new betta, what else??

[ANHEL123]

yes many people follow that method:)
I want to give you a few links that i think are very helpful from very knowledgeable person about cycling. You always can find some helpful information even if you know what you doing...And i think some people don't realized that you need to clean the filter media, walls, vacuum the gravel etc....
First link about fish in cycle, second link about water changes, third link about fishless cycle
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=107771

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=115758

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/b...-guide-111960/

Good luck , your betta is so cute!

[pingu]

Admittedly I've not cleaned the filter media during water changes.

Thank you for the links yet more for me to get to grips with

I love being the noob for once

[pingu]

ANHEL: the third link isn't working for me

[ANHEL123]

third link- Will ask you for password and user name put the same as you using for this forum.
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/b...-guide-111960/
Do you have him now in the 3 gall tank? And you trying to cycle 16 gall? Let me know if link don't work, but it should work.

[pingu]

I've got him in the 3g at the moment whilst I sort the 14g as a npt

[ANHEL123]

If you don't cycle 3 gall you really don't need to use the filter. You can do 1-50 and 1-100% water change a week. You need filter only when you cycle...:)

[pingu]

The filter was already in the tank so I can't see any harm in using it

[ANHEL123]

Are you still doing 50 and 100% water changes for that 3 gall? Then just rinse the filter when you do 100% water change.

[pingu]

I'll be doing 2 50% changes, the snails that I have are scavengers so I don't want to leave them without food by doing a 100% change.