[Fish Heads]

O.K. Let's cover the basics: You are using conditioned or treated water to remove the clourine (spelling) and heavy metals. Bettas like to be warm. They like above 70 but do best in 76-82 degree range. You have changed the water since the other fish have died. You do not clean out your filter but instead rinse the media or sponge with room tempurature treated water. You change water weekly - 25% or so. You have live plants in the tank (this is my pet peave.)

Then, the betta can start your aquarium cycling. During a fish cycle as opposed to a fishless cycle, it takes more time. 25% of water needs to be changed weekly. When bettas are being housed in 1 gallon or less, I usually recommend to my neighbor kids to change half of the water 2 times per week. They then do it about once a week and the fish stay alive. I would monitor ammonia nitrite levels and wait until they fall before adding more fish. Instead of buying testing stuff with glass testtubes that easily break, I use one of those Ammonia alerts stuck to the side of the glas.

I have used several seeding products to start my tanks: I especially like plants so I use EcoComplete plant substrate without any problems - it contains Black Water Extract. Also some of Mark Weiss' products are fun to use - are they usefull? I don't know because I supplement my fishless cycling with all sorts of stuff.

I also love algae growing in my tanks at first. Not the pea soup kind but the stuff on the back glass. Algae absorbes waste materials. Other hobbiests with more experience than I bleach the heck out of everything to avoid algae.

Any else???

Good luck!!