at my wits end, please help!

[wulfie]

so, I have a 2.5 gallon betta mini bow, I did a 50% water change yesterday and everything looked good, I get home from work 8hrs later and can't even see the back of the tank, it's SO cloudy! I'm running a Marina i25 internal filter, a Hydro THERO heater, water temp is at almost 80F. I just ran a water test and here are my results:
nitrate 16ppm
nitrite .3ppm
total hardness 70ppm
alkalinity 90ppm
pH 7.2

I really don't know what to do anymore, I'm pulling my hair our over this, can someone please help?

[Oldfishlady]

What kind of testing product are you using and do you have ammonia results, how long has the tank been setup, type of substrate and how deep, any live plants, filter media care information and stocking....

[wulfie]

tank has been set up for just over a week, already did two 50% water changes, just got a new filter wednesday, a marina i25 internal, on the last water change, I rinsed off the only silk plant and his hide with old tank water, substrate is common gravel that was rinsed before use. I don't have amonia results since I was just use a paper strip test. I also rinsed out the filter media, active charcoal, with his old tank water. Unfortunately after I looked at the test strip, I saw my little boy dead at the bottom of the tank, stuck to the filter intake

[Oldfishlady]

Dang, sorry for your loss-that could be the cause of the cloudy water.....had he been sick or do you know why he died.....

[wulfie]

he seemed fine yesterday, I work overnight and my fiance called me to tell me that the water was cloudy and that he was hanging out at the top of the tank, I don't know if I had an ammonia spike or what happen I know he was still alive when the water was cloudy, so I'm guessing it was water conditions

[Olympia]

That's really odd. Sorry for your loss :(
It might be something in your water... You really shouldn't be having nitrite readings in a tank that small, sounds like the tank tried to cycle. Had you done 100% changes? These are important to keep the cycle from starting up in such a small tank.
Cloudiness is usually due to bacterial blooms, you probably had high ammonia. I've heard of cities that add ammonia to their tap water to sanitize it from bacteria. I'd do an ammonia test on your tap water.
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[wulfie]

I was told that since it was filtered that I didn't have to do 100% changes, that's why I was doing 50% changes, but I'll definately get my tap water tested at a LPS and see what's what

[wulfie]

I was told that since it was filtered that I didn't have to do 100% changes, that's why I was doing 50% changes, but I'll definitely get my tap water tested at a LPS and see what's what

[wulfie]

would I be better off getting distilled water from the store? If so, would I still have to do 100% water changes?

[Sena Hansler]

For a 2.5, 50% weekly is fine... although just because you stick a filter in a 1 gallon bowl, doesn't mean you get to sit back and relax and do less water changes If the tank is cycled (easier and more stable in 5 or more gallons) it's different than an uncycled tank. I agree on getting your water tested.

Paper strips are bogus... so many factors affect them. I have an API master kit :) Cloudy water is usually 1 of 2 things...bacterial bloom, or extra oxygen in the water, which usually after you'll get the bubbles on the side of the tank. If the tank tried to cycle, it would be possible there was an ammonia spike, but most bettas are hardy enough to pull through minor spikes.