Cloudy Water (piranha Fish)

[popkornplaya2k9]

Hello All!,
I'm pretty new to this so sorry if my problem is a lame one! Basically I bought a 240ltr tank and filled it up and left it for 3 weeks to get the alkaline level right. I had the water tested as i was buying me fish and everything was ok. Since adding the fish to the tank the first week water was fine but now it has gone quite cloudy some days it's a strugle to see the fish in there!! I haven't yet done a wter change would this help??

Thank you for any answers and info back!

 

[gaz gun man]

welcome to the forum

unfortunately you are now fish-in cycling, leaving the water for 3 weeks would have done nothing to prepare it for fish I am afraid.

All tanks have to go through a cycling process, which turns the ammonia (fish waste, and dangerious to fish) into nitrite (also dangerious) then into nitrate (not so dangerious)

Most people replicate the fish waste production cycle, so when they add fish, the cycle is complete and the water is safe for fish.
You have a bacterial bloom, because the filter is not yet ready to do its job correctly.

Have a look through this section here;
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277264

It'll tell you in detail about the nitrogen cycle, and about fish-in cycling, and fishless cycling.

From where you are now, a large water change would help, definately.

You need to decide (once you've read about fish-in and fishless cycling) which route you are going to go down.

Fish-in will be ALOT of work, 3 or 4 large water changes everyday (approx 40% of the water) for around 4 weeks (time varies with tanks) and would cause the fish suffering

Fishless is ALOT easier, you'd need to rehome the fish, so you'd be looking at an empty tank for a month or so but, like I said, easier for you, kinder to the fish.

Do you have a liquid test kit?

 

[cowboy507]

you question is not lame, it is understandable, and we have had a lot like this.
i agree with gaz, although 3 to 4 water changes might not be nessecary, i found that 1 or 2 50 % changes worked.but still it is a lot of work.

an immediate water change is needed, at least 50%. buy your self a liquid test kit (the strips are worthless)
you will need ones for:
ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
(these are most important)
and pH
(important, but not as much)

re-home if you can, like gaz has said.
read over the beginner part of the forum here, this will help a lot.