good betta tank

[Meatpuppet]

ok i finally convinced my sister to get a decent tank for her betta rather than a 1.5 liter bowl :)
i found this 5 gallon tank at the lfs. Its 15" long by 5" wide or so and about a foot tall is this good dimentions for a betta. its quite long and tall for a 5gallon

but my real question is about the filter- it had an intake tube going into the filter, and the filtration itself is those Bio/Balls in front, and poly fiber pads (or white sponge stuff) with carbon media in the middle of the pads, then back into the tank. Is that good filtration?? i havent had much experience with filters.

thanks in advance for the info.

[Lupin]

Originally Posted by Meatpuppet

ok i finally convinced my sister to get a decent tank for her betta rather than a 1.5 liter bowl :)
i found this 5 gallon tank at the lfs. Its 15" long by 5" wide or so and about a foot tall is this good dimentions for a betta. its quite long and tall for a 5gallon

but my real question is about the filter- it had an intake tube going into the filter, and the filtration itself is those Bio/Balls in front, and poly fiber pads (or white sponge stuff) with carbon media in the middle of the pads, then back into the tank. Is that good filtration?? i havent had much experience with filters.

thanks in advance for the info.

Remove the carbon and put it in your cabinet. You can put in its place filter floss. The tank should be sufficient for one betta.

[Meatpuppet]

ok, but how come i have to remove the active carbon?

and this tank... it turns out you need a screw driver every time you want to open the lid for feeding time or whatever.

[iamntbatman]

Activated carbon has its uses, but also its problems. It wears out fairly quickly. A lot of fish keepers feel that it can remove chemicals from the water that can be beneficial to your fish. Also, some people think there's a connection with using (old) activated carbon and hole-in-the-head disease. However, activated carbon is great for clearing your tank of medication if you've medicated your fish and they've healed up. That's one of the reasons it's better to take it out and save it for when you need it.

[okiemavis]

Mostly, carbon is unnecessary and a pain in the butt/silly expense. Biological and mechanical filtration are plenty sufficient and then you aren't buying something that has to be replaced every couple of weeks.

Why does the tank need a screw driver to open it for feeding? You're going to want plenty of ventilation for a fish that breathes air, so it may be best to leave the top off, or replace it with something different.

[Meatpuppet]

Originally Posted by okiemavis

Why does the tank need a screw driver to open it for feeding? You're going to want plenty of ventilation for a fish that breathes air, so it may be best to leave the top off, or replace it with something different.

o heck u dunno. someone was smashed when they designed the tank. it may not need the screws, although i didnt see any hinges on the hood either.
i realy like the tank, the most unique ive seen in my area and believe it or not, the olny good bowfront. ill just go back to the pet store ask for a screw driver or bring my own and see what is the deal with it. (may just have removable screws for shipping pourpases

[iamntbatman]

Could you post a picture of it? That sounds like a really interesting tank.

[Meatpuppet]

Originally Posted by iamntbatman

Could you post a picture of it? That sounds like a really interesting tank.

hmmm... ill look for a pic on the net. i dont think the store will let me start taking pics of their stuff in the store. (i might look suspicious) But the tank is made by AA. and ill post it as soon as i find it

[Meatpuppet]

http://www.aa-aquarium.com/NewProduc...ne_id=&level=3
this is simalar (same filter, size, style), although it may not be it cuz this modle comes in only sliver or black; the one at the lfs was blue

[iamntbatman]

Cool tank, but the videos didn't show how to open the lid. And @ the videos showing people keeping two discus in a 5g.