FlareBettaGuy
Fish Crazy
I know that I have already posted questions regarding cloudy water, but here's the whole story. So if you don't critisize me, and try the best you can to try to help me out on this one, then I will not post this again. Ever. Here it goes...
After my old betta, Firebolt, died, I got a new betta. I didn't take the dead Firebolt out of his bowl the first night, cause I was to sad. The next day, he was rotting, and fish particles were all over the water, gravel, and plants. So I took him out. I got a new container, and it's one of those ones you're supposed to keep bugs in. The square, plastic ones with hundreds of little slits on the cover with a big transparent sliding door in the middle of the cover. As a guess, the one I got holds around one gallon of water, which is acceptable for a betta. Since the square container had more ground space than a bowl, I needed some more gravel. So I got more from my friend, which was full of poo, and washed it with hot water, along with the gravel from my old betta's bowl, full of dead fish particles. After I finished washing it, I washed the plastic container, his hidey hole, his little decoration thingy, and also his castle. I gave the dirty plants a little scrubbing too. Then, after the container was all set up, I put water that has aged for 4 days into it, and then the betta. Everything was going fine. Betta eating. Active. Aware of my presence. Then, after a few days, the water started to get cloudy. I was thinking that it was just gravel dust, and that it's all going to be alright, but I was wrong. A few days later, the water got VERY thick and a little white. There was fuzzy stuff growing on the plants, and that stuff was also getting on the other stuff in the container. The surface of the water looked oily and had stuff on it, and the inside of the water had all kinds of stuff. Fish still eating, but seemed uncomfterble and irritated. So I said "MY GAWD!! IF I DON'T CLEAN THAT SOON, IT'S GOING TO BE A FOREST!" So I took the betta out, took everything out again, and vigorously scrubbed all the decorations with a toothbrush and hot water, washed the gravel with hot water too, and even scrubbed the sides of the container cause it was slippery. When I stirred the gravel, there was so much stuff in it. I don't know how it all got there. After everything was done, I put the aged water in, and then the betta. The water seemed much more clean. Then, a few days later, the water started getting cloudy again. So I bought some Tetra Aquasafe for Aquariums so that when I change the water, which i'm going to have to do a lot now, I don't have to wait 4 days for the water to age. I put some in, and the water turned slightly blue. The cloudiness is still getting thicker and thicker, and it is developing that oily surface layer again. I decided that I have to change the water every day now, in fear that the dreaded fuzzy stuff will return. Today, the water is still cloudy. I put some pellets in, but Mr. Betta won't eat. I took a little less than half the water out with a cup, and put new treated tap water in. Looks just as cloudy as before, but this time, Mr. Betta will eat. And also flare. That is where I am now. Water still clouding. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? What is this stuff? What I should do? I don't want to change the water everyday, but I will if I must. I heard that beneficial bacteria can help prevent this. How do I get that? And also, I heard that sometimes, white cloudiness is called bacteria blooms. Is that correct? MANY MANY thanks to you if you answer this, and have a nice day.
After my old betta, Firebolt, died, I got a new betta. I didn't take the dead Firebolt out of his bowl the first night, cause I was to sad. The next day, he was rotting, and fish particles were all over the water, gravel, and plants. So I took him out. I got a new container, and it's one of those ones you're supposed to keep bugs in. The square, plastic ones with hundreds of little slits on the cover with a big transparent sliding door in the middle of the cover. As a guess, the one I got holds around one gallon of water, which is acceptable for a betta. Since the square container had more ground space than a bowl, I needed some more gravel. So I got more from my friend, which was full of poo, and washed it with hot water, along with the gravel from my old betta's bowl, full of dead fish particles. After I finished washing it, I washed the plastic container, his hidey hole, his little decoration thingy, and also his castle. I gave the dirty plants a little scrubbing too. Then, after the container was all set up, I put water that has aged for 4 days into it, and then the betta. Everything was going fine. Betta eating. Active. Aware of my presence. Then, after a few days, the water started to get cloudy. I was thinking that it was just gravel dust, and that it's all going to be alright, but I was wrong. A few days later, the water got VERY thick and a little white. There was fuzzy stuff growing on the plants, and that stuff was also getting on the other stuff in the container. The surface of the water looked oily and had stuff on it, and the inside of the water had all kinds of stuff. Fish still eating, but seemed uncomfterble and irritated. So I said "MY GAWD!! IF I DON'T CLEAN THAT SOON, IT'S GOING TO BE A FOREST!" So I took the betta out, took everything out again, and vigorously scrubbed all the decorations with a toothbrush and hot water, washed the gravel with hot water too, and even scrubbed the sides of the container cause it was slippery. When I stirred the gravel, there was so much stuff in it. I don't know how it all got there. After everything was done, I put the aged water in, and then the betta. The water seemed much more clean. Then, a few days later, the water started getting cloudy again. So I bought some Tetra Aquasafe for Aquariums so that when I change the water, which i'm going to have to do a lot now, I don't have to wait 4 days for the water to age. I put some in, and the water turned slightly blue. The cloudiness is still getting thicker and thicker, and it is developing that oily surface layer again. I decided that I have to change the water every day now, in fear that the dreaded fuzzy stuff will return. Today, the water is still cloudy. I put some pellets in, but Mr. Betta won't eat. I took a little less than half the water out with a cup, and put new treated tap water in. Looks just as cloudy as before, but this time, Mr. Betta will eat. And also flare. That is where I am now. Water still clouding. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? What is this stuff? What I should do? I don't want to change the water everyday, but I will if I must. I heard that beneficial bacteria can help prevent this. How do I get that? And also, I heard that sometimes, white cloudiness is called bacteria blooms. Is that correct? MANY MANY thanks to you if you answer this, and have a nice day.
J/K (kinda 
) Now his water is clear AND your keeping some beneficial bacteria,which is a good start. Don't be surprised if he needs this done again in a couple of days....but after about 2 or 3 large water changes & cleanings like this it should STAY clear. And then he'll only need 50-70% changes using this method once a week.Just watch out for the betta when using the baster,they LOOOVE to brush up against it 
