New aquarium setup for one Betta, have I done everything right?

Question
Dear Karen,

I purchased a Baby Biorb (15 litres) 5 days ago and set it up the same evening, setting the pump going, adding the stress coat included and then, 24 hours later, adding the stress zyme.  In addition, I added a heater and set the temperature to 27C.

Yesterday I bought a male Betta, and added him to the tank (leaving the bag floating for 15 minutes first as directed).

I have noticed that the water is still slightly cloudy, and I also mixed the water that was in the bag with my tank water, something I wasn't told not to do, but I've since heard that shouldn't be done.

He seems fine and has eaten twice, is very fast and swimming round the edge of bowl a lot.  I'm just a little worried that mixing the water and/or not leaving the tank long enough could have caused some problems.

I've read various conflicting stories about tank cycles and am now unsure I have done enough?!

I don't plan to add any more fish, I only want the one, although eventually I want a bigger tank for him.  Do you think what I've done is sufficient and that he's not stressed or likely to become ill?

Answer
Hi Andrew,
It sounds like you've done about everything right.

The cloudiness is normal and occurs because the tank is new and a bacterial bloom (clouding the water) has developed because of the sudden abundance of nutrients and the good bacteria in the tank haven't established to control those nutrients yet.

A 50% water change should help. Make sure all new water is treated with a water conditioner and is equal in temp to your biorb's temp of course.

But otherwise, you've done good. Just make sure to do water changes if he looks stressed, (ammonia can occur since the tank isn't established yet or "cycled")

Best wishes I hope this helps!
Karen~