# Baby Betta tanks



## disco lad

I don't want to do this but I want to hook up a bunck of small containers together and put my babys in there. I know well before the big crash there was a nice setup but now I can't refer to it. Yes I know it is bad to do this but it would be better than not changing the water often. 40 babies were born and I did have time till life changed. So what special set have you seen to help me?


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## disco lad

Is air line tubing enough flow for water while not letting the babies go from one container to the next. Or should I really use a over flow method


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## Scholz

So..... How many are female? How many are male? How old are they?


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## disco lad

Scholz said:


> So..... How many are female? How many are male? How old are they?


Well they are still at the age where you really have to be good or too young.


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## Scholz

The females you can keep togeather... In one big tank..... As for the males there is serveral ways you could go about it. 

Plastic tubs with holes drilled in the sides at the same hieght.... all held in a tray that drains all the over flow water into a 5 gallon tank that's setup like a sump. With a return pump and water lines running to the bottom of each plastic tub. Useing water sprinkler line from home depo... or other such things..... super easy.... Will take a bit of work to setup... but will make maintence super easy!


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## disco lad

they are 5months old so i should be able to figure it out. they just have to be higher to look up at them


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## Scholz

Look for longer fins.... If the fine is longer it's a male if it's really agressive with other fish it's a male....

Here's a rough idea for the betta system...


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## Morainy

Cool drawing, Scholz!

Would this work? -- Fill a lowish Rubbermaid container with water, and add filtration. Add dividers to the basin, or put stones into perforated plastic containers from the loonie store and set them into the basin so that water flows through all of them. Set it on a counter near the window for light, and drop some cabomba into each container.


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## Scholz

It would work for a few betta's lets say maybe max of like 7 to 10

Where as the sump system would work with alot more! 50+ depending on sump size and bio media...


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## Morainy

You wouldn't by any chance be daydreaming about building one of these at your place, would you? Now that you've got off to a good start with a dozen baby bettas?





Scholz said:


> It would work for a few betta's lets say maybe max of like 7 to 10
> 
> Where as the sump system would work with alot more! 50+ depending on sump size and bio media...


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## Scholz

Well the dozen is down to around 8 i think.... And that just isn't enough fry to make something like this... If i had a hundred well I probably would make something like this...


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## disco lad

Well I don't have a hundred but I have setup something. I have them all connected with air line hose in a row so it has it's ups and downs. More downs than up mind you. You can't have too many in a row due to the fact the water rolls down hill unless you have a large opening to each container, or have the containers at different high the water will over flow to the lid. My pump can't dial down low enough to trickel slowly so the air line tube can suck in the water as fast as it comes out. So my first container is a larger one because it's my test container with an over flow. It is only because it's my tester container and I was recycling old containers to test what I was going to do and what effect it would have. Good thing I did that because I wasted a few and I was going to throw it out anyways. So far it seems that it's easier to go out and buy a big sheet of plastic and cut it to size, and drill out holes to allow flow. Maybe when I get serious about breeding.


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## Scholz

I don't think i'm following..... so the containers have airline conecting them is the water supose to flow through this airline? how are they connected? is the pump pumping water into the airline?


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## disco lad

Yes the water is flowing through the air line. I will get a pic when I get a chance.


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## disco lad

Ok sorry about taking so long but I finally got pics. They are off my phone but you get the idea.
























As you can see one container is connected to another by air line tubing


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## Scholz

Does the water actually flow through the airline like that? seems like a lot of finikie work. Bravo for having the paitence... I would have went mad! It's bassically the same idea as mine. Just in mine leave the holes that you drilled in the sides and run the feed lines into the cups. With control T valves. 

what's your maintence like?


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## eternity302

WOW!!! I have to say "that is one simple system and definitely the most creative as I've seen"!!
I use to wanted to build a drip system, but didn't want to at the end as it can get costly, and it'd be quite useless if I fall out of the hobby (as i did)!
Here's a nice one that I thought I show ya http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showthread.php?t=15712
=) Can't wait to see more coming from ya~


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## Scholz

I knew I had seen the design i drew somewhere before and i found it...

http://www.najrickbettas.com/breeding_bettas.htm



















Looks like they just let the jars over flow into the trays and use that plastic netting to prevent jumping and fish from getting out


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## disco lad

Lets just say my carpet got a good cleaning that week. Without the over flow tube that you see, my guess is a cup every 1/2 hour. It's more than that but I haven't tried to figure it out. This is the cheapest way to check if this would work or not. the weirdest thing is that there is no glue or sealant to prevent leaks. Every few days I dump out the sump and suck out debris every week or less when I have time.


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## eternity302

Most drip system, people will drill the bottom of a cube shaped container made of acrylic, and a piece of pvc in the middle, when it overflows, it will go through the pvc, have a net above it, and you're all set! =) At least most drip system i see is like that!
But i have to say, the way you build it, it's definitely most creative and looks clean!


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## disco lad

I am thinking of doing my own way if I can get some 3/4" plywood. I need to setup another shelve to get the rest of them in their own tanks. It will be like the drip system to each container but I will drill out holes for the over flow and use tubes shoved in the holes so they drain the water away. So far my setup now has a very low and if one container fails again I don't want that one to affect the others. For right now am I stuck looking at scummy tubes or algae grown or is there something I can do about that?


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## disco lad

Ok well my in line tank system is so hard to balence flow with such small tubes that I don't suggest doing this. I lost a fish, yes I can't find he due to something that happened.


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## Clownloachlover

I mean really guys, how would you like to spend your life in a jar?


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## ibenu

Filtered jars, grow out tanks... Regardless, when you are ready, more babies perhaps, I have a crap load of 1/16th acrylic I was thnking would make amazing betta barracks.. as you seem so creative maybe you wanna give it a go with some of that in the future, let me know!

Nice job on filtration, moving water regardless! In san fran I saw barracks of those little drawers used for small bits in a tool shop, less 2/2 in the front with a pull out and only 4-5 inches into structure...


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## Scholz

You lost a fish like you can't find him? or you lost a fish? either way i'm sorry. Sucks to put all that work into a fish and then lose him... You're setup is so close to a proper drip system you should just convert it!


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## disco lad

Clownloachlover said:


> I mean really guys, how would you like to spend your life in a jar?


This topic is not for DIY.


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## disco lad

Well one of the tubes had low flow. The low flow caused a container to over flow and well I couldn't find him in the container. So either the cat found him or he flopped really far away from the counter. The tubes are too small and a film is growing in the tubes. The only thing that I could think is to force the water through the airline tubes to clean them out. So far airline tube looks like there is too many problems to use to connect each container together.


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## disco lad

ibenu said:


> Filtered jars, grow out tanks... Regardless, when you are ready, more babies perhaps, I have a crap load of 1/16th acrylic I was thnking would make amazing betta barracks.. as you seem so creative maybe you wanna give it a go with some of that in the future, let me know!
> 
> Nice job on filtration, moving water regardless! In san fran I saw barracks of those little drawers used for small bits in a tool shop, less 2/2 in the front with a pull out and only 4-5 inches into structure...


I do plan using acrylic in the future just for now I want to get rid of the kinks on some cheap or recycled stuff until I know the pro's and cons to each situation. I just don't want to throw a bunch of money into something just to find out that it is garbage.


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## disco lad

Scholz said:


> You lost a fish like you can't find him? or you lost a fish? either way i'm sorry. Sucks to put all that work into a fish and then lose him... You're setup is so close to a proper drip system you should just convert it!


I just don't want to do a drip system and then have it over flow. I think I would prefer a drip system to drain through tubes back into the sump.


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## Scholz

disco lad said:


> I just don't want to do a drip system and then have it over flow. I think I would prefer a drip system to drain through tubes back into the sump.


If each cup is made into it's own over flow box, that all sit in one big long tray that is in itself and over flow box It can't over flow!

water drips from pump into cups. The cups have slits or holes drilled in the side which overflow into another catch basin / rubbermaid / The end of the planter box sit over your sump bucket with a pvc pipe silliconed into the bottom of the catch basin pointing straight into the sump bucket that you allready have. Put a net or sponge over the open end of the pipe in the catch basin.

It would work just like the sumps that all the monster tank dudes and saltwater guys use.

I wish you were in vancouver I'd help you set this up!


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## disco lad

That's what sux living up here. Not many fish people up here. The LFS got rid of all but 3 tanks other than betta cups. Too many fish disease problems when bringing up tropical fish in the winter time. All she has now are basically feeder fish and betta's. When I come up to her about DIY stuff she looks at me weird. I just can't picture the monster guys doing stuff like this.


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## Scholz

Seriously I might just drive up there! Cause you bassically have the drip system setup allready you just need to tweak a few things! You're over half way there!


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## disco lad

Well the wife was at the hospital for a procedure on Friday so this weekend was kinda a bust since I had to take care of her but I found all the stuff that I need and should try it out soon. I was about to buy a garden style of hose for the drip system so I said forget it I will make up my own hose connection. I still have tons of hose from a long time ago when I started this. When it's $0.25~$0.50/ft I don't mind using it.


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## Scholz

disco lad said:


> Well the wife was at the hospital for a procedure on Friday so this weekend was kinda a bust since I had to take care of her but I found all the stuff that I need and should try it out soon. I was about to buy a garden style of hose for the drip system so I said forget it I will make up my own hose connection. I still have tons of hose from a long time ago when I started this. When it's $0.25~$0.50/ft I don't mind using it.


So you're going to use some poly line? Not the airline right? The only thing you might need is control valves.... You can use the cups you have allready. Just pull the lines out and put a few more holes in them...


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## disco lad

To tell you the truth I was using clear non-toxic pvc that you would find at the hardware store not aquarium air line tube. It has thicker walls so that you can squish the tube a little and have very little reduction in flow. Internal diameter is 1/8" and out side diameter is 1/4". I am debating on whether or not to use the clear pvc or white "pluming" I think pvc for the 1/2 main line then use 1/4" clear to divide the water into the separate container. I found some plant tray liners that when you start seeding for $2 to see how effective this system is. So for from what I can tell temperature loss and evaporation is the main issue with this system. Where is what I am doing you have temperature consistency in each tank is the issue with my system.


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## Scholz

If the heater is in the sump and and the flow modest you shouldn't have a problem with temperature. Evaporation isn't the big of a deal either just keep a bucket with aged water next to the sump bucket and top it up a bit ever now and then....


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## effox

Reminds me of a hydroponic setup without the hallogens\HPS. 

This is an absolutely AWESOME DIY project.


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## disco lad

effox said:


> Reminds me of a hydroponic setup without the hallogens\HPS.
> 
> This is an absolutely AWESOME DIY project.


I remember in the old site someone had photo's of their betta setup and posted them, but never said how he did it in progression or why he did it the way he did. I though I would say my up's and down's to what I am doing get some help and feed back on what people think how it improve it. Unfortunately I am going to have to put this on hold. I just finished setting up my wife's bird cage and I don't know if I will have time to go back and finish my fish project this week. oh ya thanks


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## Scholz

how's the project comming along?


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## disco lad

Well last weekend I was able to play around a little and well I bought the trays but was not able to set them up properly since I am always limited on time. For now instead of having them in one big series on 3 separate levels, they are divided into 3 sets. Each set is in series for water flow. Water flow is still low and having issues. I found some 1/2 white pvc around the house from another pet project and though this would be nice to use. I bought some planting trays but it's too long for my table and I have a 10G tank on the lower shelf so moving the table will be a pain. So I am close to setting up the trays once I figure out how to balance them on there.


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## shrimpboy

maybe i should try this too


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