20 Gallon Ecosystem Kit
About This Kit:
The 20-Gallon Ecosystem Kit is designed to help you establish and sustain a botanical method, blackwater, or biotope aquarium—or a bioactive enclosure—up to 20 gallons. Each kit is a curated blend of botanicals, wood, bark, and leaf litter that mimics the natural layering and complexity of wild aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This semi-customizable kit provides enough botanicals to nurture your ecosystem for roughly six months, depending on your aquarium’s inhabitants and maintenance style.
Essential Details
- Tannin Level: Low to high, depending on botanical mix
- Tint Color: Light to deep brown
- Durability: Mixed – includes both fast- and slow-decomposing materials
- Habitat Location: Sourced from sustainable tropical and subtropical regions around the globe
- Optimal For: Aquariums and bioactive enclosures up to 20 gallons
- Use with Caution: Some small cones can pose a choking hazard for goldfish or axolotls
- Size Range: Contains various sizes of small to large leaves, pods, twigs, bark, cones, and fronds
- Quantities: 1 pc Exotic Manzanita, 2 pc Branch Manzanita, 4 large seed pods, 2 smaller seed pods, 2 bark pieces, 3 full packs of leaves, 1 pack of small leaves, 20 twigs, 1 pack of cones. Additional botanicals will be included to complete the look, and samples of our re-tinting Betta Tea bags are included.
20-Gallon Ecosystem Kit for Aquariums & Vivariums
Each 20-Gallon Ecosystem Kit forms the foundation for a Botanical Method Aquarium or bioactive setup. By layering diverse botanicals—from fibrous pods and durable manzanita to delicate leaves and needles—you allow your aquarium to replicate wild aquatic habitats. The included mix supports microbial and fungal development, encouraging biofilm growth that strengthens the aquarium’s food web.
As the botanicals condition, they release beneficial compounds and tannins, enriching the water with the warm, earthy tones of natural blackwater systems. Gradual decomposition creates a nutrient-rich layer of detritus that sustains microfauna, while sturdier pieces like manzanita and seed pods offer lasting structure for plant attachment, shelter, and territory formation.
Your kit may also contain limited-edition botanicals not yet available on our website. Customers may specify one preferred leaf, seed pod, and bark type by emailing us after purchase for light customization. Samples of our Betta Tea Tannin Replenishment Bags are included to help maintain water tint as your aquarium matures.
Beneath the Leaves: Building Ecosystems that Evolve
In nature, ecosystems are layered matrices of organic material—each leaf, pod, and branch contributing fibers, tannins, and nutrients that sustain life. The 20-Gallon Ecosystem Kit recreates this process, offering an evolving microcosm where nature leads the way. It mirrors the seasonal rhythms of flooded forests, perpetual substrates, and jungle streambeds, where fallen botanicals form the living foundation of thriving habitats.
Sustainability Note:
This product’s packaging is home compostable. Just like the botanicals inside, it will break down naturally and return to the soil, because what supports your ecosystem should minimally impact our planet.
Ecosystem Kits include FREE shipping.
Not for human consumption. Preparation required.
This is a natural product—variation in color, shape, and texture is expected.
Example Quantity might look like this: 1 pc Exotic Manzanita, 2 pc Branch Manzanita, 4c Cocoa Pods, 16c sappan pods, 1x cup Sycamore Maple Bark, 1x 28c bag of guava leaves, 1x 24c bag of jackfruit leaves, 1x 24c bag of Jambolan Leaves, 16 oz bag bamboo leaves, 20c oak twigs, and 60c casuarina cones.
20 Gallon Ecosystem Kit
Home is getting more natural
While the aesthetic appeal of botanicals and tinted water can be quite attractive to us, the recreation of nature to emulate water conditions, feeding patterns, spawning displays, and territory building are the true benefits botanicals provide to our critters.
Botanical FAQs
Compostable Packaging Promise
Our packaging is designed to return safely to the Earth, just like the botanicals inside. Every bag is BPA- and Phthalate-free, GMO-free, and contains no animal products. Each meets ASTM D6400 composting standards, ensuring it can fully break down in a home compost bin.
What are the Fluffy White Growths on my Botanicals?
That’s biofilm and fungi—what we call the “goo phase.” It’s one of the clearest signs that your aquarium is alive and functioning. These growths wax and wane naturally as botanicals decompose. They’re harmless, even beneficial, and will disappear on their own once microbial populations stabilize.
Will botanicals lower the pH of my water?
That depends entirely on your source water. In very soft or RODI water, botanicals can gradually lower pH as tannins and humic substances accumulate. In medium to hard tap water, buffering capacity often resists these shifts, and you may not notice much change. At Betta Botanicals HQ, our very hard water (350+ ppm) shows almost no pH change unless we use botanicals like Alder Cones or Macaranga Leaves.
When should I replace leaves or pods in my tank?
We recommend allowing botanicals to fully break down into detritus, since this fuels microbial life and enriches the substrate. You can remove them once they stop tinting the water, but you’ll lose some of their ecological benefits. Each time you add new botanicals, follow proper preparation and observe your livestock until you learn your aquarium’s rhythm.
Are your products just for bettas?
Nope. Our botanicals are safe for almost all aquariums, terrariums, vivariums, and paludariums. The only exceptions are goldfish and axolotls, which may ingest small pods like alder cones or casuarina cones. For those species, we recommend large leaves such as Indian Almond, Loquat, or Jackfruit.
What are Tannins?
Tannins are natural compounds released by leaves, seed pods, and bark as they decompose in water. They soften water, gently lower pH, and create the characteristic tea-stained tint found in blackwater habitats. But their role goes far beyond color—tannins fuel beneficial bacteria, fungi, and biofilms, which form the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. They also offer mild antifungal benefits and help reduce stress in fish by replicating the natural conditions they’ve evolved in. At their core, tannins are plant-derived antioxidants that connect your aquarium to the same processes at work in wild flooded forests and streams.
Customer Reviews
I’m completely in love with Betta Botanicals. This kit was absolutely perfect for someone just starting out their botanical tank journey. I’ve been enjoying the process of setting up my tank and the wood and branches I received in this kit were incredibly beautiful. The botanicals were amazing and the seed pods were 😍😍😍. My tank is still a work in process, and I’ve already ordered more things to add, but it’s my favorite tank in the house now!
