Okay, I Need Some Help With This

[vinylman]

This is what I keep telling people who think setting up costs an arm and a leg. Yes, if you buy everything the shop wants you to, you'll have a cupboard full of stuff you'll never use. Take your time at first, get it right and the only things you'll need to buy with any regularity are dechlorinator and food.

 

[OldMan47]

If you get a bare bones tank you can cut a piece of plastic to fit your tank. The particular kind of plastic that I would use is the light cover for an office type fluorescent light, I think they call it a diffuser. It costs next to nothing, is waterproof and strong enough to keep the dirt out and the water in a tank. Any simple object glued or screwed to the sheet makes a handle so it becomes easy to open for feeding.

 

[Tolak]

If you get a bare bones tank you can cut a piece of plastic to fit your tank. The particular kind of plastic that I would use is the light cover for an office type fluorescent light, I think they call it a diffuser. It costs next to nothing, is waterproof and strong enough to keep the dirt out and the water in a tank. Any simple object glued or screwed to the sheet makes a handle so it becomes easy to open for feeding.

The styrene diffuser panels are what you want to use. The acrylic are just a little more, but won't work for this, they warp. Cheaper is actually better in this case, I've bought plenty of these panels, they cover most every tank I have.

 

[AngelOfDeath]

if you want to build a community tank then by all means buy a 10 gall and cycle the filter. however...if all you want is a betta, the idea of you being influenced by existing members to buy a 10 gall and cycle the filter is laughable. yes, it is better to cycle a filter becuase this helps with the nitrogen cycle, however, this is not needed with one tiny little betta. Even if you follow the '1 inch per gallon rule' which is not particulaly accurate, then you will still have say 8 gallons spare....and considering your mom is concious of cost etc is a silly idea.

I used to keep my betta in a 6 gall cycled tank with filter/heater etc. it lives in a 3 gall still tank now and it is much happier, builds bubble nests daily, colours are more vivid and the fish is friendlier

you don't need to go out and fork out a shead load of cash so members will not percieve you as 'cruel' the concept is ridiculous

 

[claudettebillie]

I got my betta. Now, my dad agrees that a filter would be better for her health. (I love you dad!! ) So I'll get one of those along with a bigger tank soon. Once that's ready she can go in the new tank. Right now I'm doing 100% cleaning every day and she's super happy.

But again, with dad on my side this is only temporary. Dad is awesome. He believes what I say, NOT the pet store. *cough* mom *cough*

 

[Honeythorn]

f you want to build a community tank then by all means buy a 10 gall and cycle the filter. however...if all you want is a betta, the idea of you being influenced by existing members to buy a 10 gall and cycle the filter is laughable. yes, it is better to cycle a filter becuase this helps with the nitrogen cycle, however, this is not needed with one tiny little betta. Even if you follow the '1 inch per gallon rule' which is not particulaly accurate, then you will still have say 8 gallons spare....and considering your mom is concious of cost etc is a silly idea.

I used to keep my betta in a 6 gall cycled tank with filter/heater etc. it lives in a 3 gall still tank now and it is much happier, builds bubble nests daily, colours are more vivid and the fish is friendlier

you don't need to go out and fork out a shead load of cash so members will not percieve you as 'cruel' the concept is ridiculous

She already has a spare ten gallon sitting around. And she has been given a link to making a perfectly useable DIY sponge filter . She technically doesn't even need a hood/lid and has been given advice on how to use a piece of decent plastic. All she really needs to buy is a heater. There is very little cost here.

And with a ten gallon she could make a divider and put a DIY sponge filter in each half, and cut the divider carefully so that the heater spans both halves to heat each . That way she could have two in 5 gals of swimming space each in one divided tank, all at the fairly small cost of a heater and some plastic ( plus gravel, decor ect )

 

[NonstickRon]

I got my betta. Now, my dad agrees that a filter would be better for her health. (I love you dad!! ) So I'll get one of those along with a bigger tank soon. Once that's ready she can go in the new tank. Right now I'm doing 100% cleaning every day and she's super happy.

She's very pretty.

 

[claudettebillie]

Thank you! She's happy, too. Compared to that Petco container she's in a mansion.

 

[Genesis]

Tell your mother that if she wants a fish so bad, she can look after it.
You don't buy a dog and say "they don't NEED walking", it's something that comes with the responsibility of owning an animal.

If she won't buy a filter, then she shouldn't have the fish just like if she wouldn't walk a dog, she shouldn't have one.