Need Some Help...

[Dixiegirl89]

Hi! So obviously im very new and still pretty new to the fish world. I just upgraded from a 10 gallon to a 60 gallon within the last 3 days. My tank has some live plants in it so I added substrate to the tank and thats the only thing on the bottom. I added my live plants and I added quick start api to the tank to get my fish out of that 10 gallon in a hurry. The quick start worked great and I've lost no fish. Ive been doing water tests like a crazy person and everything is perfect. Ph is at 7, no traces of nitrite or nitrate, and my ammonia is incredibly low. That being said I went out and bought more fish, still the water conditions stayed the same. Also doing water changes, but I dont think im doing enough water changes. My water is CLOUDY! I cant see from one side to the other! I added a clarifier that came with the substrate and I've added other clarifiers. Still nothing, so now im lost lol. Any help would be much appreciated. If you took time to read all of this then you deserve a cookie.

 

[Dixiegirl89]

Oh and my filter is a fluval aqua clear 300gph, and my heater is a fluval for a 70 gallon +

 

[Dixiegirl89]

I think maybe I should get another filter?

 

[Dixiegirl89]

Nobody?

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[cgthebeast]

Did you get a new filter? It could be that the filter it's self isn't cycled

 

[tommyk]

Hi.

I'm not an expert but I upgraded from a 15 gal to a 40 gal 3 weeks ago. What I did was put my old filter running with the new filter in the big tank. I left it like this for a few days and then put the sponge from the old filter into the new filter.
The water was slightly cloudy for a few days after the change over but it came clear after about 5 days.
Like you I had no spikes in the tank.
I also added new fish and everything is still good.
I also added all the substrate and decorations from the old tank. I think that moved most of my bb into the new tank

 

[Fishperson]

I agree with Tommy that you should add your old filter onto your new tank.

The cloudiness is just a bacterial bloom, don't worry about it because it doesn't do anything.

Yes you need a new filter, but you can just add one on. You should get around another 200 gph onto the tank in my opinion.

Lastly, you need to be PATIENT! That's what this hobby is all about. People fishless cycle for MONTHS sometimes, and they make it through. It's all about being patient in the end. It was only 2 hours before it got a reply. We're people, not robots.

Welcome to AA!

 

[Dixiegirl89]

Lol sorry, I think I was just freaking out for no reason. Thank you so much, I went ahead and bought another 300 gph filter, and a bubble curtain for aeration. Ill put my old filter on the tank when I get home thank you guys again. Im impatient but im learning to wait.

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[tommyk]

Don't worry.

It's hard to be patient especially if you are worried about your tank.

I hope it all works out for you.

Let us know how it goes

 

[Dixiegirl89]

I tried to put my other filter on the tank but it didn't fit, so I took water from my old tank and added a few cups to the new tank. Plus I have a bubble curtain up now for aeration and the new filter is on. Pumping 600 gph now.

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[threnjen]

Put all the media you can from the old filter in the new filter. There is almost no bacteria in the tank water itself so transferring water is not that helpful.

 

[Dixiegirl89]

They're 2 different filters. My new filters have media but the old filter is a cartridge. Or are you saying I should pretty much take that cartridge and set it in with the media in the new filter?

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[threnjen]

If it will fit, make it fit! Anything you can transfer over will help.

 

[Dixiegirl89]

Awesome, ill see if I can get it in there tomorrow. Thanks!

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[tommyk]

My old one was sponge and the new one had media. I cut the sponge up and put it in the media section of the new filter. Worked brilliant

 

[Dixiegirl89]

I put the old filter in a few hours ago, its surprisingly a bit smaller so it fit perfectly!

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[Dixiegirl89]

Dont take me as impatient, im not touching my tank and I'm waiting for the bloom to be over. Just maybe a rough estimate if possible, how long do these things take? I mean its been almost a week and it feels like an eternity. Just was wondering if there was actually some type of time frame thats acceptable before I should start doing something about it?

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[Dixiegirl89]

Oh! And the guy at the pet store told me I should not be doing water changes at all. But there are fish in the tank. And my nitrates and nitrite levels are starting to go up. Not by much mind you but still. Should I do water changes or no?

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[threnjen]

Nitrites are extremely toxic to the fish. I would do them any time nitrites hit .5. Some people on the forum will say .25. I'm of the opinion that you want something for the beneficial bacteria to work from, but the moral of the story is that nitrites in any amount are very bad for your fish, so keeping these low (while not ZERO) is very important to their long term health.

I would GUESS that the bloom will go away in a few days now that you've jump-started your filter a bit with your old media (although was the old filter cycled? that would make a difference too)

 

[Dixiegirl89]

Yes the old filter was cycled for I wanna say over a month and a half? Maybe more. So I should be doing water changes if the nitrite spike a bit then? Last night they were at .25ppm and nitrates at 5ppm.

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