# Brand new tank, water turning yellow



## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Hi there, 

I just got my first Betta in years and after a couple days of reading advice online, I realized he deserved a better home than the 3 gallon fish bowl I originally got him, so I opted for a 5.5 gallon tank with a filter and heater. I also bought him 2 real plants. 

Well, I set the tank up properly, rinsed the gravel and decor, added conditioner, and within a couple hours, the water in the tank started turning a yellowy brown colour. I even changed the water and cleaned the tank and again, within a few hours, the water turned yellowy brown again! Any idea why this is happening?? I haven't even put my betta in the tank yet at all as I'm worried it may be harmful to him. I read it could be due to tannins but I'm just not sure that's what it is. All there is in the tank is the gravel, 2 plants, a little Rock shaped hiding place which I think is probably just plastic, and as per the employee's advice from Petsmart, where I got the tank, I added 2 fertilizer tabs for the plants which I buried into the gravel. Could that be causing the discolouration? Please help as I'm dying to introduce my little guy to his new home!  

Here is a pic of the tank as well...


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

You don't have driftwood, so it's probably not tannins.

If there's no blatant paint/material problems with your decoration, the culprit is probably the fertilizer tabs. Some brands have issues with cloudy water and it's the one thing in your tank designed to dissolve.


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## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Thanks for you reply!  so do you think I should completely start over by cleaning my tank and rinsing the gravel and this time not put any fertilizer tablets in the tank? Are they really needed? Could they be harmful to my fish at all?


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

Yeah, I'd give cleaning the gravel and taking out the fertilizer tablets a shot. 

Not all plants need fertilizer tablets. I'm not that great at identifying plants by eye, so if you know what type they are, it'd be easier to say how nutrient-heavy they are.


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## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Okay, I will try that, thank you so much! I know one of the plants is a Java fern, but I for the life of me cannot remember what the other plant is called.


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

Java fern isn't a very demanding plant so it can go without root tabs.


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## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Good to know. Well I have given the gravel a good cleaning, changed the water and have kept the root tabs out of the tank this time, so we shall see how it goes. Thanks again for your help!


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## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Thank you!  and yes! It was the root tabs. I've taken them out and did a water change. The water is nice and clear now and my little guy is happy in his new home


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## Caitykat (Jan 23, 2017)

Not the best pic, I wanted to try and get one with him in it and he's very active right now so it was hard to get one. 

He seems happy! Hopefully the light isn't too bright for him! But as you can see, the water is looking much better than in the previous pic I posted


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

Ah, much nicer now!


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