CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

[JGUERRA]

Hey everyone im new here.. im starting to have a problem with cloudy water.. ive had fish tanks for years but this is the first time i cant get rid of cloudy water.. ive washed the bigger deco. i have in my tank and ive cleaned the sand up a bit.. i even changed 50% water and the next day it was back.. so now i did 75% water change.. changed the filters on my emperor 400 and my penguin 350 (both BIO-Wheel) and i changed the direction of the power head and added a bubble curtain in the back .... AND IT STILL CLOUDY!!! Some one PLEASE HELP!!!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

I think what you are experiencing is a bacteria bloom.....this happens when you either shock the beneficial bacteria colony or when you are going through a cycle. Washing of the deco, filters, and doing the large water changes will cause that.


Have you tested your water parameters?
How long has the tank been set up?

Do a search here on "Nitrogen Cycle".

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

ive had it set up for about 4 mths. and i just added a couple of african cichlids about a week ago but i dont think that would be a problem.. i need to check out that nitrogen cycle ur talking about.. can u explain please i would really appreciate it..

[eklikewhoa]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

Do a search...there are some really good topics explaining/discussing it all.


but in short...you need beneficial bacteria in the tank and established to process the waste, which is lethal.

Your tank needs to go through a cycle before it is ready for fish to be added.

Nitrogen cycle

fish produce Ammonia
Beneficial bacteria turns it to Nitrites
Another Beneficial bacteria turns it to Nitrates
Nitrates is the end cycle and is removed/diluted through partial water changes.

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

what should i do?? should i take the fish out?? i need to go get some test strips and check it ... they dont look stressed there eating and acting fine??

[Mzungu]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

First off, stop changing out the water and the filter media! That will just make it worse.  :)

Like ek said, it's probably a bacteria bloom, which is all part of the cycling of a tank. Which = good thing. It will go away in a couple of days, no problem.

Do you have any test kits? Or can you take your water to get tested somewhere? That might help us pin it down for sure, but I'm almost positive you have nothing to worry about. Adding more fish probably just caused the tank to need a bit more bacteria to process their waste. So, changing the water so much and completely changing out the filter media would not help at all, and you're probably going to have to cycle the tank all over again. But just be patient. And while being patient, get a test kit that tests for nitrites and nitrates. That will help tremendously.  

[Mzungu]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

No, leave the fish. You could tell us a bit more about your tank, if you want, like it's size, inhabitants, timeline...anything you can think of. Just so we might be able to help a bit more.

Yes, tests would be good.

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

Thankyousomuchekandmzuyallreallyhelpedmealotillgobuythestripstoday:D:)

[Mzungu]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

Great. And let us know the results!  :)

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

i have many mixed cichlids ... a blue australian lobster.. needle nose fish... i have this cichlid thats about 8-9 inch. ive been told its a hybrid but i forgot the name i bought it a the fish ranch by 59.. its blue with orange very nice.. the tank is about 74x18.5x12 or 24 (not to sure).. ill try and post some pics once it clears up.. i also have some frontosas in it.. very nice fish like those a lot..

[eklikewhoa]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

Sounds like you overloaded the tank with way too many fish way too early.

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

well i have been adding them sparingly.. ill add 1 or 2 now and then.. let me try to add a pic..  how can i add one to a message??

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

here is my tank

[Zulaab]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

JGUERRA -- I would not buy a strip kit.  Buy a Freshwater master kit.  This will be more accurate and better than a strip kit.
Strips are notoriously off because they have been exposed to air over time.

Water changes are ok in my book, but DO NOT TOUCH the filter material.  Do not clean it until the new fish have been in the tank for about a month.. and then only once a month.

[JGUERRA]

Re: CLOUDY WATER... HELP!!!

thanks zulaab , ill get a master.. ive had the fish in there for about 4 mths and i just added 5 more....