Topic: Need help with Betta tank

[wendyjo]

so it's no problem to not use the filter that comes with it?  The OP was concerned about the flow for a betta  - what do you think about it?

[Sandypup]

Since I don't have any fish in the tank I don't even have my filter running. All I have is that darn snail you sent me. 

My Halfmoon straight from Petco did fine with the filter after a few days and he only had one eye, but he adjusted to it just fine. He even enjoyed swimming straight into the flow, the dummy. I just put a plastic plant below the outtake so that lessened it a bit. Whenever I have a betta struggling with the flow of a filter I usually just use some crafting mesh and somehow situate it on the outtake so the flow isn't so strong, but I've never had one that didn't eventually adjust.

[LittlePuff]

I have had several Marineland filters. The ones in the hood on the 5, quit working and there is no way to fix it. You can't just buy another hood to replace it, so you have to buy a separate filter that will fit into the space given by the hood. When the power goes out, they burn out. If you lose your power very often, it will get killed quite quickly. The bio-wheels themselves are fine, the rest of the filter isn't.

[wendyjo]

I still love my Hagen Elite Mini internal filters for my bettas.  Small, whole thing sits inside the tank, adjustable flow, sponge  media that only needs to be rinsed out and never replaced.  I don't worry about mechanical filtration too much in a betta tank - their poop is pretty insignificant.  And the flow is adjustable as far as the flow itself and the direction.  I put it on low flow aiming at the side of the tank and the boys can still make a bubble nest.

Well I think Jon has alot of good info here, now he just needs to figure out what his personal preferences are.  Can't wait to see pics of his tank and his betta.