After looking at many filters for my 2.5 gallon tank, I went with the Tom Aquarium Mini Internal filter which is rated at max flow of 45 gph. Flow rate can be adjusted and it comes with both a spray bar and directional flow diffuser. With all this control I thought I'd have it made. Wrong First try: flow set on lowest setting and directional flow diffuser left Bernie battling the current. Try 2: baffles on the intakes and directional flow diffuser...left room for 5 min and came back to find Bernie stuck between the tank and back of the filter. Try 3: Took baffles off intake and replaced diffuser with spray bar (and still on lowest flow setting.) Bernie refused to swim in the part of the tank where the filter and spray bar were. Hid in the far corner. Try 4: Lowest flow rate (still) and back to the directional flow diffuser with sponge wrapped around the output to slow current more. Didn't put baffles back on intake so Bernie wouldn't get stuck again. Its been about 5 hours and for the first 4 hours Bernie used the top of the diffuser like a hammock and hung there like he'd been shot. Finally started to come out of shell shock in the past hour and appears to be ok and swimming the entire (filtered) tank. Also agreed to eat. What a mess today was...poor little guy. On another note Bernie's new tank is an Aquarius Betta Wave 2.5-Gallon Aquarium Kit with LED. Nice looking tank with wave front and flat back and sides for easy suction cup placement. But its LEDs are much dimmer than on my 2 gallon Petco tanks and the feeding hole is a joke. It comes with a divider which I'm not going to use since its solid so even heating and filtering would be near impossible. Also the almost useless feeding hole would be even more useless if the tank were divided. On a good note it does have a punch out for electrical cords and a well fitting lid but you have to lift the lid to feed which is annoying. Don't know if I'd recommend either of these products. Sheesh...what a long, long day for the both of us. Oh yeah, he was added to the tank before the filter came in the mail and I replaced the filter cartridge with filter wool and Fluval BIOMAX bio rings that had been in another tank and still (I hope) had BB growing on them since they were never allowed to dry out. Sorry for the long post....guess I just needed to vent and maybe pass on some valuable info.
That is disapointing that filter always looked good to me. i have thought of getting one before for my 3.5 gallon critter keeper but i need up not getting one because i now have 5 critter keepers lol and dont want to spend so much on those filters. i think ill do fine with just doing more water changes. I am glad you figured out how to baffle yours so your betta is happy now.
The best thing to come out of this is now he can sleep on top of his silk plant like usual or use his new "bed" ...the top of directional outflow. Glad I saved you some $$ and hassle. I almost pitched the darn thing and was ready to go to plan 2....many more water changes.
1) I turned the holes of the spray bar toward the glass.
2). Flow is turned all the way down
3). I put a Fluval Pre-filter over the spray bar, so some of the holes are covered.
Now the flow is very gentle, and my betta girl likes to swim underneath the spray bar and play in the mild current that comes reflecting off the fglass.
And here I am reinventing the wheel LOL. When I can get to a petstore there's a fluval pre-filter with my name on it. Got to be better than my Rube Goldberg set-up.
Hmm, that is interesting that you had such problems with it! I have one in my 2.5G with my HM and have had absolutely no problems. I have the spray bar pointed slightly up and towards the back of the tank, and the flow all the way down.
There is barely any current in my tank, and what little there is my HM likes to play in it. I have done absolutely no modifications, and it's been running for almost a year with no issues.
Last edited by Gryphon; 10-14-2012 at 10:46 PM.
Reason: I can't spell...
1) I turned the holes of the spray bar toward the glass.
2). Flow is turned all the way down
3). I put a Fluval Pre-filter over the spray bar, so some of the holes are covered.
Now the flow is very gentle, and my betta girl likes to swim underneath the spray bar and play in the mild current that comes reflecting off the fglass.
BettaQi.... If I try using a foam pre-filter do you have a suggestion for a very fine one? The Fluval one's I've seen look pretty rough and look like they'd catch a CT fins. Course I'm only looking at pictures because I live in the middle of nowhere so everything is usually mail order or forget it.
Hmm, that is interesting that you had such problems with it! I have one in my 2.5G with my HM and have had absolutely no problems. I have the spray bar pointed slightly up and towards the back of the tank, and the flow all the way down.
There is barely any current in my tank, and what little there is my HM likes to play in it. I have done absolutely no modifications, and it's been running for almost a year with no issues.
Oh, yeah...and he'd been in a filtered tank before and didn't mind it at all. Twilight zone time...
I use this filter in my 5 gallon and it is perfect.
I use the spray bar, aim it toward the glass, and have it at the lowest setting. My fish did not like the Strange New Thing at first but quickly adjusted to it and even plays in the stream.
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
Similar Threads
First try: flow set on lowest setting and directional flow diffuser left Bernie battling the current. Try 2: baffles on the intakes and directional flow diffuser...left room for 5 min and came back to find Bernie stuck between the tank and back of the filter. Try 3: Took baffles off intake and replaced diffuser with spray bar (and still on lowest flow setting.) Bernie refused to swim in the part of the tank where the filter and spray bar were. Hid in the far corner. Try 4: Lowest flow rate (still) and back to the directional flow diffuser with sponge wrapped around the output to slow current more. Didn't put baffles back on intake so Bernie wouldn't get stuck again. Its been about 5 hours and for the first 4 hours Bernie used the top of the diffuser like a hammock and hung there like he'd been shot. Finally started to come out of shell shock in the past hour and appears to be ok and swimming the entire (filtered) tank. Also agreed to eat. What a mess today was...poor little guy. On another note Bernie's new tank is an Aquarius Betta Wave 2.5-Gallon Aquarium Kit with LED. Nice looking tank with wave front and flat back and sides for easy suction cup placement. But its LEDs are much dimmer than on my 2 gallon Petco tanks and the feeding hole is a joke. It comes with a divider which I'm not going to use since its solid so even heating and filtering would be near impossible. Also the almost useless feeding hole would be even more useless if the tank were divided. On a good note it does have a punch out for electrical cords and a well fitting lid but you have to lift the lid to feed which is annoying. Don't know if I'd recommend either of these products. Sheesh...what a long, long day for the both of us. Oh yeah, he was added to the tank before the filter came in the mail and I replaced the filter cartridge with filter wool and Fluval BIOMAX bio rings that had been in another tank and still (I hope) had BB growing on them since they were never allowed to dry out. Sorry for the long post....guess I just needed to vent and maybe pass on some valuable info.
