Water clarity question?

[CBRRider66]

I have a 300 gallon acrylic bottom drilled tank. I'm running one fx5 canister with Bio balls ceramic chips andwater polishing pads. Tank didn't clear as I had imagined so I added an extra Rena canister the is Bio balls filter sponges and a water softening pillow. Still am not getting the clarity I'm looking for? Any Suggestions?

 

[Readingexcalibur]

How long has it been set up?

 

[jpchin]

i see you have a sand substrate (?) i know a lot of people that have sand have issues with water clarity in the beginning. seems it's difficult to rinse all the dust out. is this a new set-up?

 

[CBRRider66]

Its been set up for about 4+ months. Had really high Ph initially . Finally got that between 7.6 - 7.4. amonia 0 . Nitrates and nitrites 0. I have two offset 6 foot lights with sunlight, moonlight, and twilight settings all on timers. I was wondering if it could be the wrong bulbs or maybe I have it overstocked.

2 plekos
2 brichiers
4 jewel ciclids
2 convict ciclids
2 red tailed sharks
3 rose line sharks (dennisons barb)
8 tiger barbs
5 giant danios
4 angel fish
4 silver dollars
5 assorted orange and yellow ciclids
5 pictus cats
1 shovelnose catfish
2 clown loaches
1 clown knife
3 bala sharks
2 high fin sharks
2 parrot fish
2 hump head glass fish


LMFAO. I think thats all. Could that be the problem. I feed flakes and pellets every other day and feeders on the I between days. I have one moss ball and about 4 to 5 live plants. The rest of the plants are fake. I'll take a current pic for you now. Well I got the pics but I don't know how to upload them to this thread. Ill put them in my album. The pics don't look bad but when you get right up the the acrylic it just looks cloudy to me.....
1 fire eel

 

[CBRRider66]

Yeah it is sand. But about 200 lbs in at first thinking one pound per gallon but after 200 lbs I ended pulling about 75 lbs out so I have roughly an inch of substrate all the way around

 

[Readingexcalibur]

I envy your tank my friend. I don't think your overstocked, but someone with more experience in that department will chime in. 4 months to me isn't enough time to add all of those fish tho. About your stocking, you are going to need to consider your loach family as they will need to be in a larger group. Also your roseline sharks will need to be 5+. It doesn't look like a bad bacteria bloom. Probably just a cycle.

 

[CBRRider66]

thanks for the info. I'm looking for a few more roselines. I started the loaches with 5 and am down to one left. Either the clown knife or shovelnose is getting them.....

 

[Readingexcalibur]

thanks for the info. I'm looking for a few more roselines. I started the loaches with 5 and am down to one left. Either the clown knife or shovelnose is getting them.....

Gotcha. Well I was recently reading that roseline sharks, although fairly new to the hobby,may be off the market soon because of endangerment to their natural numbers. I have 6 and they are a great tight schooling fish.

 

[CBRRider66]

Yes the roselines are really beautiful fish. I have two big ones 3 inch and one smaller one about 1.5 inch. Wen I saw them at the LFS I tried to research them but couldn't find it under rose line. All aquarium books were calling them dennisons barbs. My LFS still sells them but they are all small. Trying to get some larger ones ordered

 

[jpchin]

the only comment i have is it's strange to have 0 nitrates i think. especially with only a few live plants. from my experience i always have between 10-15 on nitrates. your tank is really beautiful! it's huge! i agree with readingexcalibur. it might be a bacteria bloom. when you add that many fish your beneficial bacteria has to catch up. i don't think it looks cloudy from the pics.but i understand that when you are looking at it in person it does. i was wondering if you might have a slight bit of dirt on the inside of the acrylic? i know you probably thought of that already. it is strange but i'm sure it will clear.

 

[RDerrick]

If it's not bacterial bloom which should clear up by itself, have you tried purigen? I love the way my fish look like they are flying through air instead of swimming in the water.