# Another Biopod Aqua



## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Will all the Biopod drama be worth it in the end? Time will tell, but so far I can say that a) I wouldn't have bought one at full retail price, and b) I'm pretty happy with how it's looking so far.

I debated for a while about whether or not to go with the water feature. I decided to use the island but expand it and really go for a lot of levels. I'm thinking a pair of azureus. Lots of orchids. 

There will be water in the lower portion.... at this point I'm considering chili rasboras, and/or salt and pepper cory cats, and/or shrimp. 

I'm actually pretty optimistic about this whole project. I went to the local fish store yesterday to scout their fish and plant options, and of course they already have a biopod up and running (cue momentary flash of rage). It looked damn good, even without a decent hardscape. 

So without further rambling, here's my hardscape. I'm probably done messing with it. Maybe. 










And a view where you can (kinda) see below the waterline.










Updates to come. Slowly.


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## Roscoe09 (Dec 30, 2017)

Looks really nice! I 100% recommend panda cory cats they are awesome fish and don’t get big. And how come biopod aqua are acceptable with dart frogs but small ponds aren’t? I feel that a dart frog in the aqua would likely drown faster rather than a small pond.


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## glenn49 (Jan 27, 2017)

Hi Auri,
Looks like you have a good start on yours, it's looking good.
I'm in the same boat you are, just started on mine tonight, the inside of mine is all tore apart from shipping. They need to take a good look at better quality. 
I cant get mine to connect to the wifi, Did you have any problems with hooking yours up?


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Biopod doesn't actually recommend having both dart frogs and water in the Aqua model. Maybe that's because of the space issue (if you didn't expand the island it would be a pretty small area). Maybe it's because of drowning concerns. 

I did for sure scape this thing with drowning danger in mind. There's no large area of open water, so if a frog falls in, it's never more than a short stretch away from a stick or rock or edge. And the whole front edge of the island is a tiered layer of really thin rocks. Partly that was to hide the harsh edge of the island, but it was also to make a froggy staircase for an easy way out of the pool.

However, while I am trying to be safe, you can never underestimate the ability of an animal that really wants to drown. One of my favorite patients at work is a cat that had to be resuscitated and treated for aspiration pneumonia after he tried to drown himself in a 3" water bowl as a kitten.... Certainly frogs have done the same. I guess at this point I'm comfortable that I've lowered drowning risk to an acceptable level. Others may have different comfort levels.


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## glenn49 (Jan 27, 2017)

Since mine is already apart from shipping I'm not going to use the raised island, like they show in the one video.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Ooooh it's update time already! I added some sphagnum and the first few plants (found two awesome types of selaginella), put in the water, and started running it.

When I registered my biopod with the app, I had to name the biopod. So meet Poderick Pane. Yeah, yeah, I know that's horrible. But at least I think I'm funny... 











You know what's not funny? Poderick just started leaking after a successful initial leak test and 2 days of operation. I can't figure out where it's coming from, because I can't turn him over. You know, since he's full of water and plants and stuff. Angry email to the company sent. Hoping for a fast and appropriate response. Not holding my breath. 

Goddamn it Poderick, get your shit together, you're a disaster.


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## karmapolice711 (Jan 10, 2018)

I don't know if you have seen the thread on started on my Biopod that was leaking. Turns out the air pump was the cause in mine. Given the design of the Biopod is faulty this very well could be the cause of your leak as well. I had a problem locating mine at first too. The reason was the pump was leaking inside the black control box underneath. The water would slowly run out of the holes in the bottom of the control box. What I did to locate mine was place the entire unit between two tables. The tables were just far enough apart to expose the middle of the bottom where the black box is located.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Good idea with the two tables! I did see your thread earlier, and I was wondering whether I was dealing with the same thing. But I wasn't sure how I was going to find out with all of this stuff still in my tank.

Here's hoping for a miracle where both of us just get sent new biopods....


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## karmapolice711 (Jan 10, 2018)

Moving these things is an absolute nightmare once they are setup. Biopod makes it more difficult because the base does not extend to the edges of the tank. It is really difficult to get your arms under the tank to get a good grip on the base. I found it was easier to slide the unit towards the edge of the whatever it is resting on and then get a grip on the base. 

There might be an easier way to check my theory, however. If you can get at the back of the unit and remove the piece of tubing that runs from the white check valve on the back into the control box, you can see if there is water in the tubing. If there is water, the check valve is not working and the air pump is siphoning.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Update! I just put in Podrick's 3rd air pump last night... They did send me better supplies this time and I have high hopes that this will actually work. Or at least just not leak. 

Now I'm just waiting for a new top panel with a screen vent that isn't warped and poked full of holes. Oh, and the promised bonus plant pack. Who knows when that will show up. Has anyone actually gotten one of those?

Overall, I still think I'll make a great-looking tank out of this, but at this point I'm giving credit to myself and not Biopod for that.

I've whined a lot to customer service, and while they've flat out refused to agree to a refund or a new tank altogether, the person I've been dealing with has at least been pretty responsive and has gotten parts sent. Maybe in 3 years this will be a great product. However, I'm pretty sure they already had 3 years to get it right and didn't, so not holding my breath.


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## glenn49 (Jan 27, 2017)

So far my pump is working. I cant get my left misting nozzle to work. My top is also warped, its warped bad enough I had to put a wire tie in the door pull to get it open. 
I also asked for a new top. Did they ship a new top to you? How long does it take them to get the parts to you? I'm thinking the misting tube might be kinked somewhere, I also have mine set up with plants and all. The right side nozzle works fine.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

I haven't gotten the new top yet. I politely suggested that they might send it along with the new pump and save themselves some shipping, but the rep told me that the tops would be shipping from Florida. 

I'm assuming that translates to "the parts are coming from China to Florida, and you will get them eventually". Shipping times for the pumps have been decently speedy. Usually it's been a couple days (to once almost a week) to get my email answered, and then the parts are in the mail within a day or two of that. Considering how many issues they much be dealing with right now, I'll call that a win. 

Water's been back in the tank for 36 hours now.... no leaks so far.


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## Cameron33 (Jan 13, 2018)

Not sure if you have already, but I would not put Darts in this tank. They will jump in the water, and they will drown. Don't underestimate their ability to jump up on things (mine have made it to the top of my Viv). 

Not worth the risk IMO.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

Yeah I addressed the drowning thing in an earlier post in this thread. 

I promise I am taking this seriously. You can't really see all of the modifications I've already made in the picture I posted below (because the door frame runs right across them). I'm sure the frogs will get into the water eventually, and I'm also sure that by the time this viv is done, they will be able to get right out if they want to do so. 

If they wanna jump in, hold their heads underwater, and ignore every nearby exit from the water? I can't stop that. But I can and will make this viv safe enough that they'll pretty much have to try hard to drown.


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## willijas (Feb 20, 2018)

Any news on your plant pack? I can’t believe it is taking this long to get to you. I got my biopod Terra last week and order the upgraded plant pack Sunday and received it by the following Friday.


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