Re: What have I got here?
#4
A biube isn't quite as bad as a biorb but the basics are
1/ Volume. A fancy goldfish needs a minimum volume of 120L.
2/ Surface area. Oxygen disolves into the water at the surface. Orbs and Ubes have relatively small surface areas. This means less oxygen. Oxygen deprivation weakens the fish causing problems with development, digestion and the immune system.
3/ Filtration. Undergravel filters are very old technology being inefficient Reef One's design compensates by adding expensive absorbative media which needs to be refreshed regularly or the fishes toxins may not be removed from the filter.
4/ Poor use of space. A square tank gets much more water into the same space as a spherical one.
Goldfish being large, messy fish with a high metabolic rate (ie they breathe and poop lots) need a large volume of water, large surface area and excellent filtration. They're also sociable fish so do better in small groups.
Really a starter tank should be no smaller than 120L and have a surface area at least 90cm x 40cm or equivilent.