I've been keeping my Burt the Betta in a glass bowl since I got him about two months ago. I recently just moved and have yet to bring my 10 gallon aquarium up from my former residence. I live in a fairly cold climate during the winter and have noticed that the cold water in the bowl is forcing Burt to become dormant and conserve energy. I am bringing up my 10 gal and the rest of the accessories next week, with the hopes of giving Burt a better place to call home. For substrate I have been using sand, and I have three small plants in the bowl, which I plan on transferring to the 10 gal to start the cycling. My question is about which filters would be ideal for this setup. I have been browsing around have been looking into sponge filters instead of the power hang on filter I have for it now. How does a typical sponge filter setup go? I know that air pumps are involved and I do have a Top Fin AIR-1000 left over from my first neon tetra set up. Thanks for any advice that could help. I do also have a heater for the tank.

Hello,welcome!And kudos to you for giving Burt a better home,he will surely appreciate it!

Are your plants live or plastic?Live is best.Is your heater going to be adjustable?I recommend it if not.They like temps at about 84* and most of the presets will not get up that high.

On the filter,a sponge will indeed do well, just be sure to get a gang valve so you can adjust the flow.A typical sponge filter will consist of an airpump,airline tubing and a sponge.There are many but this is the one I have used and it works very well:
Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 11

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Thanks for the reply. The plants are live and the heater is adjustable. I will look more into the sponge filter, as far as adjusting the air flow. What circumstances determine the amount of flow needed?

Basically the betta will tell you the flow.If hes not able to swim well, or seems stressed then it needs to be turned down.

Glad its live plants thats even better!

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Okay, now if I were to add a shoal of neon tetras to the tank, would it be a good idea to get a bigger filter for the increased amount of waste output?

Yes of course!There is actually a power filter I was going to suggest,so if you want to add some neons I think that would be best.Also,add more plants,as neons will be out and about more and in more of a school.This is the filter:

Marina Slim Power Filters Aquarium Power Filters

These are highly recommended by many betta keepers on another sight I frequent.The flow is adjustable and they filter very well.I plan to get one myself once I get the cash to do so.

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I have a few tanks with outside power filters and a foam filter attached to the take up tube of the filters. It works great and will keep fry from getting sucked up as well. BTW, bettas have big mouths and will eat a small neon in a flash. No matter what sort of filter you use you will still need to do partial water changes on a regular basis. While bettas can live in awful conditions due to their breathing from air you don't want to have Burt living in his own pee.

Arty,none of my domestics have large enough mouths to swallow a neon.My macs though is a different story,yet they still do not mess with them.I am curious if you have had a betta large enough to do so?

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One more question in reference to the neon tetras. I understand that they need to be in a shoal of 5 or more, but I also heard that they can be fin nippers. My betta is no where near the size to be able to eat an adult tetra, but for his sake I wouldn't want him to get picked on by the tetras. What's your experience with these two species being tank mates?

Ive not kept actual neons with my bettas,but I have kept glolightswho are similiar in size and temperament.IME,the tetras left the betta alone.I had seven and they would stay together.The betta had his spot and they respected it.Also,bettas stay towards the top level most of the time,whereas neons stay closer to the mid level.

I think as long as you plant the tank,everything will go well.

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I used to breed bettas back in the 60's, my HS days! Some of the older males could and indeed did eat neon sized guppys. They were feeder gupps meant for my breeder angels but still larger than the smallest import neons.