20 Gallon Ecosystem Kit
Product Description: Our 20-gallon ecosystem kit is designed for aquariums and bioactive enclosures up to 20 gallons. These kits provide every botanical enthusiast with a diverse and semi-custom package for building an ecosystem. Please email us providing your preference for one type of leaf, seed pod, and bark to include if you wish. Your 20-gallon kit will include these items along with enough botanicals to get it up and running for roughly 6 months, depending on the nature of your aquarium inhabitants. We also may include limited edition botanicals not yet on the website.
If you would like to add an aquarium substrate to this mix, we will have a new substrate offer available in Summer of 2025 and as they become available, simply choose the variant that meets your needs. We will include samples of our re-tinting tea bags from our line, Betta Tea.
Ecosystem Kits include FREE Shipping!!! This bag and its contents are biodegradable! Did you know our product packaging is made from renewable and sustainable sugarcane? So just like the botanicals inside, it will compost when returned to nature.
Preparation Required. Not for Human Consumption.
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. Some additional botanicals will be included to finish the look, and samples of our re-tinting tea bags from our line Betta Tea will be included.
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.
Contant us at info@bettabotanicals.com
Home is getting a bit 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!
