# Heater, Filter, light for Mr. Aqua aquarium



## andy d (Feb 7, 2012)

Hello all,

I'm new to the site and betta keeping in general. I have been doing some research on proper habitats for my new crowntail betta and decided my current setup needs to be upgraded. My new tank will be kind of a center piece, so I wanted something aesthetically pleasing, yet functionable. I originally started looking at some of the all-in-one packages on Amazon like the fluval chi, aqueon evolve, biorbe 15L flow, ecoxotic ecoPico and fluval spec. They are all pretty nice but I felt I could piece together a bigger, higher quality habitat for around the same price. I decided to base my new habitat off of the Mr. Aqua 7.5 gallon cube. I have my mind set on that particular aquarium, but now I am having trouble deciding on a filter, heater and lighting system for it.

For now, I will probably just house my betta alone in the tank, but I have been toying with the idea of adding in a few housemates like some shrimp or other compatible critter. Since I will have a few extra housemates, I want to get a filter that will be gentle enough for my betta but also be able to support the extra animals. Also I would like it to be somewhat quite since it will most likely be in my room.

For heater, I've been looking at the Aqueon 06105 Pro Heater. I'm just going off of reviews and a few searches online, but is this a good choice? If not, is there any other choice that will function great, yet still look nice?

Lastly, I want to get a cool looking LED light that has both a daylight/moonlight feature. I plan on doing some live plants, so I would need it to be able to support a few plants.

I have a $100 g/c towards amazon, so I would like to buy my equipment from there. Things like substrate and decorations I can buy locally. Any and all suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Welcome to the forum and the hobby! Most of us find it hard to stop at just one, so don't be surprised if you find yourself yearning for more! lol

I'll leave others to comment on what else you have said about the tank because I have no experience with it, but I can comment on the heater

I have the Aqueon pro 50w in one of my divided 10 gal tanks. I also have the Fluval 50w in another tank. If you are going to have the heater in an upright position I would go with the Fluval over the Aqueon as I have found that my Fluval does a better job at maintaining a higher temp. If you plan to place the heater perpendicular to the bottom, I would get the Aqueon as it is completely submersible.


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## andy d (Feb 7, 2012)

Oh yeah tell me about it! I just figured out there are more choices out there than what you can find at the local pet shops haha. Soo many gorgeous color combos. I think I might just have to get more later. But for now, I will focus on the new setup.


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## andy d (Feb 7, 2012)

I've been looking at the Hagen Elite mini filter... has anyone had experience with this filter? Most reviews seem to be good. A few people have said the current may be a little strong for a betta, but they have been able to mod it to dampen the flow. I figured if I plant my tank well and try to mod it maybe it will be fine?


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## bananafish (Feb 9, 2012)

I have the Elite mini filter in my 3 gallon Mr. Aqua tank. The flow, all the way turned down, is a beast for my tank. It might be okay in a 7.5 gallon though. I turned the fan spout to blow against the side of the tank, then cut a slit in a small sponge and fit the sponge over the spout. This has reduced the current to almost nil and the filter media still picks up the gunge. I pull the outside sponge off from time to time (maybe once every month or two) and rinse it in tank water to get the excess crud off it. I don't know if your Mr Aqua tank comes with a lid, but you'll need one, as bettas are jumpers (the little bastards). I had my lid custom cut at a local glass shop for about $4. I just traced around the edges of the top of the tank and took it over as a template. They cut the glass and smoothed the edges and I had it back within 48 hours. It also helps keep the water temperature more consistent. Betta-keeping has a learning curve, as you'll figure out, but I love watching my little dude swimming around in there.


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