Does A Planted Tank Need A Filter?

I'm moving my female betta into a 10 gallon tank. As of right now, it will only have 3-4 plants. With weekly water changes does it need a filter? This betta is moving tanks because she likes to swim near her filter system in the other and I feel like she gets tossled around and her fins are a bit tattered. Thank tank I use now is a five gallon top fin revival water fall (she likes to play with the waterfall part). This new tank does not have a built-in filter, so recommendations for filters if one is needed would also be great!

 

Hello, and welcome to fishlore!
Yes, unless you are going the Walstad route.
Plants can filter out ammonia, and nitrates, but not unless you had an extreme amount of them would you be able to get away without a filter.

Diana Walstad wrote her book about the Walstad method, you can buy it online I believe.

 

I would not say it is 100% necessary, after all people keep betta’s in bowls (which I strongly disagree with) but a filter would really help keeping the ammonia levels down, while if you only did water changes it slowly builds up, until you change your water and it drastically goes down again. Your betta will live longer and happier if you gave him a small filter.

 

I'm moving my female betta into a 10 gallon tank. As of right now, it will only have 3-4 plants. With weekly water changes does it need a filter? This betta is moving tanks because she likes to swim near her filter system in the other and I feel like she gets tossled around and her fins are a bit tattered. Thank tank I use now is a five gallon top fin revival water fall (she likes to play with the waterfall part). This new tank does not have a built-in filter, so recommendations for filters if one is needed would also be great!

Yes, I would say planted tanks need filters. For many reasons too. Water movement, oxygen, nitrogen cycle, etc. I'm sure a lot of people can give you more detailed reasons as to why.

 

Yes, unless like mentioned above you're doing a walstad tank or something similar.

 

I do have three planted tanks without filters, but literally 50-80% of the tank is plants, so for the most part, yes, a filter is necessary

 

For lowering the effect the filter has on the betta, most hanging filters have a way to control the flow of water so you can turn it down so it won't knock your betta around so much.

I've also seen several posts from people that have installed a baffle on the filter to weaken the strength of the water fall.

Another option is to place a tall decoration under the water so the force of the water hits it then is gentler as it spreads through the tank.

 

It certainly would be better with a filter. Since you're moving her into a bare tank, I'd say get a cheap sponge filter. It creates aeration and agitates the surface without creating too much turbulance. Perfect for bettas

 

Short & simple answer: If you're keeping fish in them, yes. If you're not keeping fish, no.