HELP! Cloudy Tank

[sxyatsxty1]

Broke down my 55g over the weekend to put in new sand and driftwood. Washed and washed and washed the sand (got from FishRUs) and it was rinsing clear....until I put it in my tank and refilled. Now the water is cloudy. Have two large filters running, used Stress Coat and Water Conditioner and was wondering if it would be OK to put my poor fish back in? Right now they have been living in large buckets with bubbles but no filtration. I don't want to stress them any more but feel they need to get back 'home'.

EC

[ohboitony]

Did you clean you filter?

[sxyatsxty1]

Yes, I sure did.

EC

[cichlid1409]

this is typical when adding new sand no matter how much you rinse it. if you performed a big water change and changed substrare and cleaned filter you probably did a real number on you bacteria and causing tank to cycle again. I would add some stress zyme (bacteria). don't put the fish back in yet as long as the temp is good and air pump is running they should be ok for quite some time as long as the water in the bucket doesn't get too dirty.

[sxyatsxty1]

How about I put some of the water in the buckets (which came from the tank before I changed the water) back into the tank? Would that help the situation?

EC

[cichlid1409]

slightly, but not much most of your bacteria lives in 2 places 1) substrate 2) filters if you don't want to wait for your tank to have to cycle again go and buy some bacteria, stress zyme is just one brand of several but it is available at any of your nearest petsmart/petco locations.

[mgarrido]

What happens with your tank is a bacteria bloom and your tank is start cycling. You kill all your good bacterias when you clean your filter (assuming that you use tap water). Test your parameters (ph, amhonia, nitrites and nitrates).

[sxyatsxty1]

So....if I ever break my tanks down again, keep the dirty filters and run them for a few days? Is that the jest? I will admit (but I'll deny it if anyone asks me) I did not get all the crud off the bottom because my tank is built in and I can't remove it for a good cleaning....dumb me. So, maybe I'm not to bad off and I can get my guys back 'home' pretty soon.

[MerrittA]

Yea, always I good idea to keep the old filters around when breaking down a tank for a good spring cleaning. If you do have a bacteria bloom, purchase a UV sterilizer, they work wonders. Our poor mbu puffer could barely see out of his tank and then with the UV it cleared up in a few hours! Good luck! :-)

[mgarrido]

So....if I ever break my tanks down again, keep the dirty filters and run them for a few days? Is that the jest? I will admit (but I'll deny it if anyone asks me) I did not get all the crud off the bottom because my tank is built in and I can't remove it for a good cleaning....dumb me. So, maybe I'm not to bad off and I can get my guys back 'home' pretty soon.

Yep! Next time keep your dirty filter without clean. Try adding some bacterias to your tank, but do not add fishes before the tank is cycled, you can kill your fish.

[sxyatsxty1]

Thanks everyone. Learned something new...again! Hopefully I can get everyone back into the tank safe and sound.

EC

[mgarrido]

So....if I ever break my tanks down again, keep the dirty filters and run them for a few days? Is that the jest? I will admit (but I'll deny it if anyone asks me) I did not get all the crud off the bottom because my tank is built in and I can't remove it for a good cleaning....dumb me. So, maybe I'm not to bad off and I can get my guys back 'home' pretty soon.

Yep! Next time keep your dirty filter without clean. Try adding some bacterias to your tank, but do not add fishes before the tank is cycled, you can kill your fish.

[Zulaab]

I rotate cleaning filters.. only one of two or three filters are cleaned every 2 weeks, this way there are always one or two filters which have the bacteria growing and always really to break down ammonia and Nitrites