Changing filter (too strong for betta) during cycling

Hey everyone! I bought the Top Fin 5.5 gallon starter tank from Petsmart, and the filter that came with it is entirely too strong for a betta. The filter is meant for a 10-20 gallon tank. I've shoved some sponges in the outlet and put pantyhose over the inlet for now. You can see a vibration on the water surface, which is a great deal less than the movement I was seeing. However, I still think the current is too strong. I used Tetra SafeStart in the tank 2 hours before placing him in the tank as instructed. So I didn't do the normal 6-8 week cycling. He's been in the tank for less than 24 hours now. I want to replace the filter with something that has a lot less output, but am I able to do that yet? I've never cycled a tank before, so I'm not sure how you even change the filter cartridges if that's where the bacteria lives? Would I just need to find another filter that uses cartridges like mine, and just put the one I have now in the new filter and then everything should be fine? Or should I wait? I can't baffle with a water bottle because the filter has a large box that is directly under the output. It doesn't look like most filters I've seen online where the bottle is able to cup under the output. I'm just worried the poor little guy is struggling. He's super active though. Has been since we first walked up to his little cup at Petco but he spends a lot of time pacing back and forth in the back of the tank and doesn't come to the front much. It's making me think the current is preventing him from doing that. Any advice is appreciated!

 

What style of filter is it? Is it an internal filter or HOB?

 

It's an HOB! I was trying to Google a picture of it include if I could, and came across something saying the filter has been recalled due to potentially causing shock?! It says to unplug it and remove immediately but then won't that mess the cycle up completely? Now I'm really worried!

Ok good news, researched the recall more and found that if your plug has a white dot on the inside its not a part of the recall. So I guess I'm safe. Still want to replace it though lol!

 

Not necessarily any need to replace! There are ways to baffle HOB's to make them less of a problem for bettas. I just found a really neat one on here yesterday using a suction cup soap dish filled with pebbles under the outflow. Another possibility is to put a sponge pre-filter on the intake which can slow what comes out of it. Another tucked the ends of fake leaves up under the lid to hang down into the outflow.

Here's the one with the soap dish:

 

I haven't seen the soap dish or leaves suggestion yet! And I researched this for hours last night lol. Thank you very much!

In the future though, if I did want to replace the filter, do I have to wait until the tank is fully cycled? And what do you do about losing the good bacteria in your old filter? I'm just a little apprehensive after reading about that recall, even though mine supposedly passed inspection and that's why it has the white dot on the plug. Still makes me a little nervous!

 

Depending on the type of media you switch to and the room you have in the new one you might just be able to move the media over. If you have to you can cut the media apart to make it fit. That's the quickest way. If you don't need to take the old filter off in a hurry though you can just run the new filter alongside the old for a couple or a few weeks until the new one is seeded

 

Thank you so much for the help!

 

You're welcome! If you need any help when it comes time to make the switch don't hesitate to ask

 

Thank you so much! I've got the current down as much as I think I'm going to get right now. And I think I'm finally happy with it. I realized I couldn't do the soap holder baffle because the filter has this large box that extends well below the output and there's no way suction cups would stick to it. The filter is just oversized and too powerful for a 5.5 gallon. I bought a different sponge and laid that over the output and extended it a little past the edge and it helped a lot. So I think we're good for now. He's swimming on that side of the tank more and doesn't seem to be getting pushed like he was before so that's good! Thanks for the help and for replying so quickly!!

 

That's great news! He may also be gaining strength after being raised in a tiny holding tank with little room to move. Mine were always a little weak at first and didn't have the strength or the skills to handle flowing water, but they caught on quickly

 

He loves swimming around! Only time I've seen him stop is when I get up in the morning and the light has been off in the kitchen all night (where his tank is). And then he's just hanging out in a corner on the bottom. He has a night light by his tank so I spy on him before I turn the kitchen light on haha. But once it's turned on he's back on the move. He's the most active betta I've ever had, but that could be because this is the first time I've had one in a 5.5 gallon. The other ones I've had were just in a 2 gallon that's before I realized they do better in bigger tanks, and not small ones like most people tend to think. Even the employees at Petsmart thought it was crazy I wanted a tank with a filter, and they said they kept theirs in bowls. Makes me sad, but anything is better than those stupid cups you see them in!

 

Did you try the water bottle method? I do that and I have a tall rock the water hits and runs off.

 

I thought about it but I'm not sure it would work because there's a box from the filter directly below the outlet that sticks out as far as the outlet does. It's stupid lol. Doesn't the bottle need to be able to cup under the water flow coming out? Or maybe I'm not understanding the water bottle baffle completely any pictures I've seen of it though show it in filters that look nothing like mine haha

 

So... doesn't the "box" interfere with the water flow then? With most normal HOB's the lip where the water flows out hooks over the edge of the tank so there shouldn't be anything in the way.

 

I wish it did, but it doesn't. It sticks out as far as the area where the water comes out. If I knew how to attach a picture in here I would lol

Not sure if this will work to allow you to see it:

 

Oh I think I see the problem! It's like the filter "saddles" the tank rim. Weird design...

I think you could still rig something up. Is there any room at all between the glass and the filter on the inside? If so I would make something that looks like a coffee sleeve out of plastic canvas and slip it around the inside part of the filter. The shape of it should mean that the inside part of the canvas will stick out at an angle right into the flow of the water!

 

Cram a sponge in that outlet hole. You could also take half a water bottle and attach it vertically to get the water to go straight down. That way the Betta wouldn't deal with strong flow unless directly under it.

 

I made these out of zip ties and plastic circle things from Michaels. I attach them to the filter outpour to slow the water. My Betta's are much happier with these on. Cost about $5 total for a pack of zip ties and a pack of the circle things and you get enough to make 5+.

 

Looks good! How do you prevent the disk from moving to the side of the flow? It looks like the disc zip tie would allow the disk to slide to one side and then pivot away.

 

Aquaphobia - yep there's room! I'm trying to picture what you mean. Would the sleeve wrap around the entire box part that's in the water?

Wraithen - I have a sponge in there now which has helped tremendously, although I'm not crazy about the look of it since you can see it just sitting in the filter. Wish I could find a black one, but the one I have is white. And I didn't think of doing the water bottle vertically! That makes sense

MommaLake - well that's super clever! But I have the same question as Wraithen, how does it stay in place and not drift to the side? And I see you have exact same filter as I do! What size tank is yours in? Mine came with the 5.5 gallon Top Fin starter kit. That filter is just too big for it!

 

Yes! That's exactly what I mean.

 

This was the first one I made. in later versions I used two tiny zip ties to hold the circle thing and tightened them closer to the filter outflow. Less movement and stayed centered.

* So I have one on my 5.5 gallon betta tank which has an aqueon hob filter, one on my son's 10 gal betta tank and one on my other sons 10 gal tank for a molly. The two 10 gal tanks both have the top fin 10 hob. All three fish were happier with this as the out flow pushed them around before and they'd freak out. Also any extra food will collect in it and what they don't pick out I can take a small napkin and wipe it right off, helps with keeping the tank tidy.

* in my 20 gal long, I used one of these same circle things, stuck a couple tiny water wisteria through it and let it float at the top of the water, the fish will come rest under it. not super pretty but very functional. I'm hoping the plants will spread a little and make a little floating shelter.

 

If you make the one in the 20 long a green color I would think it would look like a cool lilypad.

 

Well thank you for the ideas guys! Looks like I'm going to Michael's after work today