my fish tank is cloudy...?

Question

so i set up a 45 gallon tank 2 weeks ago and ever since it has been quite cloudy....

i have a filter (a nice one too) and all the essentials and not too many fish

i have like 4 fish .... not too many...

Answer 1

Your tank just started the cycling process, which means you fianlly have started to grow good bacteria in your filter

Read this thread here, i have kept track of my parameters when i cycled my 55 gallon cichlid tank
http://fishlesscycling.com/forum/index.php?topic=772.0




Hope that helps
good luck



EB

Answer 2

Your tank set-up is new and is going through the cycling process. The water is cloudy because beneficial bacteria is blooming. Ammonia in your tank is spiking now; next nitrites will spike. The cloudiness will go away once the tank is completely cycled which takes 4-6 weeks. Some will tell you you can add bottled bacteria to the water to speed up the process. These additives rarely work. Let the process occur naturally and you won't have problems with your tank later on. Patience is key to maintaining a healthy aquarium. Trying to take shortcuts is simply laziness and will not help.

Google aquarium cycling and you'll gets lots of info on this process.

Make sure too test your water for ammonia and nitrites during this process. You'll also have to do 1-3 partial water changes per week with conditioned tap or bottled water. If you don't test and dilute the toxins in your tank, your fish could die. Research "New Tank Syndrome".

Good Luck

Answer 3

The cloudiness is caused by a bacterial "bloom",and they a so small they go right through the filter media. You tank has not cycled yet so you should be testing for ammonia every day,and when the ammonia peaks and goes down to zero,then you need to monitor Nitrites(just as toxic as ammonia) and when this goes to zero you will probably notice that your tank will clear up. I'm sorry to note that you are cycling with fish in your tank,this is not the fastest way to do the job. One thing that will help is to cut down the feedings to one small one a day. The fish won't starve and it will keep the ammonia from skyrocketing. When the bacteria that are clouding the water run out of whatever they are feeding on they will go away.
Try some of the other information websites(like fishlesscycling.com) or do a search for new tank syndrome.
You'll find plenty of good information and helpful people, too.

Answer 4

The cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom due to your tank cycling. All new tanks will go through a cycling process. The first stage is a strain of bacteria that consumes ammonia. This is the bacteria cloud you are seeing now. This strain of bacteria will convert the ammonia into nitrites and you'll have another strain of bacteria in your bank. Both are absolutely beneficial and necessary. This entire process will take 4-6 weeks.

During this time, it is critical that you test for ammonia and nitrites. Your ammonia should be high now, then it will drop to 0ppm. Your nitrites will spike next. Test your water 2-3 times per week, and perform partial water changes of about 10-15% once or twice a week as necessary to keep your ammonia and nitrites diluted. When the cycling process is complete your ammonia and nitrite will be 0ppm and your cloudiness will go away.

It is not uncommon to have a brown algae in your tank just after your tank cycles. This results from hitrates in your tank. After cycling, you should have 20ppm or less. Keep changing 15-20% of your water and the algae will go away.

Read more information about the nitrogen cycle here:
http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html

This will help you with tank maintenance:
http://www.firsttankguide.net/

Good Luck

Answer 5

This is because your tank is more than likely still cycling. Cycling of a tank can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months depending on the method you use to cycle it. Once your tank is cycled, the cloudy water should go away. Just make sure you do water changes at least once a week and keep up with proper tank maintenance. Check out the links I posted below, they should help you out a great deal. I have a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium and the website below helped me TONS when I first set it up.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Sounds like it didn't cycle long enough before you added the fish. Once you get enough bacteria going it should clear up. Just keep doing regular water changes, maybe even a few extra to be safe. If you have another established tank you could try adding some of its gravel to the new tank. That would help speed things along. Good luck!

Answer 7

Cycle your tank first for a month before adding fish. You could use filter media from another established tank to seed the new tank with the good bacteria.

Answer 8

If you have a new fish tank you should wash out the tank with water because it has been sit some where in the pet shop for a long time it has dust in it, then you should fill the fish tank with clean water let the filter run for 24 ours do not put any fish in it until the water is clear.

Answer 9

by kittensl said it well your filter even though its good goes through cycles at the begining one time mine lasted 2 months but thats a whole problem in itself but bare with it get over it as long as your fish are ok youll be ok and just reaaaalllllllaaaaaaaaaxxxxx

Answer 10

I had the same problem when I first started out with my 10-gallon tank two years back. I used a product called Algone and it worked wonderfully. The link is provided below.