Geoff's Betta Tank

MTS got the better of me today, and so I bought a baby betta boy along with a Fluval Spec V to put him in. I got him and all the supplies today on my lunch break. I am home now and am writing this thread with the little guy still in his cup here on my desk.

Once I post the thread, I'm going to get started on setting up the tank. I have a stand that I need to put together first, and then I'll tackle the tank. It's a 5 gallon tank that will be planted with a couple small decorations and black sand for the substrate. It'll also have a "plant" background. I am going to take some biological media and crushed coral from my 36g bowfront and use it to seed the Spec V filter.

The only thing I am missing is an adjustable heater. Petco and PetSmart didn't have the one in the correct wattage when I was there today. I have some pre-set heaters put away somewhere, so I'll use one of those until I get the one I want. I was thinking either a Hydor or Eheim Jager.

So that's pretty much where I'm at so far. Once this thread is up, I'm off to the races. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted!

PS - tyguy7760 asked to be tagged.

PSS - Here is a picture of the little guy on my desk at work today.

 

Looking forward to seeing him fill out and color up

 

Nice. How many tanks do you have now? or what I meant to say, how many active tanks do you have now?

 

Looking forward to any updates!

 

Looking forward to seeing him fill out and color up

Me too! I have no idea what tail type he is.

Nice. How many tanks do you have now? or what I meant to say, how many active tanks do you have now?

This will be #3 as far as active tanks. I think I have 4 inactive ones.

 

Oh man, guys, I don't know if I'm gonna get everything ready tonight. I just now finished putting together the stand. It wasn't fun.

Here it is. Got a perfect little spot for it. Photobomb courtesy of Stella.

 

Love the stand

 

Love the stand

So does Stella haha.




I got the sand in, the background on, and the water in. Now I'm trying to get the temp up. I found an old preset heater but I don't think it works. The temp dropped from 78 to 72. Now I have a 100w Aqueon in there. Once the temp is up, I'm going to acclimate the kiddo and put him in. Tomorrow after work I'm gonna do a water change and then seed the filter with media from my canister. I just did not feel like hauling out the canister and dealing with that, so it'll have to wait. It's not like the baby is a poop machine.

 

Lol. Looks like you need another stand for your 'catfish'

Where is your corgi?

 

So does Stella haha.

View attachment 321851

I got the sand in, the background on, and the water in. Now I'm trying to get the temp up. I found an old preset heater but I don't think it works. The temp dropped from 78 to 72. Now I have a 100w Aqueon in there. Once the temp is up, I'm going to acclimate the kiddo and put him in. Tomorrow after work I'm gonna do a water change and then seed the filter with media from my canister. I just did not feel like hauling out the canister and dealing with that, so it'll have to wait. It's not like the baby is a poop machine.

Are you going to be feeding him brine shrimp? Or some other small food.

 

Where is your corgi?

Here he is. Snapped this picture quick for you. Stella was grabbing my hand while I was taking it haha.

Are you going to be feeding him brine shrimp? Or some other small food.

Yep I have frozen brine shrimp and I got tiny Omega One pellets. I can crush them if need be.

 

Awesome! Hydor makes a small heater you can hide in the return section of the filter part. That's what I used when I had my spec back in the day

Can't wait to see the finished product

 

Awesome! Hydor makes a small heater you can hide in the return section of the filter part. That's what I used when I had my spec back in the day

Can't wait to see the finished product

You read my mind! I was going to ask you what heater you used in your Spec. I'm gonna do some Googling to see if I can find the Hydor. Do you remember the specific model?

Hopefully everything will be finished tomorrow night. I still have to put the plants in, too, but that will definitely have to wait until then.

ETA: tyguy7760 Was it the 15w Hydor MinI heater?

 

I believe it was actually the hydor Theo 25w

 

I believe it was actually the hydor Theo 25w

Ok I saw that one. It fit in the compartment that the pump goes into?

 

Yes. It takes a little maneuvering but it fit for me

 

Maybe you should go into business setting up some tanks because... regardless of your whining... you set all that stuff up pretty fast fool! Really happy for you my brother and I love the new acquisition. I hate you for giving me ideas I shouldn't be having when I should be concentrating on getting the algae out of my 30 gallon.

Glad I saw this and jumped on it so I can see more of the results. Laugh you struggling with that stand construction reminds me of my last trip to Ikea... not fun!

 

Yes. It takes a little maneuvering but it fit for me

I just ordered it. I'll have it Saturday. It's funny, the first review for it on Amazon was about how it fit perfectly in the pump compartment of the Fluval Spec V. Sold!

Maybe you should go into business setting up some tanks because... regardless of your whining... you set all that stuff up pretty fast fool! Really happy for you my brother and I love the new acquisition. I hate you for giving me ideas I shouldn't be having when I should be concentrating on getting the algae out of my 30 gallon.

Glad I saw this and jumped on it so I can see more of the results. Laugh you struggling with that stand construction reminds me of my last trip to Ikea... not fun!

Ha! Thanks! Well, here's where I'm at. The little guy is in the tank. The current scaping is temporary, I just threw them in for now. Plants will go in tomorrow night, along with some stones. He's at the bottom center of the tank in this picture.




And a close-up.

 

Lovely and that background kicks butt. Already very nice and that looks like a happy fish for sure.

 

:0 there is a heater that fits in the pump compartment thing?! I must get this magical heater!

 

:0 there is a heater that fits in the pump compartment thing?! I must get this magical heater!

The Hydor Theo 25 watt. Amazon's got it!

 

Yep. I used it and it worked great. Cut a few small holes in the return line to better dispense the heat through the tank

 

I just finished putting in the plants. An Amazon compacta, El Niño fern, and an anubias nana. I'm not sure how I feel about having that many stones on the bottom.

 

Tank's looking good so far!

 

Tank's looking good so far!

Thanks!

Once the new heater comes tomorrow and I put it into the pump compartment, I can get rid of that monstrosity that's in there now along the back wall.

 

Looks great!

 

Looks great!

Thank you!

 

Thank you!

I thought about a betta tank. How big is your tank?

 

5g. It's a Fluval Spec V.

 

Yep. I used it and it worked great. Cut a few small holes in the return line to better dispense the heat through the tank

tyguy7760, when you say you cut small holes in the return line, do you mean the rubber hose that goes from the air pump to the outflow nozzle?

I have a 100w Aqueon Pro in the pump compartment and I can't get the water temp much higher than 78. I have the heater set in the mid 80s and it's continually on, but the water in the main tank stays around 78.

When I had the 25w Hydor Theo in there, it couldn't hold the temp in the main tank at all. It dropped to 72 before I put the 100w Aqueon Pro in.

Edit: The Aqueon Pro might actually be a 50w, I can't remember. But even so...

Edit again: Yes, it's a 50w.

 

Just saw this thread. Thought you had the MTS beat! looking good

 

Just saw this thread. Thought you had the MTS beat! looking good

I'm so weak. I'm planning on a 40b now, too.

 

I'm so weak. I'm planning on a 40b now, too.

At least you're not alone my brotha!

 

I'm so weak. I'm planning on a 40b now, too.

I think when tyguy7760 said return line he meant the silicon hose that connects the pump to the output nozzle, that's the only return line I know of on mine (might've changed on the newer ones)

 

Yes that's the one I meant. I cut several small pea size holes in the line to help with the temp. I was able to keep the temp at 80 with the Theo

 

Yes that's the one I meant. I cut several small pea size holes in the line to help with the temp. I was able to keep the temp at 80 with the Theo

Thanks, just wanted to make sure that's what you meant. I did just check the temp, and it's at 80. I'll monitor it a bit longer to see if it can maintain around 80 before I go cutting holes in things haha.

Does cutting the holes bring the water into the tube? The warm water in the compartment is sucked into the various holes and then dispersed out the nozzle into the tank?

It doesn't push water out on the way to the nozzle? I just wanted to make sure I understand how it works.

 

Honestly...I don't really know. I just remember someone telling me to do it to help with the temp consistency. There was a really helpful website I found that has fluval spec hacks. Maybe Google search and see?

 

Oh cool, thanks for the tip!

 

Sorry I can't help more. It's been a few years since I was running mine

 

Sorry I can't help more. It's been a few years since I was running mine

Don't be sorry at all! You're always a help.