I just bought a 29 gallon fish tank last week. I have 2 silver dollars, 1 placo, and 6 little tetras in it.?

Question

I set it up with the filter that came with it and 1 week later, it is very cloudy. It does sit in an area where some sun comes in. I try to cover the windows in the hottest part of the day. I tried using tank buddies tablets for algae. So far no good. Could it be the PH???? Help??

Answer 1

The cloudiness is your tank can be either one of three things.

1. An algea bloom because the tank is near a window. In this case, the water would be a green color.

2. Bacteria trying to populate your tank, which is a good thing.

3. Ammonia over taking your tank because you put too many fish in it in a short period of time. In this case, the water will have a rotten egg smell to it.

The only way you will know for sure is if you test the water.

If it's an algea bloom, you need to do something about it. The optimal thing to do would be to move your tank either into a dark area of your room or as far away from the window as possible.

If this isn't an option, because the tank weighs too much, then you need to cover the tank with something dark. Cover it for about a week and this should help kill off much of the algea. Don't use any commercial algea killers, they aren't going to work. And just so you know, if it is an algea bloom, it's a good thing. It means your water is so healthy that it can support algea.

If it is bacteria trying to populate, don't worry. It might take a while, but the water will clear up eventually. And when I say a while, I mean a month, sometimes longer.

If it's ammonia, which will tank a water test to prove beyond a doubt, then you need to do something to help control it until the beneficial bacteria can build up enough to take care of it. You need to do daily water changes of about 10% (3gallons)of the water in the tank and replacing it with clean, dechlorinated water that also has some beneficial bacteria in it. A worker at your local pet store should know what this is when you tell them you need to buy some.

Everytime, before you change the water, test it with a strip tester or a drop tester. They should sell these at your local pet store. I reccommend getting the drop tester as they are more acurate and you'll get more tests out of them.

Once your ammonia has hit it's normal range, which should idealy be zero, then you will be okay. Just remember next time to add no more than 4 inches of fish at a time. Notice how I said inches and not a number of fish. It comes down to size not how many when it comes to stocking a tank.

Until you get your water in order, do not under any circumstances add any more fish to your tank. Add more fish will do nothing more than make the problem worse.

And like I said before, go get your water tested first to see what exactly is going on in it until you start treating it.

And also, for future reference, your silver dollars are going to get big. And they will happily help themselves to a little tetra feast when they are able to fit them in their mouths.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You need to get the little water testing strips & test your water. It does take a few weeks to get the water right. You might be over feeding them too. That will make the water cloudy real fast. They only need a tiny bit of food each day. You should talk to the people at the pet store, they can help you a lot. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

The tank is cycling. It happens to all aquariums and it is really not such a good idea to put fish in before it is done. The ammonia spike can kill fish very easily.

Answer 4

just let it sit more my tank took fore days to clear up.

Answer 5

it might be becuse you put too much fish in it and they're pooing like mad.

Answer 6

your tank is cycling here is a site that might help http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm