a solution to filter causing too much current for betta without reducing filtration.

[ashleynicole]

O.k., so I have been having issues with my 5 gallon betta tanks and the filters causing too much outflow for the bettas. So first I tried stuffing more media in but all that did was cause backflow of water coming out of the intake side. Then I tried stuffing some sponge into the intake tube. These are planted tanks so it helped a bit, but the intake tubes sponges got clogged too fast and the water had a lot of gunk floating around. Then I bought the hagan elite internal filters but they didn't filter as well as I liked, and with no surface agitation the top of the water looked slimy and gross. Also the output on these mini internal filters are adjustable but still pretty strong and one of the bettas fins got torn from swimming underneath it. So I decided to put the HOB filters back on and try to figure something out.

Then I rememberd a thread on here where someone had used filter media on the output of their hob filters so I decided to try something similar. I cut a piece of sponge from an old sponge filter and slid it onto the intake tube so that it rests where the outflow is. I also cut a slit to attach it to the plastic part of the output. I think I finally found a good solution because it disperses the outflow nicely and doesn't reduce the filtration capacity of the hob filters. I prefer aquaclear filters but these are the aquatech filters that came with the tanks. I've attatched a picture. I hope this helps for anyone experiencing the same problem with their betta tanks. This is really working well for me and I just wanted to share it.

 

[picture_117]

I did this for my killies and it works really well, adding a piece of plastic bottle in front of the water flow out of the filter also stops it.

 

[ashleynicole]

I did this for my killies and it works really well, adding a piece of plastic bottle in front of the water flow out of the filter also stops it.

I had tried a piece of plastic before as well but it didn't work as well for me, there was still a lot of surface agitation. The sponge works the best so far!

 

[ashleynicole]

Just an update, my male betta made me a nice bubblenest this morning! And the water is crystal clear. So he is really enjoying his new environment.

 

[ashleynicole]

Just a few more pictures of one of my happy bettas.

 

[Hholly]

Nice! He's pretty!

 

[Reygan2]

I also have a 5 gallon tank and I was concerned about too much current. I just lift the intake tube and bent a paperclip and put it under the tube to keep it lifted just enough to filter without creating too much current. The tank looks great and my betta is beautiful. His fins are getting really long with no tears.

 

[Morgie]

Pretty fish. :>
In my nano I have moss growing on the sponge of my filter. It only grows where they water flows out and diffuses the water nicely. It looks almost exactly like your sponge method, just green.

 

[ashleynicole]

Pretty fish. :>
In my nano I have moss growing on the sponge of my filter. It only grows where they water flows out and diffuses the water nicely. It looks almost exactly like your sponge method, just green.

Neat idea , I've never had much luck with moss though...