# filter for betta



## import_nation (Nov 1, 2006)

*tank ideas/filter for betta*

how many of you use filters in your betta tanks? i was just wondering if i should get a filter or just do water changes frequently.


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

I don't use filters in any of my Betta tanks. Most important is a heater to maintain the temperature they require and to do frequent water changes even if you have a filter. I do a 100% water change of all my betta tanks every second day (the fry tanks I do every day).


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2007)

It would certainly make it easier on yourself to get a filter.


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## AquaGirl (Feb 17, 2007)

I use a SmallWorld filter in my betta tank along with a Junior Heater.


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

Good, most people are misleadingly lead to think that Bettas don't need heaters or filters, only need to be fed one pellet a day and can live in 1ga tanks with only 1 water change a week!!! I always tell people thinking of buying a Betta (or who want one of my fry) that what they have heard from a pet shop attendant isn't for the fish's best interest. It's so they can make a sale. They aren't interested in what happens to the fish once you leave the store, only the money you spend when you are there.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

AC mini on my 10g betta with bioballs stuffed in with floss.


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## mel4576 (Feb 19, 2007)

If you are thinking of not using a filter, it must be a small tank. You may want to upgrade the tank to a bigger one with a filter because your betta fish will never thrive in a small tank!


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## jdwoodschild (Jan 22, 2007)

Bettas can actually do very well in a small tank. My boyfriend has always kept his in 32 once deli cups (If you go to the DIY section, it's RC's barrak system). But he does a 100% water change twice a day. Bettas don't like water movement, so if you do go with the filter, try getting one that doesn't cause any or only minimal water movement.

The best way to do it is atleast regular 1/2 water change daily or every other day, and a complete water change once a week, and that's if you have a one gallon tank. The bigger the tank, the more water you have in there, and the more dispersed the waste materials are, and then you can get away with not changing as often. The smaller the tank, the more often you need to do water changes, the larger the tank, the less you have to do water changes. But if you can find a filtration system that doesn't cause alot of water motion, or any at all, and have a decent size tank, go with it if you don't want to change out the water AS MUCH. But still change the water completely ATLEAST MINIMALY once a week.

You also have to remember that bettas actually breath air, so having them in a huge tank with a ton of water is going to be stressfull for the fishies because of the distance that they have to swim. When it comes to tank size, it depends on how much work you want to do, and you also have to find the balance between your willingness to work and the betta's comfert.


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## import_nation (Nov 1, 2006)

let me know what you think. this is just an idea i had that i most likely will go on with creating.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v125/TheDeathKnight/bettatankdiagram.jpg

it will be made out of crystal clear acrylic


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## jdwoodschild (Jan 22, 2007)

The one major problem that I see with this situation is that if you have one fish with Ich, soon all of your fish will have ich. If you have an isolation tank to put new fish in for a period of evaluation time before you added it to the community rows I guess you would call them, it would work.

That, and you are going to have Oodles and Oodles of holes, lots of tiny holes all over the dividers to disperse the current. I would drill the holes in the black acrilic and keep that in all the time, and when you wanted to uncard them, turn off the filter, slide in the clear stuff, and pull the black. Otherwise you are going to have alot of current at one spot that the fish are going to have to constantly fight, and that is going to create extreamly unhappy bettas. 

You are going to need a more powerfull filter set up. Make it 4-6 in. longer and have an extra compartment on either end, one just pushing the water out, one pulling the water out. Other wise the water will want to only circulate in the first one or two compartments, and the rest is going to get nadda. That, and you need a filter strong enough to handle the 3 feet. I was suggested (asked a friend that knowes more about filters than I) a small canister filter. Here's the changes in Pic form to your set up that I've suggested so you can see it a little better:










But no matter HOW you do it, it is going to cost a decent amount of $$$, headache, hard work, and trial and error. If you are going to build it yourself, TRIPLE figure out the measurements and QUADRUPLE measure them so every thing fits together smoothly. 

And even with the filter system, you are still going to have to do atleast weekly water changes, and maybe grab your mom's turkey baster for the solid waste at the bottem. Even with your system as is, it still wouldn't pull along the waste. 

Let me know if this has helped!


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## jdwoodschild (Jan 22, 2007)

Oops! Impatient and hit the post button twice ^.^


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Always used sponge filters for bettas. Gentle but effective biological filtration.


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