Ok after many weeks and questions, my tank has been ever so slowly cycling, its still has never fully cycled, but my levels have been staying at a safe level.
Today I added two fish, and added some water conditioner to help keep them from getting stressed. Everything seem fine, when I got home from work tonight the water is super cloudy! My water has never, ever, been cloudy in all these weeks its been crystal clear.
I used my dropper tests, and everything is in check:
Ammonia: 0-0.25, its not quite 0 but not 0.25 either.
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 0
Now that is the lowest my Nitrites have ever been, which I took to be a good sign? But if it is good, why did my water get cloudy?
Is it ok to do a 20% water change, or is this part of the cycling and I should leave it alone? I have some stuff that is supposed to clear up cloudy water, but I don't want to add anymore chemicals to it until I know its safe to do so?
2007-04-14 15:26:08 · 7 answers · asked by mr5oh 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
It's a bacterial bloom brought on by adding fish to a not quite yet cycled tank. It will settle down as the cycling process continues, but I would caution against adding any other fish until the cycle completes and you have 0 ammonia for a few days in a row.
I wouldn't do a water change unless the ammonia or nitrites get into the danger zone.
No worries at this point and the less you do, the better you do as far as water changes or adding chemicals at this point in the cycle.
MM
2007-04-14 15:38:17 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Remember leaving chemicals and additives out of your tank will lead to a healthy and happy tank. Bacterial bloom can happen for a number of reasons and not just when cycling. Adding fish adds to the biofilter. Two fish is the max to add at any time. Remember do not add extra water conditioners once you've added them during a water change. It isn't needed and doesn't help your fish in the least. The bacterial bloom you are seeing now is due to the fish added and will settle down. Ammonia at .25 isn't bad nor is the nitrates at .25. they can never really be 0 anyway. Test strips and lesser water kits will register them as so, however if there are 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates, what is going on in your tank? the fish aren't producing waist and the tank is not doing anything. they will always read as something. your water is fine. Do not add chemicals to clear cloudy water. Most of them are more for an algae not bacterial bloom. Leave your tank go for a few days and watch the ammonia levels. It will clear as soon as the biofilter readjusts for the new load.
If you see the ammonia climbing to .5 do a 25% water change no more. At this point removing too much water will do more harm than good.
Any questions feel free to email
2007-04-14 16:41:13 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Did you feed your aquarium during the cycle? I cannot fathom an aquarium actually cycling without some nitrates at the end. If you did not feed your aquarium or add something to start the cycle the cloudy water could be the cycle just kicking in. Your tests right now aren't to bad except the absence of any nitrates after a cycle.
The water conditioner should just be added to make up water or water for water changes. It won't relly help keep the fish from getting stressed. You can try some stress coat which can help fish in a cycling or new tank.
Keep an eye on it. If the fish you added are hardy fish they should be ok. It sounds as though the fish started a mini cycle in your tank. Not to uncommon in new tanks that are new and not very established. It takes time for the bacteria to catch up.
Chemical treatments are a quick fix. To truelly take care of the problem you need to find the actual cause and correct it.
Do small water changes so as to keep ammonia and nitrites in check. This will extend the cycle time but will keep it less stressful for the fish.
2007-04-14 15:45:07 · answer #3 · answered by Brian 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like a bacterial bloom, part of the cycling process. Mine got so cloudy once, it looked like a scene from The Fog...and then? Cycle was done :)
Because your nitrates are at 0, the tank has definitely NOT cycled.
You don't need to add chemicals. Water changes are great though, and keeps the toxins down for the fish. Once your system catches up, the nitrites will eat ammonia as fast as the fish produce them and your nitrates will do the same to the nitrites (of course, assuming you do the normal tank maintenance).
Were you doing a fishless cycle adding ammonia, shrimp or fish food? Or are these more fish you've added to the tank before the cycle finished?
Normally, you start with a clear slate. Fish, fish food, waste all create ammonia. The ammonia usually spikes (depending on the load you add to the tank) within a week. Then it drops and nitrites climb and stay elevated 2 - 3 weeks. Then the nitrates take over.
Water changes, again, are good. But don't remove the filter media or wipe down the inside of the tank or gravel, etc as that is where the bacteria are trying to form the colonies.
Good luck :)
2007-04-14 15:35:48 · answer #4 · answered by Barb R 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
OK your levels sound good. The cloudy water, probably bacterial bloom, definitely indicates that you need to do a 20% water change. Don't add any more fish. You can use a solution to help clean it up, and keep an eye on your ammonia levels, since that will inevitably spike with the addition of new fish.
2007-04-14 15:43:28 · answer #5 · answered by lei 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sometimes that water conditioner will cause some cloudiness. Now we need to know your tank size...under gravel filtration or water filtration? if there were more clues we could help.A 20 percent water change is too much right now...and dont add any more chemicals it wont help.Did you get a couple of comets to help cycle ???more info please
2007-04-14 15:35:04 · answer #6 · answered by evon stark 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
go to your fish store and buy some liquid called CLEAR ALL all that clears out your tank
2007-04-14 16:15:09 · answer #7 · answered by yana4u1 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋