New betta keeper

[PheonixKingZ]

You should always cycle your tank. I don't really believe/support people using chemicals to cycle a tank. It's so unnatural IMHO.

 

[Essjay]

Looking at the photo, you have a fair number of live plants in the tank. Plants take up ammonia and they don't turn it into nitrite or nitrate. If you've always had live plants in with your bettas, that's why they've not come to harm.
Using test kits to check the ammonia and nitrite levels enables us to make sure the plants are taking up all the ammonia made by the fish.

 

[Essjay]

i don’t know how to link stuff in threads,

Copy the url of the page you want to link to, then paste it in the reply box.