I've been wanting for awhile to add a heater to my betta tank, but unfortunately thanks to the hex shape of the tank, I haven't been able to have both a heater and a filter that could both fit on one side of the tank, rather than clogging up two sides of my little tank. I was thinking that a sump tank attached to the back of the tank might work as a way to give my betta the most room, and to have both a heater and a filter working for the tank. I was planning on having it as tall as the tank itself so that rather than a hanging behind tank, it'd be a standing behind tank.
I really have NO experience with sumps, but after looking at things I think I've got a few ideas. Of course, whether they would work or not is something else entirely.

Tank size: 1.5 gallon
The side of the tank is 4.25" (equal sides)
The pump I'm thinking of using is rated at 40 gph
The overflow tube would be about .25"
Sump tank itself would be 4.25" x 2" x10" - about .33 gallon

All I'm trying to fit in would be a heater and a small filter, maybe using a sponge as extra bio filtration



Also, I had pics, but they aren't working, you might be able to see them in my gallery: Aquarium Gallery - Kehy Gallery

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Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

I would be worried about the beta having to deal with the water moving so much the pump is a bit much.
I would just use a under gravel bowl heater.
they are preset and worry free but I would get a thermometer to monitor the temp.

petsmart sells a nice one.

I think a sump would be 100x overkill for a beta and a waste of money for one fish.

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75 Gallon Planted

That's personal opinion. I just happen to love overkill

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Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

He doesn't seem to mind the movement from the filter too much, and I'm not even using a spray bar to diffuse the current at the moment. I've got a lot plants that help with the current too, and give him places to rest. I also have a distinct lack of Petsmarts for 50 miles...I live in literally the middle of nowhere.

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Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

All I am saying is that if you do go the route that I am thinking of what you are planning on going with, you will have a strong whirlpool that your fish will be living in since you have a 1.5 gallon tank. If you do put a sump on the 1.5 gallon the smallest pump that I know of is something like 180 GPH which is a little less than what your kitchen sink puts out.

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75 Gallon Planted

I actually have a much much gentler pump, only 40 gph. Even without using a sprayer bar to diffuse the current, the betta seems perfectly fine with it. I was planning to have to sump attached to the back of the tank, so there wouldn't be a huge distance for the pump to have to work, in fact I know it can work with that distance. I'm just trying to be able to not have to chose between a filter and a heater for my betta

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Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

That makes much more sense. I kept picturing a milk jug sitting on a table being fed by a 55 gallon sump lol. I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I couldn't think of it any other way.

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75 Gallon Planted

Sort of...the fish has nothing to do with it. It's your tank size. It is a little much for the size of tank you have. You could get one to work, but it will look like a tank attached to a tank, and a tank your size may not be able to handle much overflow at all....not really over flow. Flow should be gravity fed...how will you manage that? What happenes if power goes out? In larger setups there are a number of safety mechanisms in place for things like siphon loss and power...whatever you end up doing your tank will need all of those. The size of everyting will make that more difficult, IMO, but you may be able to manage.