Water becomes opaque

[Sylvia27]

Hi:

I have a problem. I have 2 tanks: a 5 gallon and a 20 gallon.
I put new water one week ago in the 5 gallon and in the 20 gallon and the water is turning opaque in both.
The small tank (it's actually a big bowl) has 2 goldfish in it.
The big one is cycling with 2 corycatfish, a snail and a frog.
Since this is new water (one week) , I wonder if this condition is a result of my tapwater. I use ammo lock to take the chlorine and ammonium out.

Anyone had this before?

Sylvia

PS. My readings
ph=8
nitrites NO2 = 0
nitrates NH3NH4 = 3

I understand 3 is very bad, but I treated the water wich Ammo Lock.
Should I do anything else?

 

[STEVIE00]

dont use chemicals its too soon let the cycle run its cause
if u put ammo lock in it will harm ur good bacteria
andu will av to start the cycle all over again

do a water change say 20% see how u get on
let me no

did u use declorinator before u added the water to ur tank s

 

[Sylvia27]

On the bottle of "ammo lock" it says it dechlorinates the water.

 

[STEVIE00]

no for decloriater use aquasafe
or simlar

stop wot ur doin with the ammo lock u use that for problems
with ammonia do a good water change
2day
then one again 2moro
then test water again

but before u put fresh water in the tank decloriate it first
do u understand if u use ammolock now ur goin to kill
all ur bacterior aswell as ur fish ur tank needs to cycle and that takes
about 4weeks

hope this helps

 

[Skylar]

To my understanding, if you use any chemicals while cycling, you will kill off the beneficial bacteria. Ammolock could cause your test results to read differently which means, the 3 could be a 5 or a 8 or anything. If you can, go to your LFS and buy some Aqua Safe dechlorinator and add that instead of ammo-lock to your water. What are your ammonia readings?

The opaque water could possibly be a bacteria bloom which is a good thing.
Err..I hope you plan on getting a bigger tank for your goldfish..Maybe about 40 gallons? One goldfish needs thirty gallons and add 10 gallons more for another goldfish. They produce alot of waste and being in a small 5 gallon bowl could make the ammonia levels rise rapidly and kill off your fish.

Have you read the pinned topics at the top of the page?

Hope this Helps.

Skylar

 

[gale]

FYI aquasafe also claims to remove (or is it neutralize) ammonia. Also a nitrate level of 3 is nothing to worry about. In my 20g it's usually 10 or 20.

Are you planning to keep the goldfish in the 5 gallon bowl? Because it's recommended that you have at least 10 gallons per goldfish (more is better). 5 gallons is too small for one, much less two.

eta: sorry, just noticed Skylar already mentioned the goldfish.