Question for betta experts

[Eric Schreiber]

I have built a ten gallon tank, divided into four compartments (plus a
2.5" backplane for heater and filter) following the designs shown
here:

http://www.petfish.net/tank_dividers.htm
http://www.gntbs.org/dividedtank.htm

The silicon has cured, several washings of water have gone through it,
and is now all set up and ready to go, with an Ebo Jager heater and a
Zoo-Med Microclean 304 submersible filter (http://tinyurl.com/y9cc).

The 304 is vibrating (sub-question below) and making a 60 Hz hum,
which may annoy the fish in the tank, and which certainly annoys me
since it's on my desk. My question is, do I really need filtration is
this tank at all? For now, it will have just two bettas, with up to
four eventually. There is a gravel base for eventual build up of
bacteria, and the tank has been seeded with water from established
tanks. I'm good about doing water changes regularly.

I do want to have a very mild current in the water to ensure good heat
circulation.



Sub-question - The impeller on the Microclean 304 doesn't seem to
actually spin, but rather it oscillates back and forth. I've tried
cleaning the impeller as well as the space it fits in, with no effect.
Is this thing supposed to spin, or is mine broken?

Sub-sub-question - If filtration is a good idea, and I replace the
Microclean, which is better: the "Duetto Multi Filter 50" or the
"Fluval 1 Plus Internal Filter 50GPH"? I initially tried a Penguin
Mini because I'm fond of bio-wheels, but it caused too much splashing
(water level is about 1.5" below tank edge).


Thanks in advance.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[J Cox]

I think a filter is a must for your tank, simply because you need
circulation for the heater and you have more than one fish. I can't help you
with the 304 because I have never owned one, but I can tell you that the
Duetto 50 by Aquarium Systems is perfect. It is silent and has a great flow
rate for a 10g tank. You can even easily modify it for different filter
medias and add in an air intake!
As for the 60Hz hum you mentioned, is your tank sitting on a hard surface?
You might want to try getting a small stand for it or a rubber mat of some
sort to help kill the hum. I had a goldfish bowl once that I put on my desk
and it created a nasty hum (it had one of those submersible filters in the
middle). I found that a cheap coaster from my favorite pub worked wonders
under it. Good luck!

Jason


"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
...
> I have built a ten gallon tank, divided into four compartments (plus a
> 2.5" backplane for heater and filter) following the designs shown
> here:
>
> http://www.petfish.net/tank_dividers.htm
> http://www.gntbs.org/dividedtank.htm
>
> The silicon has cured, several washings of water have gone through it,
> and is now all set up and ready to go, with an Ebo Jager heater and a
> Zoo-Med Microclean 304 submersible filter (http://tinyurl.com/y9cc).
>
> The 304 is vibrating (sub-question below) and making a 60 Hz hum,
> which may annoy the fish in the tank, and which certainly annoys me
> since it's on my desk. My question is, do I really need filtration is
> this tank at all? For now, it will have just two bettas, with up to
> four eventually. There is a gravel base for eventual build up of
> bacteria, and the tank has been seeded with water from established
> tanks. I'm good about doing water changes regularly.
>
> I do want to have a very mild current in the water to ensure good heat
> circulation.
>
>
>
> Sub-question - The impeller on the Microclean 304 doesn't seem to
> actually spin, but rather it oscillates back and forth. I've tried
> cleaning the impeller as well as the space it fits in, with no effect.
> Is this thing supposed to spin, or is mine broken?
>
> Sub-sub-question - If filtration is a good idea, and I replace the
> Microclean, which is better: the "Duetto Multi Filter 50" or the
> "Fluval 1 Plus Internal Filter 50GPH"? I initially tried a Penguin
> Mini because I'm fond of bio-wheels, but it caused too much splashing
> (water level is about 1.5" below tank edge).
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com

[Eric Schreiber]

"J Cox" > wrote:

>I think a filter is a must for your tank, simply because you need
>circulation for the heater and you have more than one fish.

For the short term, I've dropped in a Minijet 404 pump (not a filter)
to provide a gentle circulation.

>Duetto 50 by Aquarium Systems is perfect. It is silent and has a
>great flow rate for a 10g tank. You can even easily modify it for
>different filter medias and add in an air intake!

Yeah, the more I read about it the more I like it. While bettas don't
really *need* additional oxygen pumped into the water, I'm of the
opinion that adding more certainly never hurts.

>As for the 60Hz hum you mentioned, is your tank sitting on a hard
>surface? You might want to try getting a small stand for it or a
>rubber mat of some sort to help kill the hum.

It's on my desk, but with a sheet of corrugated cardboard between the
tank and the desk. I've removed the offending filter so the hum is
gone, and will probably get a Duetto the next time $15 wanders into my
pocket.

Thanks for the reply.


--
www.ericschreiber.com