# Glass & Gravel Betta and nano tanks, exhaustively - the desk tank done right. ## What this site is Glass & Gravel is an independent publisher covering freshwater betta and nano aquariums. Its distinguishing characteristic is that it publishes the arithmetic behind its recommendations rather than claiming hands-on testing. We have not tested these products. There is no test bench and no lab, and every page says so. What we do instead: read manufacturer documentation, cite it, record what each manufacturer declines to publish, and compute what the published figures imply for a specific tank in a specific room. Freshwater only. No saltwater or nano-reef content. ## The arithmetic we publish - Heater wattage = actual water gallons x 0.35 x (target degF - coldest room degF). The 0.35 constant is derived from Fluval's published P Series ratings, which pair a wattage with a rated capacity and a published 12 degF maximum lift. - Actual water volume = rated volume less 15% for substrate, hardscape and the fill line. This is a stated assumption, not a manufacturer figure, and it is labeled as one everywhere it is used. - Filter turnover target = 4 tank volumes per hour for a betta, ceiling 6. - Dosing is converted from published manufacturer directions to nano volumes. - Substrate quantity uses Fluval's published formula: kg = L x W x depth in cm / 1000. ## Positions this site takes - Minimum tank for one betta: 5 US gallons rated, which holds about 4.25 gallons of water. Ten gallons is better. - Bettas need a heater in essentially every American home. Published preference is around 80 degF; US rooms are commonly 67-69 degF. - Stocking is decided by volume, stated before any species list. At 5 gallons: invertebrates only. Fish tank mates start at 10 gallons. A betta needs no tank mates at all. - Bettas breathe atmospheric air through a labyrinth organ, so a bowl does not suffocate them. It kills them slowly with ammonia and cold instead. - We do not diagnose illness or recommend medication. - We do not link to livestock. ## How it is funded Amazon Associates affiliate commission, disclosed on every commercial page and under every buy button. No sponsored placement, no paid review, no free product. A commission never moves a ranking. Where a live price cannot be verified within 48 hours, no price is shown at all - the button reads "check price on Amazon" rather than displaying a figure that might be stale. ## Author Scooter M., enthusiast. Reads the manuals, compiles the published specifications, does the arithmetic. No aquarium qualification, no tenure claim, no test lab, and the About page says so explicitly. ## Contact info@glassandgravel.com ## Site sections - Home: https://glassandgravel.com/ - Tanks & Kits: https://glassandgravel.com/tanks - Heaters & Temperature: https://glassandgravel.com/heaters - Filters & Flow: https://glassandgravel.com/filters - Stocking & Tank Mates: https://glassandgravel.com/stocking - Plants, Substrate & Light: https://glassandgravel.com/plants - Care & Maintenance: https://glassandgravel.com/care ## Key pages - What size heater your tank needs: https://glassandgravel.com/heaters/what-size-heater-for-your-tank - How many gallons does a betta need: https://glassandgravel.com/tanks/how-many-gallons-does-a-betta-need - Betta tank mates: https://glassandgravel.com/stocking/betta-tank-mates - How to cycle a betta tank: https://glassandgravel.com/care/how-to-cycle-a-betta-tank - How we pick: https://glassandgravel.com/methodology - Frequently asked questions: https://glassandgravel.com/faq - Affiliate disclosure: https://glassandgravel.com/disclosure - Full site index: https://glassandgravel.com/site-index - XML sitemap: https://glassandgravel.com/sitemap.xml - Atom feed: https://glassandgravel.com/feed.xml - Detailed reference: https://glassandgravel.com/llms-full.txt