cloudy water

[centreparcs]

We have been away since Friday (now monday evening) and my neighbour has looked after my fish. The tank was perfectly healthy when I left. lots of plants and happy fish. We have returned to find water cloudy - more milky than dirty, (like when you run a tap in an area which is high in lime) and a reasonably thick layer of white on gravel which looks like layers of food. The filter was so dirty it hardly worked. Have cleaned filter out and cleared some of muck off bottom with gravel filter. Does anyone know what has caused this and what I can do to get my healthy tank back? Help please I want happy fish.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like your neighbour might have been over feeding them, do a gravel vack and water change that should sort it out.

 

[Rodders]

Yup, id say toooooooooooo much food.

 

[centreparcs]

OK thanks for this. Do I not feed them for a few days then? All six neons I had died but one platty adult and her 20 babies survivied along with large black sucker type (sorry dont know what it's called but is a common fish). Plants are in a right state too. The light was not put on all weekend too - willthis have contributed to the problem?

 

[WILDER]

Can you test your water in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate and ph.

 

[centreparcs]

Do not have anything to test with but assume that I can get hold of something tomorrow. As you have probably guessed I am new to this and not very knowledgable. Got tank in August fish gave birth next day and all has been very happy since then up to today!

 

[WILDER]

Just do a water change and gravel vac with the neighbour over feeding, take a sample of your water to the lfs and tell them to write the readings down, if the fish start gulping at the top of the tank do another water change straight away, do you have an airstone for aeration.

 

[centreparcs]

Only a few swimming round, most are at top of tank and fairly still. I have been told before not to take more than 20% of water out at once. Is this an exception? I have borrowed some tap safe from a friend as I usually let water stand for 24hrs before adding it. I am concencerned as I don't want to do more harm than good.

 

[WILDER]

Do another 10% water change if they are still at the top of the tank, do you have an airstone.

 

[centreparcs]

no airstone. Guess i need to go shopping tomorrow.

 

[Rodders]

Leaving water for 24hours isnt long enough for the chlorine to go, is it?!?!?!
What aireation have you got?
Being at the top of the tank means they are low on air, thats where most of it is if there isnt much for them.
There are times when you can do 50% water changes, even more too i think.

 

[a1wonder]

A 50% water changes I would suggest is the limite any more and even at that amount you will most likely restart your tanks cycle. The cloud water is most likely due to a bateria bloom from uneatten food that was left in your tank. It sounds like right now your doing the right thing. Personally I'd go to the LFS and get yoursel a bottle of aquasafe or any clorine remover, then simply take the water from your tap add the approperate amount of clorine remover wait 2mins and through the water in your tank. How many days did he feed your fish for? I feel your pain a while back my brother pulled a simmilar action where my tank need to be started over from scratch it was so bad. I'd do a water change twice a day 20% in the morning and 10% in the evening for about a week and the problem should get a bit undercontrol. Also I'd avoid feeding your fish if you have to do it at most once every two days. Please post your water conditions asap but it sounds as if a new cycle was started in your tank.

 

[BLASK]

id say get a new neighbor!!! jk - had to say it hehe

 

[centreparcs]

Thanks for all your replies. Tank not much better this morning but at least no more dead fish. Filtered out quite a lot of water last night and did about 20% water change. Will propbably use gravel wash to get out more muck later today and do another small water change. Looks like I may be busy all week. Will refrain from adding any more food for now and will try to get an airstone today to help matters.

Would you advise that I remove all plants, which look pretty poor, and replace with new ones or leave them to see if they recover?

 

[WILDER]

Just leave them for now, just remove the dead parts on them,don't clean all the gravel just stir it up and catch the debris with a net, because you will lose your bacteria in the gravel from cleaning all the gravel, check filter to see if it's still running at full speed, maybe rinse the floss in old tank water.