 

Necessary Considerations 

Aside from the basic advantages and disadvantages associated with small versus large fish tanks, you also need to consider the space you have available in your home as well as the type of fish you plan on raising. Before you bring home a fish tank you need to know where you are going to put it. The ideal location for an aquarium is somewhere visible but not in the direct line of traffic. You should also be sure to keep your fish tank out of direct sunlight or you could experience problems with excessive algae growth. When deciding where to put your tank it is also wise to select an easily-accessible location, not an out-of-the-way nook where tank maintenance might be difficult. 
One of the most important factors in deciding what size fish tank you need is the type of fish you intend to keep. If you plan to keep small species like danios and guppies, a twenty- or thirty-gallon tank will provide plenty of space. Larger species like gouramis and cichlids, however, may require more space. Before you purchase a tank, research the various species of fish you intend to keep in order to determine their tank requirements. You need to not only consider the type of fish you plan to keep, but also the number of fish. When you are first starting out in the aquarium hobby it is wise to limit yourself to one inch of fish (taking into account the adult size of the fish) per gallon of tank capacity. Following this rule will help you to avoid overstocking your tank.
Other Things to Think About 

On the more practical side of things, cost may be a large factor in determining what size fish tank you get. The larger the tank, the greater the cost will be for not just the tank itself but also for the necessary equipment. If you are looking for a way to save money while also purchasing a decent-sized tank, look for aquarium kits that include the tank and all the basic necessities. These kits are affordably priced and may cost significantly less than purchasing the tank and all the start-up equipment separately. In addition to the amount of money you are willing to spend, you also need to think about how much time you have to devote to tank maintenance. The main tasks you will need to perform are weekly water tests and water changes. The amount of time needed for a water test remains the same for tanks of all sizes but the time it takes to perform a water change varies. Though it may take longer to replace 25% of the water in a 40-gallon tank than a 10-gallon tank, the decreased capacity for a 10-gallon tank to dilute toxins makes it necessary to perform water changes more frequently than in a 40-gallon tank. 

If you are able to devote an hour or two each week to tank maintenance tasks, there is only one good reason for you to select a small aquarium over a larger one. If you are a marine enthusiast, you may find it difficult to indulge your favorite past time, especially if you live far away from the beach or may simply be too busy to visit as often as you would like.

Why not consider bringing a small part of this ecosystem into your home? 

There might be a corner of the house crying out for something to fill it; and you may already have enough pictures, flowers as well as other common decorative additions. Consider a nano fish tank; it can just be the inclusion you need, as most will allow you to get creative and use similar theme colours that already exist within your home. Fish come in different shades, and provide a variety as far as matching goes.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

BiOrb 105L Aquarium

The latest biOrb 105L aquarium was introduced at a prestigious US trade show for the pet industry in Orlando, Florida. Designed by UK-based Reef One, the biOrb 105 gained 2nd place in the Aquatics Best in Show category, voted at Global Pet Expo, the largest show of its kind in America.

Like all other biOrb fish tanks, such as biOrb 30L, biOrb 45L and biOrb 60L, the biOrb 105L aquarium uses special ceramic media to provide biological filtration, which has a surface area equivalent to the size of a football pitch. 


The biOrb 105 follows in the same footsteps as the original biOrbs, special from biOrb life collection, but expands on the size without affecting the style and elegance. This wonderful design together with its low maintenance and strong, safe construction will appeal to all age groups in both private and business sectors. Made from strong, crystal clear acrylic with a capacity of 105 litres of water and weighing 115 kilos when full, it is ideal for most types of fish keeping.

If you are interested for other biOrb life fish tanks check out our product pages:
Enjoy the quality of an intelligently designed aquarium that offers built-in features that are not found elsewhere, and an aquarium that looks great anywhere in the house. Any excess waste is collected and held in a filter cartridge at the base of the biOrb.


The biOrb 105L has an intelligent light which uses long life LEDs to automatically replicate a natural 24 hour light cycle.  The high performance Intelligent LED Light is one of the most advanced lights in the aquarium market. The Intelligent Light replicates natural daylight, with a gradual sunrise and sunset which automatically fades into a blue moonlight after the day time cycle has completed. 

For your peace of mind, the lights and pump are low voltage and are backed by a 12 month guarantee.

The aquarium itself is made from acrylic which is ten times stronger than glass. In fact acrylic which is just over one inch thick is bullet resistant.

Acrylic has a transparency rate of 93% making it the clearest material known. Glass only allows 70% of light to pass through and thick glass always has a green tint.

Acrylic aquariums retain heat nearly twice as well as glass which means they require less power to heat.

You can keep larger species of fish in your biOrb 105 - go tropical or marine - and still enjoy the benefits of an aquarium which is simple to look after.


BiOrb 105L box package contains: biOrb 105 aquarium, 900g of ceramic media, Air stone, Filter Cartridge, Plug top 12v transformer, Low voltage air pump, Water conditioner and beneficial bacteria liquid, Fish food and Instructions.

Dimensions: Height: 24.8 inches (63cm), Width: 24 inches (61cm), Weight (empty): 10, Weight (full): 115 kg, Volume: 105L

Transformer: 12v transformer, 12 month guarantee

12V Intelligent LED light: Low voltage 12V AC Power 50/60 Hz, 3x daylight power LED's (supplied fitted), 1x Moonlight LED (supplied fitted), Built-in automatic electronic timer, Optional day-length modes, Low power consumption, 12 month guarantee

12V Air Pump: Quiet operation, 1.5m air line with 1-way valve, 1m power cable,12 month guarantee

Voltage: 12V AC, Frequency: 50Hz or 60Hz, Safety Standards

The 105 liter fish bowl incorporates a clever and easy to change filtration system that has been designed to provide maximum benefits to both fish and fish keepers. Maintenance is reduced thanks to the easy to change filter cartridge system.  

The biOrb 105L makes maintenance easy, compared to similar sized aquariums this fish tank has the biggest biological filtration system (in fact many aquariums with external filters have less biological filtration). Also the biological filtration in the biOrb 105 remains in the aquarium at all times, ensuring that filtration is not disturbed when maintenance is carried out. The biOrb offers multi-stage filtration, every cartridge contains mechanical filtration, chemical filtration and water optimizers to give your fish the ideal water conditions and keep maintenance lower for you.

If you need additional information check out our web store PondQuip - Aquarium & Pond equipment and suppliesPondQuip are specialists in the fish pond and aquarium field offering a comprehensive range of pond supplies delivered from Newcastle NSW direct to your door anywhere in Australia.