# Do you filter your 5.5gal?



## lainaxoberst (Sep 18, 2013)

My oldest betta Conor, lives in a 5.5 gallon heated tank. He's been in there 6 months and i do weekly water changes. He's been healthy since he's been in there but I'm just wondering if I should be filtering? I'm just afraid the filter I have would be too strong, even if it were baffled. Thoughts?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You don't have to have a filter but it does help keep the water clean. The few times I've used filters my bettas didn't like it.


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## lainaxoberst (Sep 18, 2013)

same here. I have a baffled filter on my divided 10 gallon and those guys do okay with it. But any time I tried to filter or add aeration to my other tanks the fish act like they're in the middle of a hurricane!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I can not think of a time that proper and appropriate filtration isn't beneficial. 

I run an aquaclear 20 on my 5.5. I baffle it and keep HMPK so they don't mind. Filters are great- they lessen the work load on you and help ensure that your fish won't be in jeopardy if you miss a water change, along with providing a more healthy, stable environment.

Sponge filters are effective and gentle (and cheap!) and a lot of hobbyists and breeders use them with great success.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

+1 Matt

I have larger versions of this filter and point spray bars to back wall which baffles them. Don't have any Betta protests. They use the entire tank.

http://www.truaqua.com/aquarium-internal-filter-if-201-.html


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

What Matt said. I filter all my 5g with small sponge filters and with gentle flow it works great.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

More important than the clean particulate-free water, is that the filter provides the circulation and oxygenation required for the tank to cycle. A cycled tank is a big plus when providing pure water. If you'd had a filter in your 5g, it would have been cycled by now and you would only have to do weekly pwc's. There are ways to cut the current. Or use a sponge filter.

Cycling is not for the convenience of the keeper, but for the health and safety if the fish.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Hallyx said:


> More important than the clean particulate-free water, is that the filter provides the circulation and oxygenation required for the tank to cycle. A cycled tank is a big plus when providing pure water. If you'd had a filter in your 5g, it would have been cycled by now and you would only have to do weekly pwc's. There are ways to cut the current. Or use a sponge filter.
> 
> Cycling is not for the convenience of the keeper, but for the health and safety if the fish.


Thanks for explaining why filters are important.


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## lainaxoberst (Sep 18, 2013)

Interesting. The 5 gallon I have came with a TopFin 10 filter that even baffled was way too strong for my fish. I use it baffled in my 10 gallon, and my fish still avoids that part of the tank :/ 
I'd like to be able to filter the 5gal but I just don't want too much of a current since my betta seems to be very content and adjusted.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Like I said, submersible with spray bars are already baffled. Then there are sponge filters which aren't strong. Lots of options out there.

I replaced the filters that came with my tanks for the ones I linked.


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

Filters will also provide a place for beneficial bacteria to grow and thus will help your tank cycle/stay cycled. I particularly like the ones with three stage filtration ~ means you can change the filter pads when necessary and still have an established source of bacteria in place.

I have a 5 gallon Fluval spec v ~ comes with an integrated sponge filter with cut-outs for charcoal pads and also bio rings. My betta Miz Bea lives there with 2 snails. Water stays crystal clear with only weekly partial changes, and tank has been cycled and water parems stable for months now. The filter flow doesn't bother her at all, I deflect it toward the back of the tank and surround it with plants. Also the pump had an adjustable flow setting. Yes, she is a girl and that helps, but she has rather long finnage for a female!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

2muttz said:


> ... Fluval spec v ~ comes with an integrated sponge filter with cut-outs for charcoal pads


Just to be clear about this (yes, I said it), sponge in a power filter like the Fluval, is filter sponge.

A sponge filter is an air-driven filter that uses air bubbles to pull water through the filter media, usually a sponge.


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

Hallyx said:


> Just to be clear about this (yes, I said it), sponge in a power filter like the Fluval, is filter sponge.
> 
> A sponge filter is an air-driven filter that uses air bubbles to pull water through the filter media, usually a sponge.


Oops, I'm so sorry if I caused more confusion than help!  It seems the more I learn, the less I realize I know!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

All's well. I don't mean to seem picky or school-marmish, but inaccurate or misleading terminology can confuse new members. Heck, it can confuse _me_. So it's kind of my job to watch over that. I hope you understand.

And your noting that the filter media is a good home for the bacteria colony was spot-on.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

....


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

For a long time I didnt simply because there wasnt enough places to plug in filters AND heaters for all my fish. They all have filters now though. In the 5g's its either Tetra 10i filters or sponge filters. The cartridges fall apart so easily, so the tetra filters have aquaclear sponge stuff inside of them simply because that lasts a LOT longer. SOmetimes I stick a cartridge in there if I need carbon


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

Hallyx said:


> All's well. I don't mean to seem picky or school-marmish, but inaccurate or misleading terminology can confuse new members. Heck, it can confuse _me_. So it's kind of my job to watch over that. I hope you understand.
> 
> .


Oh no, - you didn't sound picky at all ! I wasn't upset ~ instead - I learned something!!!! Thank you!


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I/we have filters on all of our tank but one, some its small hobs, some sponge filters, our bigger tanks have more than needed, my 46 gal has a canister and a hob which give it 4x the filtration it needs lol, our one tank without a filter is a no-tech 2 gallon npt shrimp tank and it does fine without one, but shrimp do not have much of a bioload


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## FirstBetta (Jun 14, 2013)

I second the motion of using sponge filters for 5.5G tanks. I used to think they were toys but experience has changed my mind. I have 2 5.5 tanks with 10G rated sponge filters in each. The Tetra Whisper 20 air pump powers both filters with flow control valves in line I can up the flow through the filters but it isn't needed. The water params have always been well within the proper limits even if I get lazy and miss a weekly WC. 

Water changes consist of removing 50% of the water with a gravel vacuum. I have conditioned water in gallon size jugs for refilling the tanks. I put about 2 cups of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes which brings the water up to the required temps.


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## Jerimi (Jul 15, 2013)

Hello! I'm new here, but have been lurking nicely for a few months.  

I had a related filter question, as I've read some conflicting information. My Betta, Steve Fishers, is in a 3 gallon tank. I'm saving to upgrade him to a little larger home, but in the meantime I'm not sure how to handle filters in such a small tank. I have a filter for it, but I've read that it's not possible to cycle a tank smaller than 5 gallons, and that as such, filters aren't needed. Do I need to keep running the filter, or am I just causing current (which he doesn't seem to love) unnecessarily? 

Thanks!


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## Aryia (Oct 10, 2013)

Jerimi said:


> Hello! I'm new here, but have been lurking nicely for a few months.
> 
> I had a related filter question, as I've read some conflicting information. My Betta, Steve Fishers, is in a 3 gallon tank. I'm saving to upgrade him to a little larger home, but in the meantime I'm not sure how to handle filters in such a small tank. I have a filter for it, but I've read that it's not possible to cycle a tank smaller than 5 gallons, and that as such, filters aren't needed. Do I need to keep running the filter, or am I just causing current (which he doesn't seem to love) unnecessarily?
> 
> Thanks!


It's possible, it's just hard. You can buy a testing kit to verify it (API freshwater testing kit).


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I've yet to figure out why people say you can't cycle a tank smaller than 5 gallons? It's possible and it's not difficult. I used Seachem Stability and followed the same procedure with the 2.5 as I did with the larger tanks and it is completely cycled and has been for several months. 

You can cycle Steve Fishers' tank but you do need, as Aryia noted, a Master Testing (liquid) Kit to keep track of parameters.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I don't understand why people think it can't be done either. As if 5 is a magic number. There's no difference between a big tank an a small tank - the bioload and bacteria colonies are proportionally equal.

I do believe that some people have great difficulties cycling their tanks due to counterproductive practices.


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## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

i don't have filters and my 5 bettas are happy and healthy.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Russell and Jaysee are right, in my opinion. The difference is that >5g, you can just run your tank and change water a couple of times a week and the tank eventually cycles ... automatically and safely. I routinely cycle 2.5g and 3g tanks, but I feel more secure using an API test kit to monitor my ammonia and nitrite.
Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies


Lots of growing plants also enhance safety. So does a daily dose of Prime during the cycle. 

The above is for a fish-in cycle. If you're cycling fishless, you can do almost anything, as long as you keep your ammonia and nitrite <4.0ppm.

Many keepers like to use a bottled bacteria like Tetra Safestart to speed up the cycle.


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## gracierat (Aug 15, 2013)

This is my first post, but I have been lurking here for a while. Hallyx, I have a 2.5 gal that I want to cycle. and wondered how you work the daily dose of prime? Do I just add it to the tank? or put it in water first? The tank has a betta, plants, a adjustable heater to 80, and a sponge filter. I have been testing his water daily with api master kit. I must of somehow missed this when I cycled my 5.5 fish-in. Thank-you for your wonderful site, it has taught me everything about betta care! Starting with my first hm boy in his cycled 5.5 gal. I now have 3 bettas and I love them! Amy


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## zombieaddict (Nov 11, 2013)

I have a tiny little 2.5 gallon that my one betta is in and I use a super small submersible filter in it. Cheshire doesn't seem to mind. He frequently sleeps behind the filter in fact.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Glacier, you can add the Prime either way. And always with water changes. You know to keep the ammonia below 0.25ppm. Right? And the nitrite, too. Are you using bacteria-infused media (gravel or filter media) from your 5g to "seed" the cycle in your 2.5g?

Did you do anything special to cycle your 5g, or did it just kind of cycle itself automatically?


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## gracierat (Aug 15, 2013)

Hallyx said:


> Glacier, you can add the Prime either way. And always with water changes. You know to keep the ammonia below 0.25ppm. Right? And the nitrite, too. Are you using bacteria-infused media (gravel or filter media) from your 5g to "seed" the cycle in your 2.5g?
> 
> Did you do anything special to cycle your 5g, or did it just kind of cycle itself automatically?


Ok thank-you! Yes I learned about the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels from reading here. 
No, I didn't use any of the media from my cycled 5.5 gal. I wasn't sure what to use, my 5.5 has sand, and my 2.6 has gravel, also I have a sponge filter in my 2.6 and a hob in my 5.6. the 2.6 has only been set up for 10 days, so is it too late to add something? and if so what could I add?
As far the cycle on my 5.5, I followed the advise on here to cycle the tank. I added LOTS of plants and it cycled fast and easy! Amy


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## Aryia (Oct 10, 2013)

I don't believe 5G is a magic number, but I think the saying just comes from the fact that it's easier to give new keepers a number instead of explaining all the theories behind it.

I think a lot of smaller tanks, up to 3G, usually lack a good filtration design or space to add a good filter. I understand that filters are not necessary to cycle your tank since bacteria can reside on all surfaces. The first step of the nitrification cycle (oxidation) does require an aerobic (oxygenated) environment to be efficient. 

With any system, it is harder to balance a smaller system. It's easier to disturb the micro-organisms and its easier to potentially damage the system.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Not to go too far OT, but misleading information is misleading information. And it is passed along as fact when it isn't. Many people, newbies especially, take what they read on a forum as gospel. That's why comments/advice that come from me are based on actual experience and my own mistakes (which have been many).


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## Jerimi (Jul 15, 2013)

Thank you so much for all of your help! So I'll keep the filter in, and pick up a test kit. I've had him for about four months, and he seems quite happy. Thank you again! I've learned so much from the forum, just from reading the posts. Everyone is very generous with their knowledge.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Aryia said:


> I don't believe 5G is a magic number, but I think the saying just comes from the fact that it's easier to give new keepers a number instead of explaining all the theories behind it.


That's very well-said, Aryia. I'll have to remember to put it just that way in the future.

Glacier, because of your different filter types and different substrate, it's a little complicated to transfer bacteria-seeded media. You might try this: skim a walnut-sized bunch of sand off the top of your 5g substrate; put it into a cloth bag or pantyhose and place it on or close to your sponge filter so it's in the water flow. This will help speed up your cycle. 

Keep ammonia below 0.25ppm by doing water changes. Same for nitrite. Along with plants and careful monitoring, you won't have any trouble. You've done it before; nothing to it. Keep us updated.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

The basic nitrogen cycle isn't that complicated that newbies should be shielded from it - it's the most important concept in fish keeping.... I think it's worse for them to get conflicting advice and for them to find out later, sometimes embarrassingly, that people were giving them easy information rather than correct information. The fact that any tank can hold a cycle is the information that should be propagated, not the opposite. I think it's easier to get it right the first time, but that's just me.

I do agree that those small containers can be difficult to filter, but that is irrelevant to the tanks capacity to hold a cycle and is just a product of the imposed limitations.


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## gracierat (Aug 15, 2013)

Thanks Hallyx, sounds like a good idea and I will most defiantly give it a try! FYI my user name if gracierat not glacier  I have a rat terrier and her name is Gracie. But hey glacier is good


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## FirstBetta (Jun 14, 2013)

+1 Matt and Hallyx. The filter is not absolutely necessary, but it will help keep the water quality up if there should be a problem it can help with and it reduces the work the keeper has to do to give their pets a proper environment as an added feature..


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