# Betta tank divider



## Cookiemonstar (May 30, 2014)

Hey guys, I recently got my first tank and decided to start a little project.
I got this idea over at bettafish.com so I do not take credit for it. My apologies if this project has already been posted on here as well, I am new to this forum and would like to spread the idea in case anyone finds it helpful.

*So let's get started...*
When I first got my two bettas, they were each housed in separate 0.5 gallon tanks. The problems I encountered included lack of space, no room for a heater or filter, and doing double the work for water changes. The water got dirty really quickly and my fish were not very active. One of them even fell sick and almost died..

*The benefits of the split tank:*
- More efficient water changes. I can now clean one tank instead of two.
- Plenty of space for fish, plants, and decorations.
- Special section just for heater and filter
- and much more...








This is my finished result. I should have taken some pictures during the process, but i was too concentrated on not making a mess with the aquarium silicone.. (Excuse the bits of residue on the rim of the tank.. I will wipe that clean  )

*What you need:*
- A fish tank. Mine is 10 gallons and I find it's the best size for this project.
- Aquarium sealant / silicone (found mine at petsmart for $8)
- 2 pieces of needlepoint canvas / mesh as the divider. You can find this in the yarn & needlework section at Michael's craft store. It is 97 cents each and you will need 2 pieces. They come in different colours, but make sure you choose the stiff one instead of the soft one. I believe they are 13.5" x 10.5" each.
- 4 report covers. You can probably find this at staples or walmart. I just had some lying around at home. Make sure it has a removable plastic binding or "spine". You will be using that to hold your dividers in place. It looks something like this: 








It is fairly simple. I took a 10 gallon tank and measured out the dimensions. In the case, mine was L 20" x W 10" x H 12"
With a ruler, I carefully measured and split the tank evenly into 3 sections (2 big ones on each side for the fish and a smaller section in the middle to hold the heater and filter). Having the section in the middle helps to keep the fish away from each other in case one decides to jump over. The middle section also helps prevent the fish from seeing each other, and lastly, having the heater and filter in the middle will help to distribute the heat and current more evenly throughout the tank. They will each have about 4.5 gallons of space and the middle section has about 1 gallon.
I took a sharpie and used a ruler to carefully draw my lines on the *outside* of the tank where I wanted my dividers to be. You should have drawn 4 lines, 2 on each side.
Next, I trimmed down my needlepoint canvas to 12" x 10" to fit the inside of my tank and set it aside.
Then, I took apart the report covers and put some aquarium sealant on the spine. I carefully stuck each spine on the inside of my tank, matching the lines I drew on the outside earlier. Make sure it's straight! Otherwise your dividers will end up crooked! You can easily remove the sharpie lines later with some isopropyl alcohol.
I waited 24 hours for the silicone to dry, and the next day, I began putting my tank together!








First, I slipped the needlepoint canvases into the plastic spines. At this point, you can make any adjustments and trim down the canvas more for a better fit.
Next, I added my gravel. You want a minimum of 1" thick base, this will help hold your canvas in place.
Then I planted some plants in my aquarium, I gave them 3 plants each.
While setting up the tank, my bettas were sitting in their old 0.5 gallon tank watching me. The sick fish got so excited about it, he even started blowing a giant bubble nest!
Lastly, I added water into the tank, scooped my fish up with a cup, and let them float in there for a bit before releasing them to their new home.
I then added a heater and filter to the middle section.

*And you're finished!*









Comments, questions, concerns? Let me know what you think!


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