Planted Betta Tank

[nc_nutcase]

description:
I have my Betta, Sam, in a planted 5 Gal acrylic bowfront tank by himself (well I put 2 ghost shrimp in a few weeks ago but haven't seen them in a while). The tank came with a 'Whisper Micro Filter'. The entire filter sits inside the tank, underwater. The way it's in there now it doesn't really break up the surface at all.

question:
Does the plant need the surface of the water broken up so the water can refresh itself with gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, whatever else)?

 

[guppygirl]

Is your tank an eclipse tank with the biowheel filter? I have mine fully planted and it's wonderful. The lighting system is a little funky, it doesn't illuminate the back fully. The amount of surface agitation is kept to a minimum, that's what you want in a planted tank. Hope this helps!
Here's a pic of my tank. It's a little old, the limnophila has filled out since then and I've added some java fern to the ornament.

 

[nc_nutcase]

I don't know the tank brand off hand but the filter is a "Whisper micro filter" (no bio wheel). The set up came with an incandescent bulb but I switched it would with a 16W fluorescent that screws into a regular socket. The lighting is more than enough and I am going to get all my tanks on a regular liquid plant food diet as well as using fertilizer sticks... I'll stop by a LFS store one day this week to get them. I’ve kept big cichlids for many years but since they reek havoc on plants, I’ve never learned much about them.

PS the link in my signature takes you to a picture page that has a pic of it. I can't post the pic here because TFF doesn't like my software.

 

[guppygirl]

Hmmm... is it this tank? link
If so, Yes, I think you could add plants. I'm going to try some of Seachem's Flourish Excel on my 5, I'll try to post some before and after pics on here!
BTW, nice tanks.
Also, you could try some of flourish's root tabs for a substrate fertilizer.

 

[nc_nutcase]

Yup... that's my lil tank... but mines purple

I'll be getting plant fertilizer (the sticks and the liquid) this week. I'll write down the brand you recommended. I always just thought you were supposed to replace your plants every month... because that's how long mine always lasted... just now learning you can actually grow the darn things!!!

I'm also in the process of changing my smaller tanks over to sand. Once I get the hang of sand as opposed to gravel I'll start working on the bigger tanks (just because it's more expensive to buy black sand for a 125 Gal than it is a 5 Gal )