Questions from a beginner.

[MOliver7712]

Hi, all! I'm new here and new to the hobby of tropical fish keeping. I have an established 20 gallon tank with a betta, a few neon tetras, and cory catfish. I've not had any problems out of it once it went through it's cycle (of which I knew nothing about and got lucky with). I've recently purchased a 60 gallon that was okay for a couple weeks then completely crashed. So now I'm starting over, I've been doing lots of research, and have a few questions:
1: I'd like to make it into a divided tank for bettas and/or gouramis (3 20-gallon sections). What's the best way to divide it? (it's an extra tall tank and has weird measurements so standard dividers don't fit). Is it okay for the bettas to be able to see each other through the dividers? I've read some flaring between bettas is okay as long as they have places to get out of sight, and other people say any viewing of the other betta will cause severe stress.
2: Once divided, do I need a small filter in each section (this seems preferable from what I researched) or will one large filter work for the entire tank?
3: Should I get one 200w heater for the whole tank, or 3 lower wattage ones for each section? (I've learned I prefer the adjustable ones over pre-adjusted)
4: Should I cycle the tank (planning a pure ammonia fishless cycle as soon as I get the decorations and tank cleaned) with the dividers in it or add them in later?
5: I'd like to have a bubble wall (covered with gravel because I prefer large bubbles) along the entire back wall since bettas prefer more oxygen, but I find it creates orange colored algae. How do I avoid that?
6: Are "cleaning" fish like cory catfish and plecos actually helpful, or do they just create more waste than they clean?

Advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[IHaveADogToo]

I've copy-pasted your questions here, along with my answers. Keep in mind, my familiarity is with bettas, not gourami.

1: I'd like to make it into a divided tank for bettas and/or gouramis (3 20-gallon sections). What's the best way to divide it? (it's an extra tall tank and has weird measurements so standard dividers don't fit). Is it okay for the bettas to be able to see each other through the dividers? I've read some flaring between bettas is okay as long as they have places to get out of sight, and other people say any viewing of the other betta will cause severe stress.

There are different kinds of dividers available. Some are clear plastic, some are mesh, and some are dark plastic. Even the dark colored ones do have holes in them, too small for a betta to get through, but still big enough for them to see through. Yes, It can stress male bettas out to see other males, but sometimes not. It just depends on the personality of the individual betta.

2: Once divided, do I need a small filter in each section (this seems preferable from what I researched) or will one large filter work for the entire tank?

I suggest sponge filters, as they don't create a lot of current, and they double as bubblers. Some people like to create what's called a "mercy space" between divider sections, and put their sponge filters and heaters in that space. A mercy space is not just an equipment area, but can also help prevent the bettas from seeing each other through the holes in the dividers. Here's an example of a divided tank with a heater (foreground) and sponge filter (background) in the mercy space. This is not my picture, I found it from an image search.

If you don't use mercy spaces, put a sponge filter in each divided section. But whether you use mercy spaces or not, each sponge filter should be rated for the entirety of the tank, not just a portion of it. You don't want to try to divide the load with smaller rated filters. Over-filtering is generally viewed as a positive thing in aquariums.

3: Should I get one 200w heater for the whole tank, or 3 lower wattage ones for each section? (I've learned I prefer the adjustable ones over pre-adjusted)

If you are dividing the tank into 3 sections, and you use mercy space, then you will have 2 mercy spaces, and you should put a heater and sponge filter in each mercy space. Each heater should be rated for the entirety of the tank, not for a portion of it. Make sure the heaters have a temperature sensor and automatically turn themselves on and off as needed. Some of the less expensive heaters just constantly add heat to the water and that won't work in a multi-heater tank. You need ones that can sense the water temp. Get at least 2 thermometers, too, and put them on opposite ends of the tank, or in each mercy space or divided section. This will help you identify problems with the heaters early on, should there be any problems.

4: Should I cycle the tank (planning a pure ammonia fishless cycle as soon as I get the decorations and tank cleaned) with the dividers in it or add them in later?

If you cycle it with the dividers in, then the beneficial bacteria will grow on the dividers just like they do on the substrate and decor. If you add the dividers after the tank is cycled, you aren't hurting anything, and the beneficial bacteria will still spread to the dividers anyway after a few days.

5: I'd like to have a bubble wall (covered with gravel because I prefer large bubbles) along the entire back wall since bettas prefer more oxygen, but I find it creates orange colored algae. How do I avoid that?

I do not suggest a bubble wall for bettas. I suggest keeping water movement to a minimum. A sponge filter in each mercy space will provide sufficient oxygenation as they double as bubblers. Bettas don't need a lot of oxygen in the water like other fish do, because they swim up to the surface and breathe with their labyrinth organ. I'm not saying "don't oxygenate their water" because that would be wrong, but what I am saying is don't go out of your way to provide extra oxygenation for bettas. That's what they use their labyrinth organ for. As for bubblers creating algae, it's not the bubbler creating the algae, its the light. Try reducing the amount of time the tank lamp is on per day. Fish don't need a lamp, so if you don't have live plants in the tank the only purpose the lamp serves is making it easier for you to view the fish. If you do have live plants in the tank, it can be tricky, because they do need light, so you have to find a balance. Plants compete for the same nutrients in the water that algae does. If you have a LOT of plants, they should out-compete the algae for food, and starve it.

6: Are "cleaning" fish like cory catfish and plecos actually helpful, or do they just create more waste than they clean?

"You have to buy an algae eater" is more myth than truth. Plecos grow to be over a foot long, and they do indeed produce a large amount of waste. If you really want something that will eat algae, and coexist with bettas, I suggest snails and shrimp. In a divided tank, shrimp are generally small enough to fit through the holes in the divider, depending on their species. Snails are escape artists, so it's not far fetched at all for them to to climb over the divider and move from one section to another. If you get an algae eating fish, like a pleco or an oto, it will be confined to the divided space you put it in, so the algae will be uneven. If you're looking for something that cleans up fish poop, buy a gravel vac. I can't think of any animal that enjoys eating fish poop. Since each divided section will be 20 gallons, you do have room to give each betta some tank mates. Corydoras are a good choice for this, provided you keep them in proper shoaling numbers. But corys are not "cleaners" in the same way an oto or a pleco is. About the only thing they clean is the substrate... of leftover food.

 

[Byron]

The divided 60g tank will work for three Betta males, but I would not inflict this on gourami. You don't mention what gourami species you are thinking of, but there are issues with some, less with others. Males are territorial to varying degrees, but some species are best with 1 male and 2 or 3 females ratio. Gourami should be able to interact to live normally. Betta are quite different in this.