Cloudy Water

[ALH]

I need some help! I set up a 24L cold water tank about a month ago. I added 4 Rosy Barbs then about 2 weeks later added 3 Peppered Corydoras. I kept well on top of water changes (15%-30%) which I add the correct amount of Aqua Safe, Nitrate Minus, Stress Zyme and Accu-Clear once a week, cleaned glass, vacuumed sand and cleaned filter. Since about a week ago the water is so orange and cloudy I can barely see through the tank!! I’ve tested the water and all levels are fine except nitrates are high. The water has loads of tiny little particles floating in it that look like dust. I’m doing water changes everyday and it’s not clearing!! What is it and what do I do???
Thanks in advance.



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[Colin_T]

Are you using Tetra AquaSafe, Tetra Nitrate Minus, API Stress Zyme and API Accu Clear?

AquaSafe is a dechlorinator and about the only thing you need.
Nitrate minus looks like denitrifying bacteria used to break down nitrates, but water changes will dilute nitrates and remove them from the tank.
Stress Zyme is another form of bacteria that breaks down gunk in the gravel. A gravel cleaner like the one in the following link, will remove the gunk and it is better to remove the gunk from the tank.
http://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
Accu Clear is a flocculant. It causes sediment and suspended particles in the water to clump together and sink to the bottom.

My guess is the flocculant is reacting with the bacteria you are adding and that is causing the water to discolour.

Do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean to dilute the nitrates and everything else in the tank. Make sure any new water going into the tank is free of chlorine/ chloramine. Add the Tetra AquaSafe to the new water and aerate it for 30minutes or more before adding the water to the aquarium.

Do not add any other products.

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Do you have a heater in the aquarium or where you planning on getting a heater? Corydoras catfish are tropical fish and require water with a temperature between 20-30C.

 

[seangee]

What are the nitrates like in your tap water?
Do you have any rocks or driftwood?
What is your substrate?

I agree that you should only be adding Aquasafe. Also be careful of overfeeding. As the setup is fairly new it is worth changing 50 - 75% daily until it stabilises.

The peppered corys do best in a minimum temp of 22C / 72F. The rosy barbs do best in temperatures below 24C so that does leave you with a failry narrow ideal range for what's in your tank.

You should also be aware that all your fish can grow up to be around 7cm (2.5") so it could become crowded for them quite soon as fish do grow fairly quickly.

 

[Byron]

First problem...a 24 liter (6 gallon) tank is far too small for any of the fish mentioned. You should re-home the fish, or set up a larger tank, immediately. Fish are not going to develop properly in so small a tank.

Second, never combine additives unless they are necessary and will work together. I won't detail as others have mentioned this already, but it is a very serious problem.

Do several water changes, using only the conditioner, and then work out how to deal with the fish/tank. You may or may not save the fish, hard to say at this point.

 

[ALH]

Are you using Tetra AquaSafe, Tetra Nitrate Minus, API Stress Zyme and API Accu Clear?

AquaSafe is a dechlorinator and about the only thing you need.
Nitrate minus looks like denitrifying bacteria used to break down nitrates, but water changes will dilute nitrates and remove them from the tank.
Stress Zyme is another form of bacteria that breaks down gunk in the gravel. A gravel cleaner like the one in the following link, will remove the gunk and it is better to remove the gunk from the tank.
http://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
Accu Clear is a flocculant. It causes sediment and suspended particles in the water to clump together and sink to the bottom.

My guess is the flocculant is reacting with the bacteria you are adding and that is causing the water to discolour.

Do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean to dilute the nitrates and everything else in the tank. Make sure any new water going into the tank is free of chlorine/ chloramine. Add the Tetra AquaSafe to the new water and aerate it for 30minutes or more before adding the water to the aquarium.

Do not add any other products.

---------------------
Do you have a heater in the aquarium or where you planning on getting a heater? Corydoras catfish are tropical fish and require water with a temperature between 20-30C.

Thank you so much for the information! As you can tell I’m new to the hobby! In the process of doing exactly what you’ve said!

Also my tank is naturally 20 degrees and corys are doing great! I bought them in the cold water section.


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[seangee]

There is a lot of useful information at http://www.fishforums.net/threads/beginners-resource-center.277264/ - its definitely worth having a read through.

Its also worth mentioning that cleaning your filter should just be a rinse in water you take out of the tank for a water change. If your filter is mucky after only a month chances are you are feeding too much.

 

[ALH]

There is a lot of useful information at http://www.fishforums.net/threads/beginners-resource-center.277264/ - its definitely worth having a read through.

Its also worth mentioning that cleaning your filter should just be a rinse in water you take out of the tank for a water change. If your filter is mucky after only a month chances are you are feeding too much.

Thank you for the advice! Think I’m definitely too generous with the food!!


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