# Top Fin Bettaflo cylinder aquarium kit- Don't Buy!



## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

I thought it will be important to warn betta keepers. I own this cylindric 3.5 gallon aquarium for about 4 months now. And it's nothing but problems! This is how it looks like.







It was not easy to cycle it and to keep it running I am using always 2 filter cartridges. It is hard to place second cardrige in a tube, but I did manage to do so in order to keep the cycle and at the same time to put fresh cardridge to keep water clean. The main problem it has is undergravel filtration that's not efficient for even single fish. My water is getting dirty fast and my fish since begging had tiny holes in her tail. Some sort of fin root that I am fighting for more then 2 months now. 
Another downfall of this tank it's weak led lighting. 3 small led lights seem not to be enough even for hardy plants. Every plant I did place in this aquarium was dying, especially bunch plants. It might be combination of bad filtration and low lighting. In effect I need to use fake plants and decorations.
Another effect of weak filtration is fact that 2 water changes per week are not enough even with cycle closed.
Only positive aspect of the tank is the cylindric shape. Fish swims around making circles what gives impression of more space to swim. 
My advice is not to get this tank. I am planning on exchanging it for 5 galon tank in near future.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Is there a place behind the tube for a TopFin filter?









I've never seen an undergravel filter where you put the filtering material in the actual tube. But one learns something every day. 

Does the tube produce any water flow? Or bubbles?


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

There is no extra place in tank for anything. The tube is in a center limiting ability to put things in. There is water flow not bubbles. Very gentle water flow that u can adjust little bit.














Like u see on the pictures above I stick 2 cartridges. One has beneficial bacterias the second one is always new to keep water clean.
I saw people removing tube with filter and putting sponge filters instead. That makes more space for fish I am considering to do it or buing another tank.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You don't need another cartridge. You may be disturbing the process. Instead, use the old one and rinse in removed tank water when you do water changes. Or, you can rinse in clean, treated water. The older cartridge is probably so clogged it's not working properly.

When the old filter seems to be deteriorating, that's when you add a new filter cartridge. Run the two together for 3-6 weeks to allow the beneficial bacterial to seed the new cartridge.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> You don't need another cartridge. You may be disturbing the process. Instead, use the old one and rinse in removed tank water when you do water changes. Or, you can rinse in clean, treated water. The older cartridge is probably so clogged it's not working properly.
> 
> When the old filter seems to be deteriorating, that's when you add a new filter cartridge. Run the two together for 3-6 weeks to allow the beneficial bacterial to seed the new cartridge.


Thank you, I will.try dooing that. Maybe things will get little bit better.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Hope it works for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed.


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## OrangeCrown (Feb 11, 2020)

I saw this and was wondering how it was. Thank you for the review!


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