Dusty Water

[amanda8beechwood]

I've just bought a new little tank for a quarantine tank and bought new fine gravel which I cleaned three times before I put it in. We've filled with complete tank with water from our old tank but I obviously hadn't cleaned the gravel enough because now the tank water is dusty. Will the new fish that I've put in there endler livebearers be ok. They seem fine. I'm just worried about the dust x

 

[*Fishkies*]

It may be the type of gravel you are using. My friend and I both had that problem with certain types of gravel we bought. Sometimes the filter will clean it up after a few days along with the help of water changes.

Also if your water does not clean up within a week you try adding one of those water purifying pads to see if that helps clear it up at all.

 

[Lynda B]

It's actually easier if you don't have gravel in a quarantine tank. If you were to introduce a fish to it that ended up being diseased, now you'd have to worry about disinfecting gravel as well as your tank. Personally, I'd take it out.

 

[amanda8beechwood]

Thanks guys x

 

[amanda8beechwood]

Well I can't flipping believe it. The fish seemed to be blossoming then all of a sudden seemed very lethargic and sitting on the bottom of the tank. Then we noticed that the pump hadn't been working for god knows how long. The bloody start up bacteria had blocked it. Now all the endlers are gasping gills wide open in the tank. The pump is now working to its full potential but will the fish recover x

 

[*Fishkies*]

Try doing a water change also. This may help them out, they should be okay depending how long the pump was off.

 

[amanda8beechwood]

I've done a 50% water change but they really don't look well, one is just sat on the bottom and the other 5 are just hanging around the filter gasping, poor things x

 

[amanda8beechwood]

I've lost 2 this morning sob. I've done a nitrite test and it was pink so I've done another 50% water change but its still light pink. Three are still gasping at the top but one is swimming around, bloody LFS x

 

[Lynda B]

What are your actual readings:

pH:
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:

And are you using those strip tests? Those are not very reliable. Get a drop test kit, if you don't have one.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I would start removing the gravel. The gravel may being causing nitrates to go high like that. Had this problem with gravel once that kept the tank cloudy. So bought new gravel replaced it and the tank cleared up!