Reddit mentions: The best aquarium water treatment products

We found 1,934 Reddit comments discussing the best aquarium water treatment products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 240 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

2. Dr. Tim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Aquarium Treatment for Fishless Cycling – Chlorine Free, Fish Tank Cleaner for Saltwater, Freshwater, Reef Aquariums – 100% Natural – 2 Oz.

    Features:
  • FISHLESS CYCLING AQUARIUM CLEANING TREATMENT: The ammonium chloride solution from DrTim’s Aquatics offers a chlorine-free method for sanitizing new aquaria or when cycling water when fish or coral are not present. This powerful solution makes fishless cycling mess free.
  • REMOVES HARMFUL TOXINS FROM SALTWATER FISH TANKS: Even with regular water changes and maintenance, aquariums and fish tanks produces bad bacteria and it can take up to 30 days to eliminate waste. When using this ammonium chloride solution for fishless cycling with DrTim’s Aquatics One & Only, you can instantly create a bio filter to remove nitrite and toxic ammonia naturally.
  • 100% NATURAL, ECO-FRIENDLY FISH TANK CLEANER: There’s no need to wait when treating your new saltwater aquarium or freshwater fish tank with this ammonium chloride solution and One & Only from DrTim’s Aquatics. This fish tank cleaner eliminates new tank syndrome and does not include sulfur or other offensive odors.
  • AQUARIUM SUPPLIES YOU NEED: Offer your pet fish and corals an environment in which they can thrive with this ammonium chloride solution that cleans with just four drops per gallon. Ammonium chloride from DrTim’s Aquatics is available in 2 and 4 ounce sizes.
  • HIGH-QUALITY AQUARIUM PRODUCTS: DrTim’s Aquatics offers an expansive line of aquarium products used by professionals and residential customers. Based on years of experience in marine biology, DrTim’s Aquatics’ products utilize his vast knowledge and are backed by scientific evidence and innovative research.
Dr. Tim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Aquarium Treatment for Fishless Cycling – Chlorine Free, Fish Tank Cleaner for Saltwater, Freshwater, Reef Aquariums – 100% Natural – 2 Oz.
Specs:
Colornq
Height1.75 Inches
Length3.75 Inches
Number of items1
Size2 oz
Weight0.125 Pounds
Width1.75 Inches
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15. Fritz PRO - Ammonium Chloride - 500gm

Pure ammonium chlorideUse for fishless cyclingHigh quality materialCountry Of Origin: United States
Fritz PRO - Ammonium Chloride - 500gm
Specs:
Height3.75 Inches
Length4.7 Inches
Number of items1
Size500gm
Weight1.10231131 Pounds
Width3.75 Inches
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18. Kanaplex, 5 g(0.18 oz)

    Features:
  • Kanaplex, 5 g(0.18 oz)
Kanaplex, 5 g(0.18 oz)
Specs:
ColorMulti-colored
Height1.25 Inches
Length4.75 Inches
Number of items1
Size5 g
Weight0.04 Pounds
Width3.75 Inches
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🎓 Reddit experts on aquarium water treatment products

The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where aquarium water treatment products are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Total score: 3,043
Number of comments: 1,016
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Total score: 9
Number of comments: 7
Relevant subreddits: 2

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Top Reddit comments about Aquarium Water Treatments:

u/Dd7990 · 2 pointsr/bettafish

Unfortunately a 10g tank is far too small for any additional fish tankmates to be with a betta, but you can have some shrimp OR snails in the 10g as tankmates with the betta. If you really want to do a community tank, the minimum recommended tank size is 15g, but 20g or larger would be best for that.

Keep in mind, bettas DO NOT NEED to have tankmates, they are very territorial and aggressive fish. Most bettas will see tankmates as "intruders" to their territory; though a more docile betta will tolerate these "intruders" better than more aggressive bettas. Only rarely do you get lucky with a betta that has the personality of actually liking their tankmates, that is not the norm for most of our domestic betta splendens.

Tetras are nippy fish and although some people do keep them with bettas, they're not an ideal tankmate + they need a minimum of 15+ and must have at least a 20g for that many of them to be with a betta. https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/neon-tetra/ - Exerpt: "These fish should generally be kept in schools with at least 15 members. Smaller schools than this can feel threatened and this can cause stress... If you’re planning to keep a school of them, you should keep at least 15-20 of them. An aquarium that is at least 20 gallons is needed for this number of them."

Please see our community guidelines for compatible betta tankmates per tank size: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tankmates

Please do thorough research on the needs of each species of tankmate(s) before you consider if they are a good fit for your betta/tank-size. Cories need minimum 6 of their own kind for best results, and they like to roam around so do need the space to be able to do so (20g and up is best, 15g at the absolute minimum) + sand-type substrate is gentler on their barbels (whiskers) vs gravel types. Also don't cram in too many fish or different kinds of fish, research stocking limits for the size of tank. As I said before, the 10g can humanely house 1 betta + a few shrimp or snails, no other fish.

​

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! FISHLESS CYCLE, before you get the betta or any tankmates: The Nitrogen Cycle and the Fishless Cycle - getting your aquarium ready for fish - INJAF

I'd recommend Seachem Stability over other brands of beneficial bacteria, you need to shake it well before each use and add 2 capfuls per day (for a week or more) while cycling your aquarium, especially if you did any water change.

I also highly recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit so you're able to accurately check your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate during the process of cyling + afterwards for routine maintenance purposes.

https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ <--- ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, liquid water parameters test kit. Three main things to check every-other-day: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Not cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate. Cycling in progress will read some ammonia and/or some nitrite, but little or no nitrate. Fully Cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5-10 ppm of Nitrate, then when nitrate reaches 15-20 ppm in a cycled tank a water change is necessary to reduce said nitrates.

​

As for Tank stuff:

I'd recommend a Sponge Filter setup over a HoB filter, because HoB tend to have a strong outflow which bettas don't like (and the one you got looks like it will be especially strong in the 10g tank since it's meant for a 20g).

Here's my favorite sponge filter setup which I use in my own 5.5g tanks (they're rated for up to 20g and are nice compact sponge filters, so do not take away much space from your tank).

https://www.amazon.com/Powkoo-Double-Biochemical-Aquarium-Gallons/dp/B01M3VALFU/ My bettas (and I) LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!!

AND from Petsmart - I HIGHLY recommend the TopFin Quartz BioBalls ceramic filter media, the rounded pearl shape makes them fit a lot more into a small space such as the dual-media chambers in the sponge filter I highly recommended above. It looks like this in store: https://i.imgur.com/Xz50k5F.jpg (I think it's not yet listed on their website because the stuff is still a new release).

https://www.amazon.com/U-picks-Aquarium-Gallon-Quietest-Accessories/dp/B07RRNDMXJ/ Nice air pump with all accessories to set it up - quiet mini air pump, check valve, and airline tubing.

See it all in action: https://i.imgur.com/KAyjMaj.mp4 (not my tank but my friends when she was fishless cycling hers, and the sponge filter is nicely visible. Mine is hidden behind bunch of silk plants :< lol)

​

The Aqueon Pro adjustable 100w heater would be a bit much for a 10g unless you live in a particularly cold climate or keep the room at a chilly temperature, otherwise you would be fine with the Aqueon Pro adjustable 50w heater for a 10g tank - per the rule of thumb "5 watts of heater power per gallon" which is sufficient in most cases, except if living in a cold climate and/or the room where the tank is being kept is especially chilly.

​

Tetra brand betta pellets are CHOCK-FULL-O-CRAP-FILLERS - this is terrible quality betta food...

NorthFin Betta Bits, Fluval/Nutrafin Bug Bites, and New Life Spectrum Betta are HIGH quality betta pellets with good ingredients and little or none of the bad filler crap or nasty preservatives.

Hikari Bloodworms are great as a treat/diet variety as they add vitamins to their bloodworms, and ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is nice for a 3-in-1 treat wheel container.

I'd recommend getting at least two different brands of the pellets I linked below + some variety of treats like bloodworms, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and daphnia. Alternate them day by day, meal by meal or otherwise mix them up such that the betta isn't always eating only the same thing day in and day out for every single meal.

- https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Food-Betta-Pellet-Package/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4/ <-- my favorite go-to betta pellet

- https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Betta-70g/dp/B077MG4JR2/

- https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A6577-Tropical-Granules-Medium/dp/B07194GD1F/

- Bloodworms with vitamins added: https://www.amazon.com/Hikari-Bio-Pure-Freeze-Dried-0-42-Ounce/dp/B00025K1GQ/

- ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is a decent 3-in-1 treat wheel container which has 3 different treats for betta diet variety. https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-AZMBP5-0-12-Ounce/dp/B003ZWCTZO/

- You can also try adding a vitamin drops to the food AND tank water - VitaChem Freshwater - Vitamin drops for aquatic animals - REFRIGERATION needed after first use/opening, to keep the liquid vitamin drops fresh. https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-ABE16708-Freshwater-Vitachem/dp/B00BS96V78

Beware of overfeeding, which is equally bad for bettas as underfeeding (they are gluttons and would eat till they burst if given the chance) https://i.imgur.com/4RR2LZ9.jpg. (save this pic for reference, feed betta as much as makes his belly match between 1st and 2nd photo, then let him digest back down to a normal belly before feed again.)

​

Again, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... FISHLESS CYCLE before you get a betta or any tankmates, I cannot stress the importance of that enough. The Nitrogen Cycle and the Fishless Cycle - getting your aquarium ready for fish - INJAF

u/Ishikama · 1 pointr/bettafish

Good! They'll definitely need filters though, and that may be part of the problem. As for what kind to get, I'd recommend looking into sponge filters.
They're super easy to clean, cheap, and very reliable. They also hold a lot of good beneficial bacteria for your tank, which is great for your fishs health.

All you need for one is the sponge filter itself, some airline tubing, and an air pump. The sponge filter can usually be bought at local fish stores, or online, and the rest can be bought even at bug retailers like walmart or meijer. I'll link some amazon listings for visual reference, and find the best price I can too.

https://www.amazon.com/SLSON-Aquarium-Biochemical-Filtering-Gallons/dp/B07PF7T1QZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_25?keywords=sponge+filter&qid=1572619104&sprefix=sponge+&sr=8-25

https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Aquariums-Flexible-Standard/dp/B0002563MW/ref=mp_s_a_1_26?keywords=air+pump+aquarium&qid=1572619157&sprefix=air+pump&sr=8-26

https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Whisper-Easy-Aquariums-Non-UL/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=air+pump+aquarium&qid=1572619198&sprefix=air+pump&sr=8-4

To clean them, which you'll only need to do like maybe once or twice every few months, just fill up a clean bucket with your tank water while doing a water change, put sponge filter in the bucket, squeeze it out, put back in tank, done. No need to buy more cartridges either.

As for decor, I don't know what you've got, but if its artificial, plastic plants and hard decor with sharp points can also tear and rip your bettas fins. If you do artificial, I'd recommend soft silk or silicone plants. If I'm being honest though, I always recommend live plants over fake, but I know that's not much of a possibility for everyone.

If you do want to try live plants, some good beginner ones are anubias nana, anubias frazeri, and java fern. All of these plants do not get buried, and if they do, they will rot. They can be tied to surfaces, or can have a small rock tied to the bottom to make them sink, but they will root themselves.

Java moss is great for bettas, they'll love to sleep in it. Water lettuce is a really pretty floating plant too.

Lastly, I'd HIGHLY recommend doing some research on the nitrogen cycle. Since you're setting up brand new tanks and moving the bettas once they're set up, you'll be doing a fish in cycle. This process is crucial for fish keeping, and good knowledge to keep your animals happy, healthy, and safe. I'll try to give a quick run down for it though.

The nitrogen cycle is the process where your tanks build up beneficial bacteria that break down waste from your fish and fishs food into ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. The bacteria are needed to maintain a healthy tank and grow on surfaces such as gravel, decor, plants, heater, filter, tank glass, but they are not in the water itself. And a filter is necessary to keep beneficial bacteria because it circulates water, provides aeration, and has a ton of surface area for them to grow in.

Ammonia and nitrites are harmful and deadly to your fish. Nitrates are less deadly, and are what you're aiming to get to in the cycling process, but you still don't want a bug buildup of them either. The absolute most important thing for cycling your new betta tanks for the next few weeks is to be on top of your water change game to keep your bettas safe.

For the first 2 weeks, you will want to do 40-50% water changes every other day. After that, for another 2 weeks, water changes every 3 days at 40-50%. The next 2 weeks, water changes every 3-4 days at 30-40%. After the initial month and two weeks of water changes, you can move onto water changes once or twice a week at 30-40%. It sounds like a lot, but it will keep your fish safe from ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate spikes during the cycling process.

Some good things to keep on hand to help during cycling is some Seachem Prime, or Seachem Neutral Regulator. These are all in one water conditioners that remove chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, AND detoxifies ammonia and nitrites for 48 hours (not a replacement for water changes though. Those are still very much necessary)

https://www.amazon.com/Safe-250-g-8-8-oz/dp/B0002A5WOC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=seachem+prime&qid=1572620732&sprefix=seachem+&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116030601-Neutral-Regulator-250gram/dp/B000255P9E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=seachem+neutral+regulator&qid=1572620778&sprefix=seachem+neu&sr=8-1#immersive-view_1572620800767

And a great way to kick start your bacteria bloom and speed up cycling is with some live nitrifying bacteria. I use topfin, and a big bottle is about $10. But api is great too.

https://www.amazon.com/API-Nitrifying-Aquarium-Maintains-Biological/dp/B006YG12F6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=top+fin+live+bacteria&qid=1572620840&sr=8-2

And, if you need more information on the cycling process, feel free to reach out, or look up "nitrogen cycle" in google, or check out a very helpful video by KGTropicals called "everything you need to know about the nitrogen cycle."

https://youtu.be/es7spyo5RJ4

Apologies for long post, but I hope this helps you and your little dudes! ☺️

u/Oucid · 5 pointsr/bettafish

Hey there! Bettas can be super fun to have and you’re gonna love watching Harmony grow!

It looks like a lot of people already started pointing you in the right direction, I want to add on to that a bit since this is a baby betta (or just much younger, cant tell that well haha sorry)

Babies need a little bit of extra care to survive, they’re more fragile than adults.

So important stuff: feeding, temperature, water changes, and “cycling” (Disclaimed: I may repeat stuff others posted)

Feeding babies - Since she is small, she only needs a bit of food each day. Babies need a lot of nutrients to grow, and we can’t always give them that super varied live diet, luckily there’s options like using supplements and frozen foods. It’s best to feed small amounts throughout the day, frozen bloodworms would work, soaked in Seachem’s Nourish for nutrients and vitamins she needs to grow healthy! You could feed one whole bloodworm a day or tiny pieces of crushed pellets, Fluval Bug Bites or Northfin Betta Bits are healthy pellets with minimum fillers and preservatives, lots of good ingredients too but shell probably still need a supplement like Nourish. You could probably find it online, I linked an amazon link below. In order to properly digest and metabolize the food, she’ll need the proper heat.

Temperature - Adult bettas can thrive in water temperatures between 78-80°F, babies on the other hand need the water to be a bit warmer at around 81-82°F. To achieve this temperature, youll probably need an adjustable heater. The smallest adjustable heater I can think of is a 25watt heater, which would be too strong for a small bowl like that.

Tank - A 3 gallon tank would fit a 25 watt heater nicely for now, then when she gets bigger you can upgrade her to a 5 gallon and still use the same heater! (A general rule is 5watts per gallon, but a 25watt would work fine in a 3 gallon) You’ll also need to cycle the tank, which i’ll explain more below, and do frequent water changes once its cycled because while the fish grow, they produce a hormone that if it builds up in the water can stunt the fish’s growth - decreasing the lifespan. In a cycled 3 gallon tank, 3-5 small water changes each week would be great in my opinion. You also want to keep the water clean of course! Gravel vacuums are great for that.

Now onto the big part, cycling and the nitrogen cycle.

Since you already have your fish, you’ll have to fish-in cycle.

Fish-in cycling -

Basically consists of 1/2 water changes every day using Seachem Prime. Do this until your tank is cycled, which I’ll explain how to know that below.

While cycling, add the beneficial bacteria directly into the filter daily.

• ⁠A good filter set up is something with low flow, it can be baffled if needed. For filter media (or the guts of the filter) cermaic bio media, aquarium sponge, and filter floss would be great. Don’t replace any of this unless it starts breaking down, then you’ll need to seed new media, but you shouldn’t have to worry about that for a long time.

You’ll need an API Master Test kit, this is an accurate way to know your parameters (such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). This is more accurate than strips, with test strips its super easy to get an inaccurate reading. The kit also lasts longer so you’ll get your money’s worth. I’ll include a link below to the kit.

When the tank is cycled, you’ll test and find 0 parts per million (ppm) ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and ‘x’ amount ppm of nitrate. (Dont focus too hard on what parts per million means, its just how this stuff is measured. Nitrates should be kept under 20ppm, they arent as toxic as ammonia or nitrites but can be in large amounts.)

After your tank is cycled, you’ll need to do weekly water changes a few times a week using a gravel vacuum preferably. Gravel vacuum/siphons allow you to get the dirt out of the gravel easily without needing to take it out. (Leave the fish in when you gravel vacuum, take care to watch where she is especially since shes small) Highly recommend getting one of these! Its a necessity!

• ⁠Avoid large water changes, it could offset the balance of your tank. Never rinse the filter media in tap water, that can kill the beneficial bacteria (which I’ll send links to explain that more in a second). To clean the filter inserts aka media, just take them out and swish or squeeze in old tank water till the gunk is out. You’ll probably only need to do this once a month or so.

You may want to opt for a sponge filter, it should be safe for the baby so she doesn’t get sucked into any filter intakes. To set it up you’d need an air pump, standard airline tubing, a check valve, and things to make a bleed valve so you can adjust it.

Links-

Information:

Nitrogen Cycle: https://fishlab.com/nitrogen-cycle/

Fish-In Cycling: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

My diagram/explanation on the cycle:https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/c8evu4/nitrogen_cycle_art_by_me/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

Supplies:

API Freshwater Master Test Kit 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cEpvDb8R85Q1K

Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner - Chemical Remover and Detoxifier 100 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255PFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_u-kKDbTMV2W8K

Northfin Food Betta Bits 1Mm... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is the best quality pellet I’ve found, here’s why:

• ⁠Nutritious, includes whole ingredients
• ⁠No fillers, hormones, or artificial pigments
• ⁠Packed with proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals
• ⁠Floating pellets, roughly 1mm (they float for a bit then drop, my bettas chase them down)
• ⁠Easily digestible to promote optimal nutrient absorption

(This stuff is advertised by seller, but if you read the labels its all good. Harmony will be able to eat 5-6 of these daily as an adult. 2-3 in the morning, 2-3 at night)

Seachem Nourish 100ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018CM0DO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sekRDbR4YR0NG

(If you do some research and find a supplement you like better, then by all means go for it!)

Helpful other supplies:

Seachem Stability Fish Tank Stabilizer - For Freshwater and Marine Aquariums 500 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_k.kKDbDZMVD4J

(Bacteria in a bottle, it’ll help speed up the cycling process.)

Gravel Vacuum/Siphon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q97ZPSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LblKDbFT79MAB

(Of course you don’t need this specific one, I just chose the best seller off Amazon as an example of what to look for. The local pet store should have these for around $10)

How to use a gravel vacuum: https://youtu.be/LYv5n0a85OY

u/MooseTheWizard · 6 pointsr/Aquariums

Too small for a bristlenose, and you want 6 neons (this tank is too small for them as well). I don't know much about kuhli loaches, but this is probably a tight fit for them too.

This is also a very, very heavy stocking for a 13.7 gallon aquarium. As this is your first tank, I highly suggest going for a small stock and getting a feel for it - solving problems with a low bioload is much easier, and will give you much needed practice for when things occur down the road.

I would recommend that you get solely a male betta for now. Your decor choice is good, and I applaud you for going with sand over gravel. It's much better, objectively.

If you can find them at your local fish store (LFS), pick up some Malaysian trumpet snails (MTS). They'll aerate the substrate and cycle waste into the sand, as well as eat uneaten food and decaying plant matter.

In terms of filtration, you could probably get away with an air pump and a sponge. If you have a fair chunk of money to dedicate to this aquarium, my filter of choice for tanks under 15 gallons is the ZooMed 501. If that is outside of your budget, an AquaClear 20 would be great. I would have the outflow disperse over your driftwood to avoid churning up your sand. If you need creative ideas, feel free to post here again and we can help you figure something out. The primary advantage of the canister is that it is dead silent, and comes with a spray bar which greatly helps to disperse the flow (bettas do not appreciate lots of flow in their environment).

I would do your damnedest to keep the tank out of sunlight, as this will contribute to rampant algae problems. It should have a dedicated light. You can purchase a clamp light and 6500K CFL bulb from home depot for about $15 total. Very wise investment, and this allows you to grow plants!

You need to keep the tank (for a Betta) at 78-80F. If your ambient temperature is not this, you will require a heater. My personal favourite heater for small aquariums are manufactured by Hydor. Aim for 50W for the set up. Here is a link to one.

There is a very good link regarding cycling in the sidebar. It can be found here.

While I do not know your water's composition, I would still recommend treating it with SeaChem Prime. This helps out with some heavy metals as well. While I am not sure if it will benefit you, it is fairly cheap and you'll get a ton of uses out of it for the cost. Hopefully someone with a similar water source to yours will chime in, as I myself am on municipal supply and must dechlorinate my water.

Earlier when I mentioned lighting, I mentioned plants. These are a great addition to your aquarium and your fish will appreciate them. For beginner plants, I would recommend looking into Anubias and Java Fern. They do not grow in substrate, but rather on decor and can be fastened to your driftwood with zip ties or string. They absorb nutrients from the water column, helping to clean your tank while providing refuge for your fish. I would also recommend a floating plant, as it will dim the lights and provide your betta with cover. Frogbit is great, and very cheap in my experience. It grows very well. None of these plants require you to do ANYTHING extra aside from get that light I mentioned. There are fancier alternatives, but they are not necessary for this set up with the above plants. I highly recommend setting your lights up on a timer and keeping them on for 8 hours a day. If you notice algae, reduce light.

I hope this helps. If you have anymore questions feel free to let me know. Really great of you to come and ask for advice BEFORE purchasing an animal, kudos to you.

Be sure to check out /r/bettafish and /r/plantedtank. Within you'll find lots of guides and extremely knowledgeable people. I would highly recommend reading the majority of links from the side bar in those two subreddits, as well as this one. There's a trove of information at your disposal. Here's a link to /r/Aquariums' wiki.

Finally, here's a care sheet specifically about Bettas!

Hopefully that wasn't too long winded for you. Best of luck in the hobby.

u/TheShadyMilkman206 · 1 pointr/bettafish

150 is totally realistic. Planted tanks are the best. I'm not sure what advice you've already received but 10 gallons is "big enough". It is just that the larger the body of water the easier it is to keep stable. 10 gallons is an awesome starting point. I'll take a shot at a $150 total setup, that is plenty for a planted tank:

u/BrilliantNova · 12 pointsr/shrimptank

I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:

Equipment

  • 10 gallon tank with hood
  • Broad Spectrum Light The one that came with the hood did not provide enough for the plants, you definitely need to invest in a broad spectrum bulb.
  • CaribSea Flora Max Substrate I learned that shrimp prefer darker color substrate, this was worth the investment! My shrimp were so unhappy with cheap gravel, after switching to this substrate they are very active.
  • Air pump
  • Sponge filter
  • Heater, maybe optional for you?
  • Thermometer
  • Gallon Bucket
  • Siphon
  • Seachem Prime Because it's a smaller tank, I ended up poking a pinhole sized hole in the seal so that I could use it as drops rather than pouring it in.
  • [Seachem Stability] (https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67101230-Stability-500ml/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499786377&sr=1-1&keywords=seachem+stability) Use this while you're cycling your tank, follow the instructions.
  • API Test Kit
  • Feeding Tray For the longest time I was really confused as to how the feeding tray worked, you can either get a tube or pre-soak the pellets and then drop them into the tray using long tweezers. This will help prevent ammonia/nitrite spikes.
  • Long Tweezer Set
  • Pellets Do also feed them blanched vegetables, make sure to peel the skin and buy organic to avoid chemicals/pesticides
  • Timer Outlet Worth the investment! So you don't have to keep remembering to turn the light on and off.

    Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.

    Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.

    EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:

    Setting up your tank

    1. Find a stable top to place your aquarium on, keep in mind a well sunlit room will mean more plant/algae growth. Make sure it's sturdy and made for heavy objects, don't want to place it on a flimsy shelf or it might break! I keep mine on top a waterproof place mat because water drips are going to happen.
    1. Rinse everything as a precaution! NEVER use dish soap!! If you must sanitize, vinegar is okay. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly. Also, NEVER use any kind of soap on your hands before handling things, just rinse well with water. Add your substrate, I lightly rinsed mine as there are beneficial bacteria living inside the substrate, pour it in. Make sure it's at least 2" of floor. Your water will be cloudy if you bought the substrate I listed, don't worry as it will settle after an hour and be clear.
    1. Fill water half way, use a small plate and pour the water on top of that to avoid the substrate being pushed around. NEVER use hot water! If you're using tap water be sure to always use cold water. It's also recommended to purchase "RO water" (Reverse Osmosis Water) as some times your tap water can be too "hard". The best thing to do is use the test kit on tap water and go from there. If the kH/gH are very high 100+ you will need to use RO water. I like to place my plants and decor now while the tank is half full. Place in your thermometer, heater, sponge filter, etc. After that, continue to fill all the way to the top remembering to aim the stream on top the plate. Leave about a half to an inch from the top.
    1. Take out plate, plug in filter, add in Seachem Prime and Seachem Stability. Please read the label for instructions and dosage according to your tank size. Since there is nothing inside you can add it after you've added the water to the tank. Moving forward, be sure to add the chemicals in the water bucket BEFORE pouring into the tank.
    1. Turn on filter, wait for the water to settle and temperature to come up. They say shrimp can tolerate 52F to 86F but ideally room temperature water is best, this is where your water heater will come into play. Follow which ever cycling method you choose before purchasing your shrimp. This can take up to 6 weeks.

      After your tank has cycled

    1. When adding your shrimp, there are many methods, the way I acclimate my shrimp is:
    1. Put the shrimp in a 1 gallon tub using the water that they came in.
    1. Drop in a tablespoon of the tank water, ONCE every 2 minutes.
    1. After the water has reached 1/3 old water, 2/3rd new water, your shrimp are ready to be placed into your tank.

      Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.

      Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:

  • kH: 60 / gH: 40 / pH: 7.0 / NO2: 0 / NO3: 20 / Ammonia: 0 / Temperature: 72F

    I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!