Good Idea?

[Blubble37]

well, here goes 30 minutes of typing...

IT started out when I grew out of my old tank and I got a nice big 95 litre tropical set. I discarded the heater to the safe confines of the loft and then installed the elite jet flo 100 filter (480 l/h, 1x foam filter, 1x zeo/carb cartridge on top of foam filter) into the tank (elite style 95) and turned it on then added fish, measured the levels and they all stayed perfect. I now know this is because the filter had zeolite in it and the absorption of ammonia into that stopped the levels from rising and therefore the filter was not cycled, thankfully I recently stopped being a noob and have had the zeolite and ammonia out for around 6 weeks so I guess the filter will be cycled. The problem was that the water kept clouding up and it happened only when I had just sponges in the filter. I even built an aerator powered filter around one of the sponges (in a unpopulated testing tank) and within a day the same thing happened again, milky water which stinks of fish waste even though there were no fish, snails, or gravel in there. Just clean dechlorinated water.

So I will be putting the zeolite back in I guess, is this a good idea? The fish don't seem to mind the cloudiness as long as it is very faint.

Another thing is that I have put my old interpet PF1 in the tank to improve filtration and circulation. (380 l/h, 2x foam filter, 1x carbon filter). How long will this filter take to cycle fully as the other one is fully cycled, it turns off at night so the little things can get some rest.

Any advice?

Blubble-37

Complete NOOB for being so stupid!

 

[Blubble37]

i think the new filter is having a good effect already, i've never seen the minnows so happy before! Guess its the new fast water flow

 

[Harlequins]

I wouldn't put the zeolite back in,it will stop your filter going naturally through the nitrogen cycle...put some other filter media in the space which the zeolite was in either floss/sponge or ceramic rings,something where the bacteria can grow.

If your turning off your filter at night to 'rest it' then you will be losing bacteria,hence the cloudy water,filters should be kept on all the time unless you're doing w/c's or filter maintainance..

 

[Blubble37]

the main filter is full of spone and is on constantly except for maintenaince, impeller cleaning and w/c's...

The water is cloudy even with the filter running flat out all the time

The new filter only runs in the daytrime so the fish can get some rest at night

 

[SchottayB]

Your filter should be running 24/7. Fish don't need "rest from a filter during the night"

 

[Harlequins]

Then either your main filter isn't cycled,or its not handling the bio load from your fish,you shouldnt have cloudy water otherwise.

If you keep turning the new filter off it wont cycle either.

Whats your readings for ammonia & nitrite?

 

[Blubble37]

thanks schottay, will try to make this happen, how long will the cycling process take for this new filter in a cycled tank?

Blubble-37

i tested after the w/c and they were at tap water levels of

Ph 8.0
ammonia 0.1ppm
nitrite 0.1ppm
nitrate 50ppm

Will test again when it goes cloudy but normally it is at these levels before the w/c

P/h 8.0

Ammonia 0.25ppm
nitrite 0.1ppm
nitrate 70ppm

personally I think the filter is inadequate as it is designed for up to a 100 ltr tank and these are messy fish so will need a larger filtration capacity.

oh and the temp as ever is at 21C

 

[Harlequins]

Nope your filter is not cycled,you are still showing ammonia 0.25ppm.

What stocking have you got?

 

[Blubble37]

might take a while to count the little ones, they are so fast!

 

[Harlequins]

Well what do you think you got in the tank?,its sounds overstocked even before you say how many in there

 

[Blubble37]

7X white cloud minnow
1X unknown
8X goldfish (1 tiny (1 inch), 2 medium (1.5 inch), 1 medium/large (approx 1.7 inch), 4 large (2 inch to approx 3.2 inch)
(At last count) 59 snails (5 adults, rest are tiny to medium sized)
Countlesss numbers of snail eggs

 

[KittyKat]

Cloudy water is often the result of a bacterial bloom, which is often the result of ammonia in the water (sometimes in quantities so low that the tests won't register it).

Your filter in uncycled, going by your own readings. You should be running it all the time, only switching it off for a maximum of a few hours during maintenance. Stop using zeolite and let your filter finish cycling.

Once your filter is cycled, the cloudy water can be fixed by a large water change and waiting a few days. If it comes back, feed slightly less.

 

[Blubble37]

and if you wonder what test kit i have, it is the api master thingamabobblewotzit

when you say feed slightly less, i cant really do that! They're always hungry as i only feed them 2 times a day.

i dont switch it off unless i have to take it outside, it runs dry when i do a water change

EDIT: Actually, tyhe impeller is immersed in water that it is keeping from falling back into the filter box so i guess it is still lubricated in one way or another.

 

[KittyKat]

8X goldfish (1 tiny (1 inch), 2 medium (1.5 inch), 1 medium/large (approx 1.7 inch), 4 large (2 inch to approx 3.2 inch)

Those are all tiny, they will grow to at least 6", and potentially up to 12" in body length. They will need a much larger tank in the near future: 4+*2*2 ft for fancy goldfish or 6+*2*2 ft for common goldfish. They live for 15-25+ years if well cared for.

The temperature is also high for common goldfish, and on the upper side of ok for fancy goldfish. And they will eat small minnows.

 

[Harlequins]

7X white cloud minnow
1X unknown
8X goldfish (1 tiny (1 inch), 2 medium (1.5 inch), 1 medium/large (approx 1.7 inch), 4 large (2 inch to approx 3.2 inch)
(At last count) 59 snails (5 adults, rest are tiny to medium sized)
Countlesss numbers of snail eggs

Well sorry you're overstocked,1 goldfish needs a minimum 20 gals , let alone all these in a 95 litre!! your filter isn't handling the load!!
Either put the goldfish in your pond or get a bigger tank & filter...