Had thought about adding the internal filter, and decided against it for now, I put on a Fluval Aqua Clear 20 which is the kind of filter on the Edge tanks.
Been just doing pwc, the added previously dried leaves got a bit of fungus, but after a couple days it seemed to be clearing up. The little tank had a bunch of tiny bits of stuff in it probably from the tiny fine leaves coming off of the plants. That was an additional reason to want to use the AC Fluval filter, as I know it will kick butt and take care of the water.
With the filter I used the normal foam and biomax media pellets and put it up this morning. Tonight I plan to cut out a hunk of foam from an active good tank or a half pouch of Media from the 5G Spec and put it in the Betta's to "cycle" it. Another benefit of the same type filter.
Water is tinted and left out the carbon for now, was a 4.5G pwc this morning because of the weird leaves and all the particles.
This week I haven't been adding the max dose of Epsom salts. Just the teaspoon per gallon amount. Figuring the frequent pwc should be a good bridge to this next week.
Will need to try and figure out the mechanical timer so the Betta tank can be on a schedule.
Also due to a busy schedule have only fed him in the cup one time. Probably will do it tonight so I don't feel guilty. He gets pellets AM and PM and a couple at lights out. Still considering a Mystery snail to be a pellet cleaner upper.
One night he seemed to head over to the big pwc cup which is the same as the frozen defrosted feeding cup and seemed put off when I didn't scoop him up! lol
Things seem to still be going well.
What I don't care for is the starting a brand new tank which isn't fully cycled and doesn't really have the seasoning and clarity of a established tank. There is a real difference in how they run/look, that's for sure.