New tank setup

[Garry the Gooner]

Hi Guy's

this is the norm I think cloudy tank. The water check was perfect even though the tank was a bit cloudy, Pets at Home said this should clear after a few days but the tank was fish free for two weeks and as i said the tank was said to be ok to add fish, which we have the fish seem ok in the tank but it is still cloudy we havr.added Tetra Crystal clear and it is not working. Would adding a water pump only help with a air stone.

Cheers

Garry

 

[DutchMuch]

What is "perfect?" regarding water parameters. you need your own test kit period.
why does everyone trust a fish store...?

Air stones aren't needed in aquariums (unless for your own matters and types of fish) if you have live plants they will oxygenate the water fine, while at night releasing excess co2. I am immediately presuming your tank isn't cycled if it only took 2 weeks. correct?

 

[Garry the Gooner]

I do t have live plants in it so have an air stone but itß to strong so getting a regulator today. My son owns a pet shot and has given me a filter which I have installed will see how that goes over the next couple of weeks. Thank you for your ret it has helped will keep you up to date.

Cheers

Garry

 

[Byron]

This is a new tank, so the cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom. This is normal. There is an excess of organics dissolved in the water, and the bacteria that feed on these (called heterotrophic, and which are different bacteria species from the nitrifiers which are lithotrophic which means they colonize surfaces) multiply very rapidly (15 to 60 minutes) by comparison to the nitrifying (12 to 32 hours), and thus the water can get cloudy or hazy. Each tank can be quite different biologically (in spite of "similarities") so it varies from sometimes a day or two to several weeks.

The best thing is to let it work itself through. Water changes are fine, though these sometimes encourage this more because of the high level of organics that can be present in tap water. But they won't hurt, as indeed the cloudiness won't hurt fish--unless ammonia rises, which sometimes but not always can occur. The cloudiness is not caused by ammonia or nitrite, contrary to what some people may think, but it can increase the ammonia. Live plants would handle this situation well, as they are ammonia sponges (the fast growing, like floating anyway).

Caution on water clarifiers. Most will not work, some do, usually making it much worse first. Some work by causing the microscopic particulate matter to stick together, thus easier to remove when they pass through the filter media (esp the fine pad). Unfortunately, these also clog up fish gills, making respiration difficult, sometimes to the point of literally suffocating the fish. I have used them with fishless tanks, but not with fish present.

The airstone and similar won't hurt here, and may even help, esp if ammonia does increase a bit.

Byron.

 

[Deucerd]

Thanks Byron. That's definitely beneficial information for me. And my tank actually was a lot clearer tonight when I got home from work. So just to be clear, some moss balls or a live plant might even help a little more?

 

[NickAu]

So just to be clear, some moss balls or a live plant might even help a little more?

Yes they help with water quality.

If you are going to run an air stone and make bubbles I suggest you run a small sponge filter, hide it in the corner of your tank behind some plants or a rock, Much better than an air stone.

Something like this.

 

[Garry the Gooner]

This is a new tank, so the cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom. This is normal. There is an excess of organics dissolved in the water, and the bacteria that feed on these (called heterotrophic, and which are different bacteria species from the nitrifiers which are lithotrophic which means they colonize surfaces) multiply very rapidly (15 to 60 minutes) by comparison to the nitrifying (12 to 32 hours), and thus the water can get cloudy or hazy. Each tank can be quite different biologically (in spite of "similarities") so it varies from sometimes a day or two to several weeks.

The best thing is to let it work itself through. Water changes are fine, though these sometimes encourage this more because of the high level of organics that can be present in tap water. But they won't hurt, as indeed the cloudiness won't hurt fish--unless ammonia rises, which sometimes but not always can occur. The cloudiness is not caused by ammonia or nitrite, contrary to what some people may think, but it can increase the ammonia. Live plants would handle this situation well, as they are ammonia sponges (the fast growing, like floating anyway).

Caution on water clarifiers. Most will not work, some do, usually making it much worse first. Some work by causing the microscopic particulate matter to stick together, thus easier to remove when they pass through the filter media (esp the fine pad). Unfortunately, these also clog up fish gills, making respiration difficult, sometimes to the point of literally suffocating the fish. I have used them with fishless tanks, but not with fish present.

The airstone and similar won't hurt here, and may even help, esp if ammonia does increase a bit.

Byron.

Hi Byron

Thanks for your reply this has helped i will monitor the tank over the next 2 week's
I will filter the water through a water filter jug just to see if this also helps. Once again thank you

 

[Essjay]

I will filter the water through a water filter jug just to see if this also helps.

Do you mean a filter jug like a Brita jug? It is not a good idea to use water from this type of filter jug as they alter the chemistry of the water. For example, my Brita filter drops my pH from 7.5 to below 6 - off the bottom of the scale - and reduces the hardness, both GH and KH.

 

[DutchMuch]

Do you mean a filter jug like a Brita jug? It is not a good idea to use water from this type of filter jug as they alter the chemistry of the water. For example, my Brita filter drops my pH from 7.5 to below 6 - off the bottom of the scale - and reduces the hardness, both GH and KH.

Aren't brita filters those cups? I didn't know they alter chemistry like that, but seeing as it "cleans water" I guess its to be expected!

 

[Essjay]

These are Brita jugs we have in the UK http://www.brita.co.uk/brita/en-gb/...plore_pitcher&ctcCategory=cpd_explore_pitcher and there are two types of filter cartridge, Maxtra http://www.brita.co.uk/brita/en-gb/shop/cartridge/maxtra.grid?id=100486&category=cartridges and the older Classic http://www.brita.co.uk/brita/en-gb/shop/cartridge/classic.grid?id=100406&category=cartridges

A few years ago the FAQ's in their website gave more detail than they do now. Then they said that the cartridges contain both anion and cation exchange resins. These 'swap' ions in the water for the ones preloaded onto the resin. The cation exchange resin exchanged calcium and magnesium for hydrogen.

There also used to a be a comment in the FAQs stating that Brita filtered water was not recommended for use in aquariums.

 

[DutchMuch]

oh, yea ive seen those before...
$$$$waster$$$$

 

[DutchMuch]

hey check it out I found the worst thread ever on how to keep fish, pretty mature adults in here to
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=562382
Has to do with brita so thought you all would enjoy
Wisdom15 was the only guy with a brain apparently.

 

[Essjay]

I knew I had it somewhere

A few years ago I tested freshly run tap water and freshly filtered water side by side.
Tap water - pH 7.2, GH 9 deg, KH 3.5 deg
Filtered water - pH below 6, GH 6 deg, KH 0 deg



(My tap pH goes up on standing which is why the freshly run pH is 7.2 and I reported a pH of 7.5 in post #8)