Betta Tank Build/upgrade!

[Wystearya]

First I will link to the thread explaining how I got this tank (it was a freebie!)
Got A Free (used) Fluval Spec 5!

And for those that don't know my fish, here is a new picture from just a few minutes ago:

Her name is Little Sapphire. I got her as a baby and she is still quite small. Maybe she is just slow to grow or a runt. Either way I love my little Betta girl!

Here are some progress pictures of setting up my Fluval Spec V:

I made a basket for the filter compartment from craft mesh and acrylic yarn. I got this idea from another online forum, they used zip ties instead of yarn, but the idea is the same.

I put about half of the box of biomax media in the basket.
I didn't take a picture, but I put the rocks from my old DIY filter on top of this. Hoping to seed this filter!

The next layer is a couple of all-plastic pot scrubbers. (cheap filler for this DIY girl!)

The top and final layer is a bit of filter floss.

I also put a bit of the craft mesh over the intake slits.
I'm glad I did this as shortly after introducing Little Sapphire to her tank she went right up to this spot! She also seems to enjoy playing in the current. lol!

While I didn't take a picture, I did also put a few small holes in the tube from the water pump. It allows better flow around the heater. (I placed my heater in the same section as the water pump.)

Here is the end result:

Wow! Even though it's still the same volume as my previous tank (5 gallons) it looks much bigger! The slight difference in dimensions makes a big difference in appearance. That, and being able to 'hide' the filter and heater in the side section makes all the difference. I was even able to add a new decoration!

The light, as many people probably already know, is poor quality. I may switch over to my other light. It's quite dim, even if you don't want live plants the light seems dim.
Note - this is the OLD style Spec V and light. I know there is a new version that is supposed to be much better and brighter.

Oh, and I did put a strip of craft mesh over the large hole in the lid. I plan to get something solid today at the store, but I didn't want to leave it uncovered in case of jumping!

Now that I have this tank, I can say it's wonderful! The filter is so quiet I find myself checking to make sure it's working! (It is.) The tank also seems sturdy and was easier for me to handle, perhaps because of the slim width.

I'm still not able to believe I got this tank for free! With a little clean-up and new filter media, I was good to go! I do have to say that I would not have purchased this tank before, as I felt it was overpriced. But now that I own it, I don't think I would go back to what I had before. It's a solid tank and looks amazing! Of course, I only ever keep one Betta at a time and just the single tank. If I had multiple tanks there would be no way, too expensive! I'll keep my old tank as an emergency backup, but i'm in love with my new setup!

Little Sapphire is already more active! She swims in the current at times, and at others just explores every inch of space. Granted, I just set this up last night and maybe her activity will change once she is used to it. But for now I will claim she loves the upgrade as well.

Well, I have rambled on long enough! Thank you for letting me share. While my husband is happy for me, he's not excited about it like I am. lol!

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PS - If you scroll down a couple of posts you can see a lid cover I made for this tank. At a super cheap $2, the price is right!

 

[Fanatic]

Congrats! I loved reading this

 

[Wystearya]

Congrats! I loved reading this

Thank you!

I hoped it wouldn't be boring. I was (and am) excited and wanted to share though!

 

[Fanatic]

Thank you!

I hoped it wouldn't be boring. I was (and am) excited and wanted to share though!

I also noticed that you named your betta the same as my mom's

 

[Wystearya]

For anyone that might be interested, here is my new lid cover and how I made it on the cheap. (Made this to cover the hole in the Spec V lid.)

$2 report covers with the plastic spines.

The finished cover. With some cutting to size, a little hot glue here and there for support, and a touch of clear packing tape to hold the overlap together, we have the finished product! I cut the hole in the side to hold a small pothos cutting I am growing in this tank.

The cover is a perfect fit!

My Aquaneat light fits just fine on top of the Spec V lid. Not to mention it puts out a great deal more light than the old style Spec V light.

That's it! Hopefully someone finds this useful!

 

[Wystearya]

One final small update here.

I was having issues with the flow being either too much or too little. I finally came up with a fix. I used a piece of siphon hose tubing and was able to fit it onto the plastic fitting where the water exits the filter. This now breaks the surface in an arc (red arrow points to this) and the flow is gentle enough not to bother my Betta.

I hope this may be helpful to someone else!