CLOUDY WATER

[panther1505]

Last week I used a chemical in my water to "prevent" ich. The chemical is called Aquari-Sol. The directions call for 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons. I am starting a 42 gallon tank, so I added 4 teaspoons of Aquari-Sol to the water.
Since then my water has been cloudy. It is a milky see through color.
Do you have any suggestions for what I might be able to do, before I purchase some fish?

 

[tstenback]

are there fish in the tank? Is the tank cycling?

 

[panther1505]

There are no fish in the tank right now. I set the tank up appoximately a week ago. I added the Aquari-Sol to the water about 3 or 4 days ago. The water was clear up to that point.

 

[tstenback]

I still need to know are you cycling the tank. If not then the chemical must have created the cloudiness which is odd but it should disapate over time. If you are not sure what cycling is then just have a read of this and it will explain what cycling is. I highly recommend the fishless approach as there is no stress on any fish during the process. HTH

 

[panther1505]

I don't have any fish in my tank right now. I have had it running for approximately 3 weeks with both an external filter, and an UGF. I read the article on fishless cycling. Forgive my ignorance on aquariums, but I am a newbie.

The plants that I have in the tank right now are artificial. The article says to add a few potted plants, then add 4-5 drops of ammonia per 10 gallons per day until there is a nitrite spike. Then once there are nitrites present, cut the ammonia back to 2-3 drops per 10 gallons per day until the nitrites disappear/0 ppm nitrites.
Once 0 ppm nitrites is accomplished, the tank is completely cycled.

Is it absolutely necessary to put in real plants, if so, are the "potted" plants that the article refers to just general household plants?

Will following the fishless cycling process eliminate the cloudiness presently in my tank?

Thank you very much to everyone who is helping me.
I honestly do appreciate it.

 

[tstenback]

No its not necessary to put plants in the tank and the potted plants refer to ones that you buy at the LFS in their tanks that come in little pots. also you may find that if you follow the second link on that page you may get faster results with the cycling. HTH

 

[panther1505]

I read Chris Cow's article on Fishless Cycling. I will attempt it after get some answers on a couple of more questions that I have.

The article says to add ammonia to the water until the ammonia level reaches ~5ppm. Record the amount of ammonia that it took, then add that amount daily until the nitrite spikes

1. NitrIite spikes? What level is considered a spike?

Then the article gives some sources of bacteria and sources of ammonia.
Then the article says that a water change of 50-70% should be done before adding any fish to the tank to lower nitrAte levels.

2. Should I buy seperate test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate testing?

3. Wouldn't doing a 50-70% water change pretty much bring me right back to where I started before I did the fishless cycling, because I would be removing 1/2 or more of the water and replacing it with fresh water from the tap?

4. What do I need to do (e.g. water tests, water changes, vaccuuming, etc) and how often should I do it, in order to maintain a healthy environment for my fish?

I look forward to really enjoying this hobby.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[luxum]

I read Chris Cow's article on Fishless Cycling. I will attempt it after get some answers on a couple of more questions that I have.

The article says to add ammonia to the water until the ammonia level reaches ~5ppm. Record the amount of ammonia that it took, then add that amount daily until the nitrite spikes

1. NitrIite spikes? What level is considered a spike?

Then the article gives some sources of bacteria and sources of ammonia.
Then the article says that a water change of 50-70% should be done before adding any fish to the tank to lower nitrAte levels.

2. Should I buy seperate test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate testing?

3. Wouldn't doing a 50-70% water change pretty much bring me right back to where I started before I did the fishless cycling, because I would be removing 1/2 or more of the water and replacing it with fresh water from the tap?

4. What do I need to do (e.g. water tests, water changes, vaccuuming, etc) and how often should I do it, in order to maintain a healthy environment for my fish?

I look forward to really enjoying this hobby.

Thank you very much for your help.

Hehe, you'll know when the nitrite spikes. One day it will be at zero, the next it will probably be off the chart. They call it a spike because of the appearance if you are graphing your levels versus days, suddenly the level "spikes" upwards.

Yes, buy a kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, plus a wide range Ph at a minimum.

Changing the water after the cycle completes will not disturb the bacteria, because they live on the surfaces of the tank and filter media, not free floating in the water.

Start off by monitoring daily while cycling, once the cycle is complete and you add fish, i'd say test every day for a week to make sure everything is ok, then you could do it once a week at water change time, after adding new fish, or if you feel that something might be wrong in the tank, for instance if fish seem sick. A weekly 20% waterchange is usually great for reasonable bioloads with decent filtration.

 

[BirdofPray]

Ok. I have a question about nitrite spikes since we're on the subject. What causes it all of a sudden? One day no bacteria or whatever, then BOOM nitrite spike? What causes the bacteria growth, what seems like, out of nowhere?

 

[panther1505]

20% weekly water change for as long as I have the tank running?
I read, and was told at a couple of LFS, that a 10% once a month is sufficient

 

[luxum]

Ok. I have a question about nitrite spikes since we're on the subject. What causes it all of a sudden? One day no bacteria or whatever, then BOOM nitrite spike? What causes the bacteria growth, what seems like, out of nowhere?

I think it's related to the exponential (edit: exponential is not the right word but i can't think of the appropriate one sorry) growth habits of bacteria. Until the colony reaches a certain size, the nitrite it produces is undetectable. Then you can detect it, and you have to keep feeding the colony the ammonia, only there isn't enough of the other kind of bacteria to convert the nitrite, so the nitrite levels rise and rise. The nitrite converting type seem to be weaker and take longer to build their colony also, so nitrite spikes are eternal. OK, not really, it just seems that way. One day, when the colony doubles, it will be of sufficient size to metabolize that nitrite spike and just as suddenly as it arrived, the spike will be gone.

20% weekly water change for as long as I have the tank running?
I read, and was told at a couple of LFS, that a 10% once a month is sufficient

Mmmm. Well, if you are running a very well filtered tank, with a very low bioload, you could get away with that. Most newbies want as many fish in their tank as possible and would not be so austere. The sad truth is that sometimes (ok, usually) the LFS is not your best source of information. Their business is to sell you fish and fish medications, not to help you keep the ones you've got healthy longterm. Sometimes they intentionally mislead you, sometimes they do it out of ignorance. Never take what they say at face value, always do your own research to confirm what they say, particularly about what fish are compatible with what others and how big a tank a species needs.

 

[Zenn]

Ok, since this is also on milky water i have a problem, the tank below in my sig, the hex one, i had the chinese algea eater, today i managed to find him a home and so clean out the tank, i then refilled it, treated it, allowed the air pump flow the water and i added a few plastic plants and a ornament, but the water seems milky and i fear for it, because i was planning to raise my fry in it and i dont want them to die due to some problem in the water, please reply quickly, because my mother is beckoning upon me to put the fry in and i dont want them dieing

 

[panther1505]

I am running both an external Whisper 60 filter, and a UGF. Is this sufficient enough to only do a 10% water change per month, or would you still recommend a 20% water changer per month?
I am going to the store right now to buy the nitrite, nitrate and ammonia test kits, and a bottle of ammonia. Do you know if there is a test kit that that covers all nitrite, nitrate and ammonia testing?
I will initially test the water in the tank before I add any ammonia. Then I will add the ammonia to the water one drop at a time, counting the drops until I reach an ammonia level of ~5ppm, I will record the number of drops it took to reach that level. Then I will cut that amount in half and add that amount of ammonia to the water daily starting tomorrow until the nitrite level spikes. Is there a magic number in your opinion of what the nitrite level will be around when it spikes? After it spikes I will do a 50-70% water change. Then the following day I will add fish.
Does this sound alright to you?

 

[luxum]

I am running both an external Whisper 60 filter, and a UGF. Is this sufficient enough to only do a 10% water change per month, or would you still recommend a 20% water changer per month?

If you plan to stock your tank to the max as most people do, i recommend 20% each week. Buy a python to do your waterchanges with if that sounds tough. After you have kept to this schedule for awhile you can let it go and test, your water parameters will determine how long you can put off water changes. For the healthiest fish, change part of the water at least biweekly.

I am going to the store right now to buy the nitrite, nitrate and ammonia test kits, and a bottle of ammonia. Do you know if there is a test kit that that covers all nitrite, nitrate and ammonia testing?

I've never seen an all in one test, you'll have to get separate tests for each parameter. Make sure the ammonia you get is pure and has no detergents. It should say "clear" or "pure", and shouldn't foam when you shake the bottle, although a few bubbles are OK.

I will initially test the water in the tank before I add any ammonia.

Good. Hopefully, your tapwater doesn't contain any ammonia, that would make water changes a difficult proposition.

Then I will add the ammonia to the water one drop at a time, counting the drops until I reach an ammonia level of ~5ppm, I will record the number of drops it took to reach that level.

With household ammonia, it took me 1-1/4 teaspoons to reach 5ppm in my 20 gallon. I don't know what concentration my ammonia is.

Then I will cut that amount in half and add that amount of ammonia to the water daily starting tomorrow until the nitrite level spikes.

You have this part backwards. Add the full amount ever day ~until~ the nitrite spikes, then add the half dose every day after that.

Is there a magic number in your opinion of what the nitrite level will be around when it spikes?

It will be past the last reading your test is capable of, off the chart. I have no idea what the actual value is.

After it spikes I will do a 50-70% water change. Then the following day I will add fish.
Does this sound alright to you?

Clarification: after the ammonia has spiked and dropped to zero, after the nitrite has spiked and dropped to zero, and nitrates are present, then do large water changes. When i fishless cycle, i have to do multiple water changes to get my nitrates to tolerable levels for the fish. I recommend you get the nitrates to below 10ppm before you get the fish. You must continue to feed the tank ammonia every day until you get your fish.

 

[panther1505]

After I figure out how many drops of ammonia it takes to bring my ammonia level in my tank to 5ppm,
I keep putting this amount of ammonia in my tank daily until the nitrite level spikes?
Then I put 1/2 doses daily until the nitrite and ammonia levels reach 0ppm?

You say that after the ammonia has spiked and dropped to zero and after the nitrite has spiked and dropped to zero, then do large water changes.

How do you know when nitrates are present. I can't seem to find a nitrate tester.

I purchased a tester called a Freshwater Master Test Kit. It tests ph (6.0 to 8.8), ammonia, nitrite and GH. But not nitrate.