Tank Prep?

[kali426]

hey guys im new to this forum and bettas for that matter.i am in the early stages of cycling my tank.it is a 30L tank i have filled with clean mineral water.it is heated at 80 deg f.i have 2 live plants with good lighting.
so far i have been using "NUTRAFIN CYCLE" to cycle my tank.
i have read that since i am only keeping 1 betta,that i would not need a filter and that it is better not to have one as bettas prefer still water.my problem is the top of the waters looking a little mercy,with patches alomost like flake food except i havent been feeding anything.
what do you thinks causing this.my ph is still a little acidic(6.6).is that why,or is it part of the cycling process?

 

[soritan]

*Are you using "mineral water" or "spring water"?

*'Cycle' is infamous for... well, not working. Generally, the only instant cycling substance at the moment that is believed to work is 'Biospyra', which is basically frozen good bacteria. The murky (I think this is the word you intended to use) patches on top of the water are likely caused by the product 'Cycle', which is probably polluting your water just a wee bit as it deteriorates in there.

*30L is about 8G, right? At this tank size, filtering is optional. I prefer filtering my tanks, as gentle filtration is usually tolerated. It really depends on what type of filter you put on the tank, pay close attention to the GPH noted on the filter box when you buy it. For my 5g I use two Azoo palm filters, which is quite gentle and accomplishes two very handy things for me: It provides biological filtration, thus aiding in more stable water conditions; and it helps keep the water a more uniform temperature if you use a heater (which I personally recommend).

*As to the acid water, have you tested your water straight out of the tap, yet? It's entirely possible that your local water source is simply more acidic. In my experience, the cycling process doesn't effect water's ph.

And lastly, for future reference, all your tank questions will likely be more intelligently, usefully answered if put in its proper category, the Beginner's forum. This is the betta forum, and as such, we tend to be a bit narrow minded.