# Heater and Filter Recomendations for 6 gal Natural



## Trower (Jan 4, 2008)

I am getting to setup a small 6 gallon tank with some unfertilized potting soil a little gravel and a Brilliant Betta I was just given. I have some Vals a small Aponogeton, and some Rotala Indica. The spot for the tank will give it a little bit of direct sunlight and a Good amount of indirect every day. I'll have about 2 watts a gallon for provided light. 

Now my main question is what is recommended for a heater and filter? I was looking for a low flow power head but have had not luck finding one. 

Thanks for any help, 
Nick


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

In a tank that small I'm not sure you need any filters besides the plants, indeed, I think it would be difficult to find a pump that didn't overpower that size tank. The Betta will circulate some water as it swims. Try it and see. If it ain't broke... keep it simple. 

That will make a beautiful tank for your Betta. You might want to consider more plants, basically as many as it will hold, and try to wait a week or two after planting before adding the fish. If you can't wait, test the water daily and be prepared for water changes for a few weeks due to ammonia spikes. 

I have a 7 gallon mini bow front with no filtration. I do have a small heater, nothing special. It houses three still juvenile dwarf aquatic frogs, and a few baby ABN plecos. I occasionally have a couple of yoyo loaches in there to reduce the snail population. It is my favorite tank and sits right next to my desk.


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## Trower (Jan 4, 2008)

vicky said:


> In a tank that small I'm not sure you need any filters besides the plants, indeed, I think it would be difficult to find a pump that didn't overpower that size tank. The Betta will circulate some water as it swims. Try it and see. If it ain't broke... keep it simple.
> 
> That will make a beautiful tank for your Betta. You might want to consider more plants, basically as many as it will hold, and try to wait a week or two after planting before adding the fish. If you can't wait, test the water daily and be prepared for water changes for a few weeks due to ammonia spikes.
> 
> I have a 7 gallon mini bow front with no filtration. I do have a small heater, nothing special. It houses three still juvenile dwarf aquatic frogs, and a few baby ABN plecos. I occasionally have a couple of yoyo loaches in there to reduce the snail population. It is my favorite tank and sits right next to my desk.


Well thank you for your response! I am really excited about this tank, I just moved into a different place and now my bedroom is tankless, and I really enjoy listening to records and watching my tank before I go to bed, so this tank is my source for that.

Well I guess the idea of no filter even crossed my mind, the smallest tank I've ever had is a 15 gallon long and so I've always needed one! But I will give this filter-less idea a try

I have a soft spot for Bettas, and my friend picked me one up at a pet store down state that is just a lovely deep blue with orange fins, which I had never seen before. Is a really pretty fish.......may have to breed it this winter so I can get another like it! So anyhow I can't wait to get a tank ready for him, as I feel bad leaving him in the canning jar in which he currently resides, his fault for not playing nice with others I supose[smilie=n: I probably wont add him for a while as he is perfecly fine were he is, I'll just wait till everything cycles and the levels look good. I'm guessing a couple weeks should do it?

As far as plants, I thought about it more and realized I probably wouldn't have enough to get a tank going without an algae burst so, I just sent a PM to a guy who was selling some for a reasonable price in the "For Sale or Trade" forum here. Its way to much for a 5.5 but I can use some to change up my other tank and give some away to friends here locally where we can't get anything aquarium related other that what you can get at Wal-Mart Heres the list anyhow......
Staurogyne sp. 'Bihar'5-6 inch with roots 1 stems, 1 available
HYGROPHILA DIFFORMIS 5-6 inch 4 stems, 1 available
ROTALA ROTUNDIFOLIA 5-6 inch 5 stems, 8 available
Rotala macrandra 'Narrow Leaf' 5-6 inch,4 stems, 8 available
Heteranthera zosterifolia 5-6 inch 4 stems, 3 available
HEMIANTHUS MICRANTHEMOIDES 3 inch 6 stems, 3 available
BACOPA SP. 'COLORATA' 5 inch 1 stem, 5 available
HYGROPHILA SP. 'BOLD' 3-4 inch 3 stems, 3 available
NESAEA TRIFLORA 3-5 inch 2 stems, 2 available
Vallisneria nana 5-6 inch 2 nodes, 3 available
Pogostemon yatabeanus 5-6 inch 3 stems, 3 available
Limnophila aromatica 5-6 inch 2 stems, 3 available
MARSILEA SPP 8 nodes, 7 available
LIMNOPHILA SP. 'Mini' 5-6 inch 2 stems, 5 available

Was selling it all for 50 shipped so not bad at all. Just need to start making some layout plans.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

That's the idea! Several of those will probably grow well for you, but don't be surprised or too disappointed if some just melt away. Focus on the ones that do well in your conditions and scape with those. 

And maybe you could find a large pickle jar or something for your Betta in the meantime. I kept one in a Costco plastic animal cracker container (about 2.5 gallons) for nearly a year with a pothos rooting in it. Around here, if it holds water, it probably holds fish. :cheer2:


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## Angie (Dec 4, 2005)

My 6 gallon just has a bubble stone and a small heater. It does great.


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

depending on its location you will very likely not need a heather! a nano filter with only a sponge would work to move water and suck some crap... btw, the stourogyne sp. bihar will outgrow it in no time! lol, take care


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

I love the aqua clear "quick clean" filters- they work well with or without the filter pads.


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## RESET (Oct 12, 2010)

The point of a well planted natural is to not need a filter. A bubbler to move the water around should do fine. Betas are from still waters so he will probably appreciate it with little water movement. If you have a nice bushy plant, it is fun to watch the beta sleep in it.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

While yes, filters are not necessary in NPT's because plants remove toxic ammonia and nitrites, they are useful for circulating the water around so there are no dead spots in the tank.(Dead spots are areas that are lower in temperature compared to more open areas of the tank.)

I use filters in both of my tanks which are NPT's for water movement and one of those tanks has a betta in it. I personally recommend them because the circulation evenly spreads the heat around the tank and the plants and fish seem to like it as well.

For a 6 gallon tank, I'd recommend trying this filter out. It's made for two gallons of water but since you are keeping a betta in the tank, the flow shouldn't be strong for him and it has an adjustable flow control on it which is an added bonus. Some bettas like absolutely no water movement whatsoever yet there are some that can handle the strongest flow of a HOB with ease. My Max can handle his filter on the highest setting with no problems. Your betta could very well be the same as my Max. Just make sure you add some filter sponge to the end of the intake tube to prevent your betta from possibly shredding his fins on it.

One thing I would advise against is using a bubbler or airstone in the tank as a permanent means of circulating the water. I had tried this with my first betta before I tore down his tank and it seemed to cause more algae in the tank and it doesn't circulate the water much compared to a filter. The only time I ever use an airstone in my tanks is at night during the summer months when it's really hot in the house. I use the airstone(s) to help add oxygen to the water as well as to cool the tanks down a bit.

When it comes to heaters, you could easily use a 25 watt with no problems.  Some people have even use a 50 watt heater for a tank of that size. As long as you use a brand that has a thermostat in it like Rena or Jager then you won't have a problem with keeping the temperature consistent. I've used a 25 watt heater for a 2.5 gallon tank and it kept the tank nice and warm for my fish.

I'd also like to recommend getting some Hygrophila difformis for your tank. You can't go wrong with some good ol' Water Wisteria!


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

Well, Nick, there you are. Opinions galore. You can heat it, or not. Filter it, or not. Aerate it, or not. Based on what you said, and the fact that this is the El Natural forum, I'd guess you will try a minimalist approach and see if it works. You can always add something later if there is actually a problem to solve. We'd love to see photos when you get it set up.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

vicky said:


> Based on what you said, and the fact that this is the El Natural forum, I'd guess you will try a minimalist approach and see if it works.


Just because these set ups are referred to as El Natural, it doesn't mean that most people try to make it as "natural" as possible by not using heaters or filters because most tropical fish require a heater unless a person lives in a house where the temperature is stable 24/7 and in a range that is ideal for their fish. The same applies for filters as well. A lot of fish do better with some circulation in the tank.

Most people, Diana included, use powerheads, heaters and some even use UV sterilizers in their NPT set ups. It doesn't make these tanks any less "natural". The hobbyists are just seeing that their fish are kept in ideal living conditions.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

Whoa, Mandy. No offense intended. My philosophy is if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's all I'm trying to say. 

I indeed have heaters, powerheads and UV sterilizers - on my larger tanks. But on my seven gallon, all I have is a glass tube type heater. In my 4 gallon, all I have is a very small, low wattage flat plastic heater. And in the summer I have to turn it off. I have yet to see a powerhead that I could put in these tanks that would not overwhelm their inhabitants. Even if I found one, the fact is, they don't need it. I have no dead spots in these tanks. 

I am not against powerheads and heaters, just cognizant of the fact that not every tank needs them. A six gallon planted tank, with a Betta in it, in a warm spot in the house, may be just fine even without a heater or pump. Sometimes, simple is OK.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Trower, as always, it's a "depends" issue.

Like Vicky I only use water movement or temperature regulation in the big tank.

In my picotope, 10 gallon, and Wetland-n-a-Box I don't use heaters or water movement either. While the wetland is emmersed for the most part, the other two are set up with native critters that are found in shallow, stagnant pools where air temps range from really cold to really hot, plus RCS which seem to be fine with the same conditions. These two tanks in particular are in an office where air temps stay between 69-74 depending on when the air kicks on. Water temp is almost always 71-72. But on the weekends in the winter it gets pretty dern cold (or hot in the summer) and I've not had any problems. 

But it all comes down to knowing your flora and fauna and their needs, and then providing...


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

vicky said:


> Whoa, Mandy. No offense intended. My philosophy is if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's all I'm trying to say.
> 
> I indeed have heaters, powerheads and UV sterilizers - on my larger tanks. But on my seven gallon, all I have is a glass tube type heater. In my 4 gallon, all I have is a very small, low wattage flat plastic heater. And in the summer I have to turn it off. I have yet to see a powerhead that I could put in these tanks that would not overwhelm their inhabitants. Even if I found one, the fact is, they don't need it. I have no dead spots in these tanks.
> 
> I am not against powerheads and heaters, just cognizant of the fact that not every tank needs them. A six gallon planted tank, with a Betta in it, in a warm spot in the house, may be just fine even without a heater or pump. Sometimes, simple is OK.


Wow.  No offense vicky but you may want to consider learning how to read a post for things like sarcasm, tension, etc. I wasn't getting angry or challenging your ways which is why I put the smiley face at the end of my post to show that I was simply voicing my opinion on NPT's. I thought that was obvious but clearly it wasn't.

Anyway, I merely stated that many people still have very natural set ups while using electronics that would not be classified as natural. When it comes to tropical fish, I personally recommend using heaters unless a person's home is climate controlled. I read before where a person never used heaters for her betta tanks because the apartment she lives in is climate controlled so it stays at 78F all of the time. If Trower's home is like that then there is no need for a heater(depending on what he has the thermostat set at) but most of the time, while a certain part of the home may be warm during the day, it often cools down a bit at night which can cause temperature fluctuations. Those fluctuations can make a fish a little more susceptible to illness. When a heater is in the tank, you don't have to worry about it.

As for filters, when I had set up my very first 10g back in 2007, I had no water movement in the tank for almost a year. My betta was fine with that until I put an AquaClear in there for him. After making the necessary alterations to the filter, it produced a flow that my betta loved and ever since then, he would circle around the outflow of the filter whenever I had it unplugged to clean it, waiting for it to come back on again. lol While I didn't need the filter in the tank, I wanted to try one anyway and it turns out that my betta much preferred a tank with a bit of a current over stagnant water. If I hadn't went ahead and tried that with my first tank, I probably wouldn't have any filters in my tanks today. It was a decision I'm glad I made.


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## Trower (Jan 4, 2008)

Well thanks for all your input guys! I ended up buying a used heater from a friend who was dismantling his grandmothers 3o gallon goldfish tank that the fish died in and she didn't want another to take care of. Its almost new as the heater went bad a month before the fish died, and its quite large for a 5.5 but it they gave it to me for 5 bucks, so I couldn't refuse I knew I needed a heater as I keep my house around 65 and thats just too cold for a NPT, and as its close to a window, it would get colder than that this winter in the tank. 

As far as a filter I tried it without for a week and a half and it just didn't work, water on one side of the tank was 7 degrees cooler. So I bought a Mini Hagen Elite, that I had seen talked of in the forums here at APC as a good co2 diffuser. And it works well, maybe more flow that I really wanted, so I might try the little 2 gallon tank nano one. 

As far as the tank, I filled it half way with tank water from another tank of mine, to help cycle it, and its done very very well. The plants I got have adapted well and have started new growth. I really just plugged them in there with out scaping as I have had really no free time lately, but I figured I would do that once I found out what plants did well, and what ones I liked! 

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, APC is such a great place! 

Happy planting, 
Nick


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## Trower (Jan 4, 2008)

Here is a crappy cell picture, as I couldn't find my camera, but gives you a general idea I guess

I ended up having to derim the tank as when I got it from its storage place to set it up it was cracked at the top. So it was a good excuse to derim so I could fix it! Figured It wont be visible once I scape it and everything grows in!


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

That's a nice assortment of plants. Should be a jungle in no time. I can't fathom how you managed to *not* snag the 30 gallon tank.

Hello, my name is Vicky and I am a tankaholic.


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