Will a 5 gal water pump filter a 10 gal betta tank?

[Oriole Lyric]

My neighbor gave me a 10 gallon tank for my betta and my ramshorn snails.  They had a 3 gallon filter, I have a 5 gallon filter. My mom won't let me get a 10 gallon filter.  Can I build a canister filter for my betta using my 5 gallon filter's water pump?  I found some big food containers we never use.  And my dad said I can use the tubing in the garage. One is 1quart and the other is 2 quarts.  They would both hold more media than my 5 gallon filter.  Will that work for my 10 gallon or will that not be enough water flow? 

My betta doesn't like fast water.  I baffle my current filter, but with the bigger tank, I might not need the baffle anymore.

Thanks

Edited December 12, 2020 by Oriole Lyric

[ChefConfit]

Are you planning on adding more livestock in the larger tank? Are you using live plants? How heavy do you plan on planting? 

Tank size ratings on filters are based solely on the maximum gallons per hour that the filter can pump through itself. So increasing the media capacity wouldn't give you a filter rated for a larger tank. 

There's very little difference between a 5 gallon filter turned all the way up and a 10 gallon one turned all the way down  other than media capacity. 

Are you sure it's a 5 gallon filter? If it came with a 5 gallon starter kits it's probably actually a 10 gallon filter. Both the topfin and aqueon 5 gallon kits come with 10 gallon filters. 

Lastly if the only livestock going in is a betta and some snails I don't see a problem with using the 5 gallon filter, especially if it's a planted tank (which bettas prefer). If you're worried about biological filtration capacity you can do what I do in my 10 gallon grow out tank. 

I use a prefilter sponge on the intake as my only mechanical filtration and fill the entire media compartment with biorings. The prefilter sponge will also prevent your bettas fins from getting sucked into the intake. 

[Oriole Lyric]

 

1 hour ago, ChefConfit said:

Are you planning on adding more livestock in the larger tank? Are you using live plants? How heavy do you plan on planting? 

Tank size ratings on filters are based solely on the maximum gallons per hour that the filter can pump through itself. So increasing the media capacity wouldn't give you a filter rated for a larger tank. 

There's very little difference between a 5 gallon filter turned all the way up and a 10 gallon one turned all the way down  other than media capacity. 

Are you sure it's a 5 gallon filter? If it came with a 5 gallon starter kits it's probably actually a 10 gallon filter. Both the topfin and aqueon 5 gallon kits come with 10 gallon filters. 

Lastly if the only livestock going in is a betta and some snails I don't see a problem with using the 5 gallon filter, especially if it's a planted tank (which bettas prefer). If you're worried about biological filtration capacity you can do what I do in my 10 gallon grow out tank. 

I use a prefilter sponge on the intake as my only mechanical filtration and fill the entire media compartment with biorings. The prefilter sponge will also prevent your bettas fins from getting sucked into the intake. 

Only my betta and I think there are now 8 ramshorn snails in the tank.  I don't think I will get anything else.  My tank has 1 anubias, 5 pieces of dwarf sag, 5 marimo, 3 clumps of java fern and I am asking for a banana lily and either rotala or pearl grass and an anubias nana petite for Christmas. Its been growing for 6 months and I have a nicrew light.

I got the tank and filter at a garage sale. The lady who sold it to me said it was big enough and is for 5 gallons and is bigger than the one my neighbor gave me. It has ceramic rings and a sponge in it.  My tank also has some red lava rock from home depot for decoration, since I couldn't fit anything else in the filter. The filter pads got dirty too fast and didn't rinse well so I switched to a sponge. 

But if you think the bigger filter will work for the 10 gallon then that's good!  I will use the 3 gallon filter in my 5 gallon for quarantine or for extra snails, I'll use some left over sponge that I have for it. Does that sound okay?

Edited December 12, 2020 by Oriole Lyric

[lefty o]

the filter you have sized for a 5gal tank is likely more than needed with  just 1 betta in the tank. try it for a while, and see how well it does.

[Streetwise]

I think you will be ok, but if you can post a photo of the tank and filter, that will provide more information.

[Oriole Lyric]

3 hours ago, lefty o said:

the filter you have sized for a 5gal tank is likely more than needed with  just 1 betta in the tank. try it for a while, and see how well it does.

Okay thank you!

[Ken Burke]

Hard to go wrong with advice from @Streetwise.  and why spend money on something you don’t need.  
 

If it turns out your filters are too small, think about a sponge filter from ACO.  they are super cheap and work well.  On the plus side, no cartridges so no follow on costs.  Maybe save your allowance.

[Oriole Lyric]

On 12/12/2020 at 5:45 PM, Ken Burke said:

Hard to go wrong with advice from @Streetwise.  and why spend money on something you don’t need.  
 

If it turns out your filters are too small, think about a sponge filter from ACO.  they are super cheap and work well.  On the plus side, no cartridges so no follow on costs.  Maybe save your allowance.

I have an elite 799 air pump and was thinking of making a filter out of a bottle and some extra sponge and lava rock that I have.  I don't know if the air pump is enough though.  It doesn't say what size tank it is for. I tested it in the 10 gallon, I think it will work.

I don't have an allowance, I only get birthday and new years money, but its okay because lots of neighbors throw away aquarium stuff. And new years is coming and I know some going to be throwing away alot of stuff.  Fingers crossed some are fish stuff.

[Ken Burke]

People are running sponge filters with the USB nano in 10 gal tanks and some even larger.  The USB nano pumps 0.6 liters per minute.  The internet says the Hagen Elite 799 pumps 1000 cc per minute. So more than big enough.  
 

try it and see what happens.  (And send pics when you git er dun)

[Oriole Lyric]

Just now, Ken Burke said:

People are running sponge filters with the USB nano in 10 gal tanks and some even larger.  The USB nano pumps 0.6 liters per minute.  The internet says the Hagen Elite 799 pumps 1000 cc per minute. So more than big enough.  
 

try it and see what happens.  (And send pics when you git er dun)

Oh wow!  Okay!  Thanks.  I'll probably work on it next weekend or during Christmas weekend.  Thanks for your help.

[AtomCatMatt]

just to quote cory in you have plants your really dont need a filter you just need to make the water move around... the 5 gallon filter will be fine for the ten gallon, your plants are doing work too, nature's filter.