I have a filter and have changed the water twice a week for some time now. Still, the water does not change. The filter is brand new. I sucked up the water from the rocks with a gravel vaccuum a few times and it still doesn't help. I used the water conditioner, the algae remover and still nothing seems to work. What can I do?
2007-07-23 14:14:32 · 7 answers · asked by Galen 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
I agree to simply allow it to settle out, it will eventually clear. I would suggest you start a fishless cycle at this point to prepare your tank for fish. During this time, the water will clear. Here's a link on how to cycle the tank with no fish.
http://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm
Hope that helps and best of luck with the tank
MM
2007-07-23 14:48:13 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cloudy water is one of two things.
If the water is green then it is an algae bloom. Algae blooms are caused by too much light and too many nutrients in the water. They are relatively easily cleared up by reducing the lighting, especially direct sunlight, and by lower the nutrients in the water. Reducing the lighting is easy. Simply shut off the light on the tank and only run it for 8-10 hours a day. You should also ensure that your tank isn't getting any direct sunlight as this will cause you algae problems, either as a green bloom or simply algae on the tank and ornaments. You lower the nutrients by doing more frequent and larger water changes and by feeding less. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
If the water is white then it is a bacterial bloom. These are caused exclusively by too many nutrients in the tank. To clear the water you will need to increase the frequency and size of your water changes, and decrease the feeding. Fish should be fed only what they can eat entirely in 5-10 seconds. Any uneaten food should be netted out of the tank to prevent it from breaking down.
Neither cloudy water situation is particularly harmful to your fish but are a symptom of a greater underlying problem that must be resolved.
One way to clear the cloudy water immediately is through the use of a micron or diatom filter. This will pull out the particles that cause the cloudiness, but it WILL NOT resolve the problem that caused the particles to be there. This is a short term fix and needs to be used in conjuction with the above fixes.
2007-07-23 22:41:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have plants, or where there fish in there? If so, you may keep causing cycling to reoccur by changing the water. I would do a fishless cycling using plants or food, before putting fishin. Otherwise, you may have an ornament or someting in the water causing the chalkiness. Algae is not white like that generally, it is green.
2007-07-23 23:27:49 · answer #3 · answered by boncarles 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't judge the quality of your water with your eyes. Test for ammonia, and if the level is low, get 3 fish to start cycling your tank. Live plants like anacharis, cabomba, hornwort, and bacopa will all help to clear it up. Go light on the food, and have your water tested for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate once a week, do water changes every couple of weeks and you will be set.
2007-07-23 21:33:39 · answer #4 · answered by fivespeed302 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well it may be because you used to much water conditioner
if not it is because you need to scrub down the tank if it dosent work I would ask a vet because it may be a serious problem one thing not to do is put the fish in the tank!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
2007-07-23 22:25:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
allow the tank to settle.
do u have any live plants, they will help clear up the water also.
just let the tank settle first, and twice aweek is a bit much for new tank.
2007-07-23 21:18:09 · answer #6 · answered by Coral Reef Forum 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe just give up on that and get a pet.
2007-07-23 21:33:29 · answer #7 · answered by imfinenbossy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋