Cloudy betta tank after added new filter media

I just bought fluval zero-carb carbon pouches to help with ammonia and cloudiness. I put it in my hang on the back filter for my 10 gallon tank and it’s just pushing out cloudy water all over my tank..is this harmful for my fish? Did I do it wrong?

 

Most filter media needs to be thoroughly washed before use. I'm not familiar with this one in particular, but it's quite likely that it was loaded with dust and particulate, and now that's all in your water. Oops! Much of it should settle in a couple hours, and then get vacuumed up with your next few water changes.

My general rule of thumb for rinsing media is the same as for substrate: Rinse it until you're certain that it's absolutely clear, and then rinse it a dozen more times.

 

Yes, agree. You probably didn’t rinse it enough. Carbon especially needs to be totally rinsed. Did you put it in with your old media?

Are you not cycled? How old is this setup? You mentioned ammonia, how high is it?

 

I’ve had this tank set up for about a year, one of my fish just recently died and It caused a small ammonia spike. The packaging had no directions on it so I didn’t know if I had to wash it. When I restarted my filter today after a water change I saw cloudiness pour into my tank so I turned it back off in a panic. This won’t harm the fish right? It’s just 5 harlequin rasboras

 

Oh ok. No it shouldn’t harm them. Just take it out and rinse it super well, it rinses black then gray usually at first. Does it fit ok in with your existing media then?