2.5 Gallon filtratiom

[Mickeybags]

Hi all,
I want to a 2.5 betta tank for my dorm room. I don't want to do live plamts as I don't want to deal with lighting since. Since its going on a bookshelf I wont have much room above the tank. I will have just enough room to get my siphon in for water changes. I was wondering what type of filtration I should go with in this limited space?

 

[dalto]

Most of cheap plastic 2.5g tanks have an integrated filtration system.

If you are talking about a standard rectangular 2.5 I would do a sponge filter powered by an air pump and I would also consider going bare bottomed to make cleaning easier.

 

[trennamw]

Marineland/Tetra makes some very respectable "crescent" kits with a betta friendly Whisper filter, in 3 and 5 gallon. Often on sale at Petsmart for $30-40, you'd just need a heater.

The plastic is soft and scratches very very easily, but the overall look is nice.

I've found the 3 holds a touch over 2 gallons of actual water, and without plants can maintain good water quality with 2-3 changes per week of 50% of the water, after the tank is cycled. Weekly, with plants. My betta is very active and fun to watch with very very dense decorations (like 5 plants and a hidey thing).

You'll get a lot of recommendations for going up to a 5 at minimum.

I've used the Mini Bow kits and the filter is so strong it bugs the betta. Everything also breaks a lot and it's a difficult to replace incandescent bulb. The Marineland led is a nicer light for the same price on the kits.


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[aqua_holic]

I run an azoo palm mini HOB on my 2.5 on. It's PERFECT, and at $7 from foster and smith it's even better, if that was possible.

 

[hennaartist]

I've tried several filters for my daughters aquarium and felt they were all terrible... UNTIL, I spent a few more dollars and bought this one...
It's only slightly larger than the whisper 3i (worst filter ever).

 

[trennamw]

I've tried several filters for my daughters aquarium and felt they were all terrible... UNTIL, I spent a few more dollars and bought this one...View attachment 254157
It's only slightly larger than the whisper 3i (worst filter ever).

What didn't work for you with the Whisper? I adore them, especially for bettas, and would like to hear other experiences since I keep recommending them.


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[hennaartist]

This is the whisper 3i that truly didn't work for me...
First, I do like whispers larger HOB filters, but not this one.

Even with a lid, the aquarium evaporated some water, and it would cause the filter to completely stop flowing once it was above the water level (1/8 to 1/4 of an inch at most).

When it was at proper water level the flow of the water was at such a minimum that it barely worked.

I had constant water quality issues even after making a daily effort to ensure it was at the proper height to flow at max capacity. I finally threw in the towel on the filter, started small daily water changes, was trying to decide if I should just scrap the tank and deal with daughters heartache, when I decided to do quite a bit of research to find something that would actually work.

 

[Mickeybags]

I have a whisper in my 1.5 and I feel like it doesn't do anything for the tank other than move the water around


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[trennamw]

Ahhh ... Makes sense! I should be more specific.

This is the one I love. The 10i. Set on it's lowest speed, in the 3 gallon.

I recently just took out the filter cartridge, piled up a sponge cut to size, a sock of biomedia, and some water polishing pads cut down ... I like it equally either way.

http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=/fi...ilters-zid36-5084949/cat-36-catid-300088?null



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[hennaartist]

Ahhh ... Makes sense! I should be more specific.

This is the one I love. The 10i. Set on it's lowest speed, in the 3 gallon.

I recently just took out the filter cartridge, piled up a sponge cut to size, a sock of biomedia, and some water polishing pads cut down ... I like it equally either way.

http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=/fi...ilters-zid36-5084949/cat-36-catid-300088?null



Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

I agree, that is a good whisper filter. It wouldn't work in my daughters 3 gal though since she wants all sorts of decorations and plants lol. I really thought the 3i would be great because of my experience with the other whisper filters, but I was SOOO wrong about the little 3i. It's basically just a large low flow air stone lol.

 

[aqua_chem]

A small nano HOB filter works great. Tank space is at such a premium in smaller tanks, so you don't really want to put a filter in the tank if you can avoid it at all.


The Red Sea Deco Art filter was nice, but I think they're now discontinued. The Azoo Palm Filter is it's spiritual successor, which I have also used to good result.

 

[Coursair]

Yeah I've used the Azoo Palm in the past with good results. Even has adjustable flow.


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[trennamw]

I agree, that is a good whisper filter. It wouldn't work in my daughters 3 gal though since she wants all sorts of decorations and plants lol. I really thought the 3i would be great because of my experience with the other whisper filters, but I was SOOO wrong about the little 3i. It's basically just a large low flow air stone lol.

It's worked really well in my 3, with a ton of decorations and plants. Also with fewer decorations and live plants. Must depend on the type of decor?


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[aqua_holic]

Id have to agree with how terrible the 3i is. The water just flows around the media. An actual sponge filter would be a better choice than the 3i.

 

[aqua_chem]

I've also used a 3i in a 2.5g.

It works fine. If you have it too low in the water there is moderate bypass, but even then it's got enough biofiltration for a small tank like that. It's no great shakes in the mechanical filtration department for sure, but it gets the job done in a small tank with regular water changes. The bypass probably bothers the aquarist more than the aquarium in this case.

 

[aqua_holic]

I think if anyone using a 3i, which really is just a modified sponge filter, were to switch to the azoo palm, they would never use a 3i again. I know I threw mine out.

 

[Mickeybags]

What kind of lighting should I go with for a regular 2.5 gallon planted tank


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[candymancan]

Those tetra filters are horrible.. I had one come with my 10g bowfront from Petsmart.. I immediately called the store talked to the manager on how noisy the thing was... She said come on in and they will give me store credit for that specific pump and I can use that towards any pump I wanted.. She looked at the filter and laughed and said that was a filter for turtles and stuff. I spent $10 more on top of my store credit and I got a Top Fin Internal 20..

The top fin interla filters are THE quiestest filters I have ever owned.. The reason why I got that was because I have two of those top fin 2.6g square glass tanks, and it came with the 10g version and I loved them.. So I got that 20g for my 10g bowfront, and my New 44g Hexagon I bought on craigslist.. I replaced the bulky annoying and loud Emperor 280 HOB for a Top fin Internal 40..

ITS SOOO quiet... I cant even hear these pumps until I put my ear near the glass.. Plus they are very powerfull.. have very strong flow and act as a powerhead so you don't need a powerhead anymore.. They 40g version also has space for bio rocks or whatever you want to put in it.. It has two sponges with carbon in it or you can put whatever you want in them. It cleans very well too.. I personally highely recommend these filters...

Im going to be replacing ALL my HOB filters in all my tanks with these things.. Im sick of bulky noisy HOBS.. even the quietest HOB is still noisy compared to these.

Top Fin® Multi-Stage Internal Filter | Filters | PetSmart