Self-Cleaning Fish Tank

Fish might be fun and basically care-free pets as you do not have to take them out or waste too time on this, but they still require your attention when it comes to caring for them and the environment that they swim in for them to lead as long of a life as possible. Self-cleaning tanks promise to get all the hassle out of caring for fish by providing a permanently clean swimming environment. Find out more about these products and what the top choices at the moment are from this article.

Top 5 Self-Cleaning Fish Tanks Comparison

	1. biOrb 45775 Classic	2. EcoQube C UV Sterilizer	3. biOrb Flow 30	4. Back to the Roots Water Garden	5. Marineland ML90609 Portrait
	BEST MODEL	OUR CHOICE
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price
General Information
Brand	biOrb	EcoQube	biOrb	Back to the Roots	MarineLand
Size (L x W x H)	24″ x 24″ x 24.8″	12″ x 12″ x 12″	11.8″ x 8.2″ x 12.4″	8.3″ x 12.1″ x 12.3″	11.8″ x 11.8″ x 16.8″
Weight	2 Lbs	10 Lbs	4.5 Lbs	5 Lbs	12 Lbs
Tank Material	Acrylic	Acrylic	Acrylic	Acrylic	Glass
Shape	Globe	Cube	Rectangle	Rectangle	Rectangle
Specifications&Features
Volume	28 Gallons	1.5 Gallons	8 Gallons	3 Gallons	5 Gallons
Maximum Continuous Power	13W	7W	13W	15W	7W
Feed Hole Location	Top	Top	Top	Top	Top
Filtration Type	5-Stage Filtration	Aquaponics Filtration	5-Stage Filtration	Aquaponics Filtration	3-Stage Filtration
LED Lighting
Submersible Pump
Included
	Airstone	LED Remote Control	Airstone	Organic Seeds	Bio-Foam
	2-Pound Ceramic Media	Plant Medium	2-Pound Ceramic Media	Growstones	Adjustable Flow Filter Pump
	Beneficial Bacteria Liquid	AC Adapter	Beneficial Bacteria Liquid	Gravel	Rite-Size Z Cartridge
	Transformer	Sand	Transformer	Water Pump
	Water Conditioner	Mountain Stone	Water Conditioner	Water Treatments
		Plant Seeds		Fish Food
		Glass Cover
		UV Sterilizer
Warranty&Support
Product Warranty	2 Years	1 Year	1 Year	90-Day Money Back Guarantee	2 Years
Customer Support
User Manual

Self-Cleaning Aquariums Reviews

1. biOrb 45775 Classic

Undoubtedly the best self-cleaning aquarium at the moment, the 45775 Classic brings elegance and life into your house. Of course, it provides you with a perfect environment to raise fish in, which for a lot of people are the perfect pets as they are not as demanding as cats and dogs are. It has a spectacular globe shape and it measures 24 inches in diameter and 24.8 inches in height.

The acrylic material that goes into the manufacturing of the tank makes it scratch resistant and it ensures that it won’t break easily either. One of the reasons why this model ranks as number 1 is because of the generous 28-gallon capacity that it boasts. Obviously, the 5-stage filtration that it provides cannot be overlooked as it is highly effective and it ensures that cleaning won’t be a part of your chores when it comes to taking care of the fish.

It uses a special ceramic media that provides biological filtration of the best quality. All the excess waste that the fish leave behind is collected and held in the cartridge that is situated at the base of the tank. What makes it even more spectacular are the long lasting LED lights that replicate the natural light cycle perfectly, thus creating a great environment for the plants as well as the fish.

PROS	CONS
28-gallon volume ensures there will be enough space for your fish to swim around in it	Occupies more space than similar fish tanks do
Uses a 5-stage filtration process to keep the water clean and safe for the fish
LED lighting enables you to see what the fish are doing even when the lights are out in the room
Weighs only 2 pounds when empty – easy to move around
Acrylic construction ensures it won’t break too easily
VERDICT
Providing your fish with enough room to roam around freely, not getting suffocated by each other, the biOrb is our top recommendation to those who are looking for a convenient storage space for their aquatic friends. It might be a hefty investment, but it is one worth making for sure.

2. EcoQube C UV Sterilizer

The compact dimensions of the EcoQube C make it perfect for the office or the kid’s room. The low maintenance fish tank uses a basil plant to purify the water in the aquarium through, the plant being an important part of the aquaponics filter used. The water of the aquarium, as well as the filters, never need to be changed due to the innovative and ingenious filtration method used. The only work that is asked of you to do is to feed the fish properly, approximately 3-6 times per week, and top off the aquarium with water every 1-2 months.

What will surely delight you, even more, is the fact that the initial water put into the aquarium is not recommended to be changed, so you won’t have to worry about this aspect at all. The wireless remote and the LED lights featured allow a high-level of customization. With the convenient to use remote, you will be able to change settings like the color spectrum preset, the intensity of the spectrum, and the natural light behaviors.

Another amazing pro delivered by the remote is the fact that you can rapidly select the preferred settings, so no time is lost on customization aspects. Additionally, the lights come with a timer function that you can set for up to 7 hours with the help of the remote.

PROS	CONS
Aquaponics filtration keeps the water safe for fish to swim in	Weighs more than other tanks when it is empty
Top location of the feed hole provides a convenient manner to feed the fish
Wireless remote provides a convenient manner to change lighting settings
Lighting system features a timer function which you can set for up to 7 hours
VERDICT
As it does not require your attendance to clean it, this aquarium is the ideal addition for a lazy or occupied person who wants to keep fish as pets. One of its most appealing features which make it a hard to resist investment is the timer function that allows you to pick for how long the lighting system should work.

3. biOrb Flow 30

If you have searched around for a quality self-cleaning tank then you are probably overwhelmed by the vast selection of products offered by the renowned brand biOrb. The Flow 30 model is one of the best aquariums produced by the company due to the generous volume that it boasts, the impeccable design, and the impressive self-cleaning capability that it boasts. Just like the number 1 ranked product in our top, it uses an effective 5-stage filtration process that deploys mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration, as well as water oxygenation and stabilization.

The relatively compact size that it boasts makes it the perfect addition to the nightstand, the living room table, or even the desk in your office. In it, you can place small fish or shrimps as it provides the ideal environment for these small creatures. What makes it highly spectacular when compared to other aquariums is the multicolored remote-controlled LED light that it features.

It features an automatic setting that has the role of simulating the natural light cycle that the fish need to grow big and stay healthy. For a high precision when it comes to the duration and evolution of the cleaning cycle, the tank features a built-in timer. Additionally, it comes with all the needed accessories for the experience of owning pet fish to be complete, so you won’t have to worry about any additional costs.

PROS	CONS
5-stage filtration process of the water keeps it clean and safe for the fish to swim in
Comes with all the accessories you could need for a complete fish care experience
Boasts an 8-gallon capacity
Manufacturing company backs it with a 1-year warranty
13-watt maximum power consumption ensures it won’t add too much to the energy bill
VERDICT
A rectangle form tank where you can confidently put your fish and forget about ever cleaning their habitat, this biOrb aquarium had to make it in our list as it is indeed a convenient option to go for. Furthermore, the asking price is reasonable considering that it comes with a complete set of accessories and numerous features.

4. Back to the Roots Water Garden

This amazing self-cleaning aquarium grows organic herbs and sprouts in order to deliver an aquaponic filtration that keeps the water clean permanently and that provides a self-sustained miniature ecosystem that you will fall in love with. The silent, submersible water pump that it comes with makes the fish tank a perfect addition to your bedroom or the small one’s bedroom as well, not making bothersome noise that might keep you awake. The 3-gallon volume of the tank as well as its 8.3-inch length, 12.1-inch width, and 12.3-inch height makes it perfect for small fish.

Due to the fact that it is made with acrylic and not glass, it is highly durable and scratch-resistant. No water changes are needed ever with it as the waste left by the fish is used to fertilize the plants, so the water is clean at all times. Your only part to play will be to restock the aquarium with water until it reaches the top once every 1-2 months.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to it, more precisely the fact that it is only backed up by the manufacturer during the first 90 days after you purchase it. This small warranty length is a problem as other high-end self-cleaning aquariums are backed up by more generous warranties.

PROS	CONS
Weighs only 5 pounds when it is empty	Does not feature a LED lighting system which could have provided a more soothing ambiance
Boasts a 3-gallon capacity
Great price to quality ratio – an affordable acquisition
Acrylic construction ensures long-lasting durability
VERDICT
Although the LED lighting feature lacks, a feature which would have made the ambiance of the room more pleasant, this is not an important drawback as the Back to the Roots aquarium provides a friendly environment where you can store your fish. Better yet, it provides an environment which you personally don’t have to clean.

5. Marineland ML90609 Portrait

Last we have this great aquarium that comes from MarineLand, a widely renowned manufacturer of self-cleaning tanks. Although it will be required to change the water from time to time, more precisely 3-4 times per year, this is not a big hassle. What helps keep the water in the tank clean for such a long period of time is the 3-stage filtration that it uses and that deploys mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration methods of the highest quality.

It features energy efficient LED lights that come with a 3-way switch, allowing you to toggle between blue-only, white and blue, and off settings. For the tank to permanently look clean and perfect, it features a back compartment that hides any mess left by the fish. A natural setting is offered for the small aquatic creatures by the 2-mode operation of the lighting system.

It can host a few small fish without any problems as it boasts a 5-gallon capacity and it measures 11.8 inches in length, 11.8 inches in width, and 16.8 inches in height. Additionally, it is backed up by a generous and lengthy 2-year warranty, a period of time during which the manufacturer will handle resolving any issue that appears with it.

PROS	CONS
Consumes a maximum of 7 watts	Glass construction isn’t as durable as what other aquariums provide
3-stage filtration process ensures no contaminants are in the aquarium’s water
Spacious design and 5-gallon capacity enable you to place as many fish as you like in it
Manufacturer backs it with a lengthy 2-year warranty
VERDICT
The cheapest selection yet, the MarineLand tank provides a clean and safe environment for your fish to swim in due to the 3-stage filtration process it utilizes. Spacious, designed with taste, and accompanied by a lengthy warranty, it is one of our top recommendations to fish lovers.

Analyzing What Makes a Quality Self-Cleaning Aquarium

Wondering why we ranked the fish tanks the way we did? Then read this section of the article to find out what are the rating elements that made us decide the top should look the way it does. By learning what influenced us, you will be more aware of what you should look for when you go shopping as well.

• Design and Construction

When choosing the best self-cleaning aquariums, the first two elements we took into consideration were the design and construction of the tanks. We put an accent on the design aspect to ensure we were delivering amazing-looking aquariums as these items can make or break the décor of a room. When it came to their construction, we wanted to make sure the durability and resistance to scratches that the tanks boasted were high, so it is clear why acrylic is the material that we gave the highest rating to.

• Volume Capacity

Although the capacity of the tanks was not the definitive element to separate the products, it did weigh a lot when we ranked them. From this point of view, the product that received the most points was the biOrb 45775 Classic as it offers an impressive volume capacity of 28 gallons, which is a lot more than what its competitors have to offer.

• Filtration Type

As you can see, there appear water garden fish tanks as well as gravity-based models in our top. Undoubtedly, both types of systems deliver excellent results when it comes to aquarium cleanliness, so it is difficult to establish what type of product should receive more points and why. Still, there was an aspect that convinced us to give a higher rating to the two models which are produced by biOrb, this aspect being the fact that both aquariums use an impressive 5-stage filtration which is hard to beat.

• LED Lighting

Except for the Back to the Roots model, all of the aquariums that appear in our top feature LED lighting. This feature serves two roles, more precisely creating a better habitat for the fish and sprucing up the ambiance of the room the fish tank is placed in. As we were aware of the properties delivered by the lighting system, we could not skip on it when the time came to rate and rank the aquariums.

• Warranty Length

The length of the warranty is the best indicator of the amount of trust that the manufacturer puts into the product that it sells to customers. As we are aware of this aspect, we gave higher ratings to the biOrb 45775 Classic and the Marineland ML90609 Portrait as both aquariums are backed up by their manufacturers for an impressive 2-year period of time.

Interesting Facts About Self-Cleaning Tanks for Fish

Let’s just face it, no one likes to waste time cleaning after their pets. This is one of the main reasons why some people prefer fish over pets like dogs and cats, pets that are a lot harder to care for. What makes fish an even greater addition to a modern household is the fact that they are quite relaxing to look at, and along with the aquariums that they live in, they can boost the ambiance in the house.

Self-cleaning fish tanks are a relatively new appearance on the market, these aquariums bringing an ideal fix to the issue of wasting time on maintenance tasks. Sure, from time to time even these tanks might require some cleaning, but it is so rare that it does not even count. The design of most self-cleaning aquariums is plant-based, but others rely on more traditional filtration provided by filter cartridges or other types of waste eliminating and water cleaning methods.

Not only do these fish tanks present a more convenient method to care for your pet fish, but they ensure a healthy and safe habitat for the small aquatic creatures as well. Therefore, you should not look at it as an investment made to simply convenience yourself and gain more free time but more as an investment made to create superior living conditions for the fish. Best of all, the price for the aquarium is not too high, regardless of the budget you have at your disposal being able to easily find the perfect one for you.

How to Properly Care for the Aquarium

Although manufacturers tend to advertise self-cleaning fish tanks as being completely maintenance free, this is not really true. Yes, little maintenance work is required and it is required so rare that it is not worth taking into consideration. But the truth is that you need to be aware of the chores you must perform as it is better to know from the starting point what is expected of you to do when owning the aquarium instead of finding out the hard way after months of owning it, potentially endangering your beloved pet fish because of it.

When it comes to the maintenance work you will have to perform on the aquarium, know that once every 3-4 months or whenever you think it is needed, you should empty the water out and thoroughly scrub the interior walls. By doing this, you ensure the environment the pet fish swim in is always 100% clean and free of dirt, gunk, and any type of impurity. Someday, maybe these aquariums will be perfect and there truly won’t be a need for you to ever lift a finger to clean them in your life. But for now, this is not the case, self-cleaning tanks only being a lot less hassle when compared to their traditional counterparts.

Why Use a Self-Cleaning Aquarium?

Some self-cleaning tanks come at more expensive prices, requiring you to spend a few hundreds of dollars on purchasing them, while others can cost as little as $10. Regardless of the available budget, the system that the fish tank uses, or its design, what is a certainty is the fact that this is an investment worth making. In the following, we will tell you what are the 3 main benefits of purchasing a self-cleaning aquarium, explaining in detail what you will have to gain by making this addition to your home.

• #1 – Less maintenance work: Free time has become quite a luxury these days due to our busy schedules. Also, modern people feel more and more stressed and overwhelmed as their jobs and their lives at home require them to be constantly active. Instead of letting your lifestyle overwhelm you completely, make your life easier by investing in a fish tank that cleans itself. Maintenance work is required for this type of aquarium, but it is required 2-3 times per year. Thus, you will not have to waste 30-60 minute cleaning the fish tank every week or even more often but rather spend the extra time that you gain relaxing.
• #2 – Healthier environment for the fish: If you have opted for fish as pets, it is clear that you like these small aquatic creatures a lot. This means that you want to do as much as you can to ensure they lead long lives and that they do not fall prey to diseases. Unfortunately, fish can be quite sensitive, the environment they swim in impacting their health in a dramatic manner. In case you are the forgetful type of person, a major issue appears, more precisely the fact that you might skip on the routine cleaning that needs to be done on the aquarium and the water in it. With a self-cleaning model, this will not be an issue anymore as the swimming environment will be kept clean and waste-free for a long time. Also, in case you go for a water garden fish tank, there is the added benefit that the water will be provided with more oxygen than normal, enhancing the living conditions of your beloved pets.
• #3 – More appealing design: A dirty fish tank can easily ruin the ambiance of the room. But not everyone has the time to clean the aquarium 2-3 times per week, so a messy looking tank is quite inevitable for some. This is where self-cleaning models shine once again. The waste and toxins left behind by the fish are taken care of, meaning that the tank will never appear dirty, nor the water inside it. Thus, the aquarium will always serve as an ambiance booster not only a storage space for your aquatic pets.

Finding the Perfect Fish Tank Simplified

Before you head to the pet store or you start to search online for the perfect fish tank, you must do some hefty homework to make sure you will look for the right things and make a good investment. In this section of the article, we will show you what you must take into consideration to find the perfect aquarium for your needs and preferences, so continue to read if you are interested.

• Make Sure It Offers a Satisfying Volume

Have you decided how many fish you want to put into the aquarium? Make sure you figure this aspect out before you start searching for the fish tank in order to ensure you won’t be later disappointed by your purchase. If you only want to have 1-2 small fish, you can easily go with an aquarium that has a 3-5 gallon volume capacity. In case you want a more spacious tank that can handle fitting more fish, then you should look for one that offers an over 15-gallon volume.

• Check the Aquarium’s Dimensions

Another important aspect that you must decide before you hit the store or the online environment is the size that you want the tank to have. To more easily make the decision, think about where you want to place it. If you want to put it on your desk or on the nightstand, surfaces with limited free space, make sure the fish tank you choose is compact. What you should do it so take some measurements or at least note down an approximate dimension you think will be perfect for the aquarium before starting your search.

• Look for a Quality Construction

We cannot stress how important it is for the aquarium to be made with quality, durable materials. Unfortunately, glass is not the best choice to go with as it not only breaks easily but it scratches easily as well. The best type of construction to go with when it comes to fish tanks is definitely acrylic as it is far superior in durability and scratch resistance.

• Choose the Right System for Your Needs

Do you prefer a water garden system model or a gravity-based tank? This is another aspect that you have to think about before you start your search. Both types of self-cleaning aquarium systems deliver the same end result – a clean, hassle-free environment for your pet fish to swim in. the main difference between them is that the water garden type provides the added benefit of being able to grow a plant at the same time. Thus, think about it carefully and reach a decision based on what you see as being the best fit for your preferences.

• Do Not Overlook LED Lighting

The aquarium can become a true ambiance booster only with the addition of LED lighting. The LEDs make it possible to see the fish easily even at night and they add a modern touch to the aquarium. Some higher end fish tanks even feature lighting systems that mimic the natural light cycle so that the pet fish can feel as if they were in a pond outside. Therefore, this feature can serve as far more than just a simple décor booster.