cloudy newbie

[ddodad]

I just purchased a 10 gallon starter kit, I followed the advice from the pet store. After doing some research they migt not of been correct I am not sure if i need to completely restart. I bought the cycle product and have followed the directions all was good for the first couple days. After the third and final startup dose the aquarium became cloudy. I called to speak to someone at the store they said it is because I have a large bubbler and its disolved air which does not make sence to me. Help please I am anxious to add fish already

 

[tamtam]

Do you have a test kit? If not you should really invest in one. A good liquid kit, not strips. People here love API.

I'm assuming your plan is a fishless cycle by the sounds of it. I've never used these products before so I may not be a big help in this. My biggest suggestion is to get a test kit and start testing your water. See if you are getting any ammonia or nitrites and then you can go from there.

I'm not sure if this product is simply to detoxify ammonia/harmful water qualities or if it has some added bonus to cycling. To cycle your tank you need an ammonia source and again I'm not sure if this product provides that...

The cloudy water could be a bacteria bloom which is common in a cycle or it could be micro bubbles(tiny bubbles in the water that make it look cloudy). I'm not certain. Hopefully someone can come along who has experience with this product. I will refer you to the sticky threads at the top of the page, there is a ton of info of cycling, both fish in and fish less.

 

[blert]

Unfortunately, pet shop advice is normally not all that all that reliable. Evidenced by the fact that they took advantage of someone new to the hobby and sold you bacteria in a bottle.

That said, you have come to the right place and the folks here will help you through this. First, some information is needed.
Do you have test kit? Many people rely on the API Master Kit as it gives you all you need ( for now ) for a good price.
If you have the kit we need to know what your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are.
Also, what fish and how many of each are in the tank?
What filter do you have?
If you don't have a test kit right now, and you have fish, please do a 50% water change, with temperature match and conditioned water, right away and get yourself the test kit.

 

[RussellC]

I just purchased a 10 gallon starter kit, I followed the advice from the pet store. After doing some research they migt not of been correct I am not sure if i need to completely restart. I bought the cycle product and have followed the directions all was good for the first couple days. After the third and final startup dose the aquarium became cloudy. I called to speak to someone at the store they said it is because I have a large bubbler and its disolved air which does not make sence to me. Help please I am anxious to add fish already

First, while I don't know what cycling product you are using, cloudiness in the water is normal when using them from my experience. It will clear in time on its own, so that's nothing to worry about.

The effectiveness of cycling products is debated among fishkeepers -- some have used them with good results, others have found them ineffective -- but I think everyone pretty much agrees that they don't do any real harm and are safe to use.

One thing all the cycling products need, though, is a source of ammonia. Ammonia is the food the bacteria need to grow and cycle the tank. Adding the product without adding any ammonia (typical sources are *pure* bottled ammonia, decomposing fish food, or fish) won't be very effective as whatever bacteria you are adding will starve.

Whether or not it is safe to add fish is another area where opinions differ. Some argue that it is best to complete the cycle before adding fish at all, others contend that it is possible to safely cycle a tank with fish, so long as it's done correctly.

This article is, I think, a great resource in getting you started.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

If you have any other questions, let us know.

Good luck!

 

[ddodad]

Thanks for the advice I never knew it was this complicated. I remember as a kid we just bought a bowl and put in goldfish. I now know why they never lasted long. I'll go buy the test kit

 

[tamtam]

Thanks for the advice I never knew it was this complicated. I remember as a kid we just bought a bowl and put in goldfish. I now know why they never lasted long. I'll go buy the test kit

It really is more complicated then you expect when you first get into it. It takes a lot of patience to cycle a tank.

Once you get the test kit and to one post the results and we will help you out from there. I'd also read the sticky links at the top about fish in and fishless cycling and decide what you want to do. It sounds like you will need an ammonia source.