Cloudy Tank!

[phoebe_green56]

Help!!!
I am abit of a novice and have been treated to a 125 litre tank for my 21st birthday. It has an aquamanta external filter. I set it up on the Saturday afternoon and was all fine. I added plants, drift wood and a rock which was rinsed off on the Sunday and its incredibly cloudy. Is it just the dust from the rock? I have done two 1/3 water changes and it hasn't really improved. I noticed in the filter there is also a section of white stones. I noticed the water coming straight out the filter tubes is still cloudy. Is it just the dust from the rocks that will clear given time?
Help!!! I want a nice clear tank. Can't wait to get fish into it!!

Thanks!!!

 

[Noahs ark6]

It could be dust/sand particles, but if you washed them properly first it shouldn't have lasted this long. The most likely cause is a bacterial bloom. This occurs in newly setup tanks, but is harmless. I assume there is no fish in the tank (there shouldn't be). If there is, add an airstone. Have you heard about cycling?. Cycling is a very important part of setting up a tank. It builds up the beneficial bacteria in the filter media which is needed to process ammonia which is toxic to fish. It is a must to maintain a healthy tank. Have a look in The Beginners Resource Centre for information on how to do a fishless cycle

 

[phoebe_green56]

You may need to dumb this down for me please. I added tape water and then the right amount of water conditioner. I rinsed the filter bits and added water clearing pearls which I have added a few of each every day as well as the water changes. What do I need to do now? Thanks for replying

 

[phoebe_green56]

P.s. no fishies in there!! My tiger barbs and albino frog are looking longingly at there new home

 

[Noahs ark6]

You need to supply the small amount of bacteria that may have started to colonise your filter sponges and bio rings with ammonia (the ammonia is like the bacterias food, it's got to eat to survive, but after you've cycled the tank, the waste produced by the fish, which converts to ammonia, will be the bacteria source of ammonia), by using a bottle of household ammonia (available at homebase). You'll also need to buy a test kit, like the api master test kit. Then you can look at the beginners resource centre for information on how to complete a fishless cycle (Beginners Resource Centre)

 

[Em29]

Hi! All you need to do now is read the beginners resource centre in order to find out how to cycle your filter. I am currently cycling a new tank.

Also, you need to get yourself a liquid testing kit - most of us have the API Liquid Master Kit - it is about £20

Goodluck

Cross post Noah's Ark

 

[phoebe_green56]

Lol yeah I had a look at that. But was lots of words and I got lost! Lol. Sorry!! I have had three smaller tanks and never had this problem!! So what do I need from homebase and what do I do with it? I have a testing kit coming on Friday!! Going to try reading that thing again

 

[Noahs ark6]

Lol. Theres two methods, but i prefer the add and wait method. This comprises of...

Adding enough ammonia to raise the ammonia of the tank to 4 ppm (theres a calculator at the top of the page to work out how much to use)

Then you have to wait until the ammonia drops to 1 ppm (test daily with your ammonia test kit)

Then you have to add enough ammonia to raise the ammonia of the tank to 4 ppm (theres a calculator at the top of the page to work out how much to use)

Then you have to wait until the ammonia drops to 1 ppm (test daily with your ammonia test kit)

Then you... I think you get the idea.

Keep repeating this until the all of the ammonia is processed within 10-12 hours off being added.

When your bacteria can acheive this, YOU'VE CYCLED YOUR TANK.

Complete a 90% water change to remove the nitrite that built up and gradually add your fish


This is a basic version of whats in the beginners resource centre, so hopfully you can understand it a bit better now

You need to buy "household ammonia" from homebase

 

[phoebe_green56]

Right right I think I am getting there. So I need some ammonia, why didn't they go through any of this at the fish shop when I bought the tank and asked for everything I need. Since I did the water change earlier it seems a little clearer. It's so cloudy I can't see the heater on the back lol. Can see the cloudiness moving about. Very weird!!!!

 

[Noahs ark6]

LFShops generally have a bad reputation for giving, if giving at all, bad advice. It sounds quite gruesome, but if your fish die, that means more money for the LFS.


Your LFS might try to sell you a bottle of... stuff (claiming to be millions of live bacteria), claiming it'll cycle your tank within a few hours of adding it. Ignore them, the general consensus is that these products don't work

 

[phoebe_green56]

My fish aren't in there don't worry!!! They are in a smaller tank which I have been putting a bit of the water from into the new tank. So ammonia and wait?

 

[Noahs ark6]

Yup, ammonia up to 4ppm, wait for it to go down to 1 ppm, then ammonia up to 4 ppm, then wait for it to go down to 1 ppm. Keep repeating until the ammonia is processed within 10-12 hours of being added, then a 90% water change.
It will take anything from a week to 2 months. It varys greatly

 

[Em29]

Yes - add the ammonia and wait. Once you get a change in readings post them on here and people are very lovely and will advise...


Fish shops are not helpful as most have no idea how to cycle a tank. Even in maidenhead aquatics people looked at me like this when I asked for some mature filter media to help my tank cycle.

Stick with the advice on here and you won't go far wrong

 

[phoebe_green56]

Ok, thanks for your help!! I will see how I get on