My tank's water's gone craaazyyyy~

[IrisMR]

I've had this tank for about a year and things have been going rather smoothly...Till recently. The water's cloudy and I'm trying to figure out how...

My tests say the phosphates are off the chart. There's some amonia but they seem rather low levels.. But even then, a few weeks ago there wasn't any at all. The Ph used to be 6.4, 6.6, and now it's a low 6, maybe lower. There's nitrates, nitrite... I managed to lower them a bit. Went from a bright flashy pink to paler. But I think they're trying to go back up.

I have two neon tetras and two white tetras in my tank with a...fish thing...who likes cleaning my windows and plants. I can't remember the name of it in english.

I started adding some algae tablets for food about 2 months ago. In my last visit to the pet store, I complained that my plants weren't doing very good and the lady sold me those sticks I put in the gravel next to the plants for nutrients. (Plants are doing good... That's one thing that's doing good.) I keep being told by relatives that these sticks are the cause of all my problems but I have huge doubts on that considering the tests. I wish I remembered the brand name.

My filter is an Aquaclear... I use some Biomax, foam and there's also that peat I use. I used to have a high pH before but decent everythings. So I started using that to lower it. Seemed to work... And I had a stable pH now.

I'm trying to figure out a plan of action but I'm wayyy too lacking in knowledge to figure it out myself, and all I get from people at the petstore is "Buy this thing, buy that thing to lower that", etc.

Can anyone help?

 

[Blueiz]

The sticks are adding to the problem . What size tank do you have and how often do you do water changes on it?

For some reason your tank is cycling again, a bacteria bloom is most likely responsible for the cloudiness.

 

[IrisMR]

The sticks are adding to the problem . What size tank do you have and how often do you do water changes on it?

For some reason your tank is cycling again, a bacteria bloom is most likely responsible for the cloudiness.

Really?? It adds to the problem?? Well, I have a 10 gallon and I usually do a water change every week or so (Maybe a bit over depending on my schedule.). I did my latest water change friday.

 

[Blueiz]

Your biggest issue right now is that your tank is cycling. Did you do any cleaning on it recently -like change any filter media out, or add any new fish? There is a chance as well that you are over feeding with the algae tabs causing a lot of food waste and that is making your parameters spike.

Fertilizer sticks and tabs that you add to the substrate are known to cause algae problems as well, these could also be leaching phosphates into your water. The in substrate fertilizers generally do not cause problems if they are buried completely in the substrate.

 

[IrisMR]

Your biggest issue right now is that your tank is cycling. Did you do any cleaning on it recently -like change any filter media out, or add any new fish? There is a chance as well that you are over feeding with the algae tabs causing a lot of food waste and that is making your parameters spike.

Fertilizer sticks and tabs that you add to the substrate are known to cause algae problems as well, these could also be leaching phosphates into your water. The in substrate fertilizers generally do not cause problems if they are buried completely in the substrate.

Well recently I changed my biomax and my foam block. But my water was already cloudy. I also added a couple plants. My water wasn't cloudy then if I remember well.

For the algae, I was giving about a third of a tablet when I was giving that to them. They'd usually fight over it for a long time...

Also... the sticks are sticking out of my gravel. They're the only fertilizer for my plants...Should I remove them?

 

[Blueiz]

You should put them all the way in the gravel, or remove them.

 

[IrisMR]

Do you think that is what is causing my problem?

If I were to remove them... What should I replace them with? My plants would probably start back their dying trends...

 

[Blueiz]

If you dont want to remove them, just put them down in the gravel .

Somethng is causing your parameters to spike, I don't think that the fertilizer sticks are responsible for this. THey are probably responsible for the high phosphates though.

Have you lost any fish that could be rotting in the tank? If there are no outward signs of what could be causing the tank to cycle again, then you will have to just wait out the cycle while keeping the ammonia and nitrite as low as possible so they don't harm your fish.

To do this, I would cut back feeding to every other day, vacccum the gravel as best you can with plants in there, and do water changes daily. When your ammonia and nitrites read zero, go back to your normal feeding routine , and make sure that you are only feeding your fish as much as they can eat within a few minutes.

Are you using a liquid test, or the test strips?

 

[IrisMR]

I haven't lost any fish... No one's missing, all my folks are there and swimming about. Are high phosphates worrisome? I know I used to have a little stamp filter I'd add to my filter for phosphates to go down but I'm not sure it ever did much. I threw it away a month ago, it had pierced open. (I always did have a little bit of phosphate problems.)

I did have a rotting plant though. I added it at the same time as the sticks and it just rotted and died in a couple days. I have no idea why it did that, but the other ones are doing OK. I got some brown leaves but nothing that makes me say "That thing's rotting and it's icky." And one plant has a bit of that foam stuff they wrap around the roots stuck there... I tried to remove it the best I could but it's really stuck. I'd tear off the roots. Doesn't seem to be anything infectuous there though.

I wonder, my sister's boyfriend empties his tanks every 3 months and cleans them through. Should I do that?

I use liquid tests. I feel like a chemist~. I add up some Cycle every water change and I bought some Waste Control when the water started getting cloudy. I hope it'll help.

 

[Blueiz]

It isnt necessary, or advisable to empty the tank and clean it. When doing that you run a very high risk of having to start all over with your cycle and your tank never matures.

I would not add the cycle nor the waste control to the tank. Neither are benificial as nothing takes the place of removing waste through regular water changes and the tank being fully cycled.

The rotting plant, and reminants of it left in your tank could be causing the parameters to spike, I would remove it.


High phosphates can lead to algae growth. If you are not having a problem with algae, I wouldnt be to concerned about it, however if you do start having a problem, that would be the first thing I would look into. You can buy filter media that will remove phosphate from the water. The phosphates can be coming from your source water, fertilizer, the rock wool remnants on the plants, fish food, and im sure there is a source that I haven't mentioned.

Are your test kits in date? If not I would buy some fresh ones. Other than that, keep up with your water changes and tank maintenance and have patience until the cycle is complete.

 

[IrisMR]

Gotcha. He had told me it was necessary to clean them all every three months... I knew there was something fishy (Haha. I made a funny. I'm tired.) about that since I wasn,t seeing that tip anywhere else ...

I don't have an algae problem per say... I mean I used to, but now I have a hungry fellow eating them all and the tank's practically spotless... but there are a few green spots on the glass it can't seem to be able to eat... And I can't seem to be able to scrub them off either. They're tough.

I think my test kits are "in date.." I don't see any mention on them of a date or anything though.

I think my water's already starting to get clearer. I should run a few other tests tomorrow to see what the numbers are now.

 

[Blueiz]

Algae eaters won't touch that stuff on the glass that is hard to remove, I usually use a razor blade or scrub it with a wadded up media bag to get it off of mine.

 

[rusilja]

I had the same problem a day ago when I added more gravel (forgot to wash it), I had no filter, then the same day I bought one and withing couple of hours the water was very clean!
Adding bacteria helps ^^