I had a betta live for 6 years in a regular fish bowl when I was a kid and quite uneducated about them. It never had a heater or filter and had a silk plant. Was it the best housing? Probably not, but it did live along time!
I've heard some people add this to their fresh water tanks. I remember my parents did that when I was a kid, but couldn't actually tell me why, they used it just because the pet shop told them to. I don't trust the workers at our small pet store, they will do anything to sell a product. I have...