Brand New Tank

[Scratch]

I'm planning on setting up a small 3 gallon Eclipse with pool sand some sort of media and hardy plants. This will be a home for my Betta.
The Eclipse has a filter /biowheel housed in its canopy. I plan to cycle the tank and would like to know if I should run the filter with or without the bio wheel. I believe there has been some issue about cycling such small tanks.
Any info would be appreciated.
Thank you..

 

[wuvmybetta]

A tank that size can easily cycle. Do you have another tank set up? If so,soak your bio-wheel in it for a few days.

It's up to you whether or not you use the bio-wheel. I believe they really do help,but if you have another use for it go ahead because your gravel and filter media should house enough beneficial bacteria to maintain your tank.

Be sure and post pics when you get him

 

[fourplayfishy]

make sure that your wheel dose not make to much current in the tank as they dont like swimming againts it i have a filter for a 1-3 gal runnin in a 5.5 cuz that fish is so picky so be careful

 

[Scratch]

Presently my Betta is living in a 1 gal tank. I could soak the wheel or media in that. As far as water flo, I'll see if ithat can be slowed down.
I'm still collecting sand (pool filter) growing media and plants. I like live plants.
Thank you for your help.

 

[purple_drazi]

I think your betta will love his new tank!

I've got Sparky in a 5g Eclipse. I didn't like the amount of current the filter was creating so I bought a regulator and adjusted it so that it was only just fast enough to keep the bio-wheel turning. It was always causing problems though, sometimes the intake filter would fall off and it was a struggle to get it back on, or it would make funny noises.... I finally gave up on it and took it out. I solved the current problem by taking some of the material I had left over from when I trimmed a tank divider and putting that in front of the water out-take. The water is coming out normally but it's modulated by the plastic dam. The holes in the plastic divider mean that instead of the water hitting it like a wall, it's more like it's hitting a sieve.

Sparky likes it so much he's got a bubble nest going now, right in the front window! Here's a picture I took when I put the dam in (before the bubble nest). Sparky wouldn't stop to have his picture taken.