New Filter Problems...

[MoeZ822]

I am fairly new to aquariums and have some questions. I have a 47 gallon (tall) aquarium. I've had it for only about 2-3 weeks. I have 6 small/mid-sized angelfish and 1 mid-sized blue gourami. I had a 60 gallon Top Fin filter on the aquarium. The water was VERY clear but the filter was very loud. After a lot of research, I decided on the Eheim 2213 canister filter (which is supposed to be good up to a 66 gallon tank). The filter is much quieter but my water has been cloudy for about 3 days. I allowed the two filters to run together for a little over a day. I've had my water tested and everything was perfect. I do not think I overfeed the fish because there is never any food left after only about 2 minutes. I did a 20% water change with no difference in the cloudiness. I don't know what else to do. I'm not sure if the filter isn't big enough. Or if the intake and output tubes can be in a better spot. I currently have the intake in the back right corner about 3-4 inches from the bottom (the tank is 32 inches high) and the output tube is along the right side.

PLEASE HELP...I don't want any of my fish to die!!

 

[bluerose]

Did you do anything to cycle the tank?...

BTW, you probably want to get a test kit of your own and test your water regularly; it's not hard. The API Master Test Kit is a good one (avoid strips).

 

[reefman]

It is normal don't panic, this means that your tank is in the process of bein cicled wich is good for the settlement of your tank, in a few days you'll see your water goin back to clear. It is creating those bacterias wich are good for the fish.

 

[Caige]

Yes, but isn't this very bad for the angelfish and gourami? the Nitrites are going to rocket if it's going through a cycle.

 

[reefman]

All you need to do is to take your fish to your local acuarium and wait until your tank is cycled in a couple of weeks more or you'll face some death like it happens to me when I was starting my acuarium. After some more weeks you test your water and if its reads good parameters you put your fishes back to your acuarium, test your water regularly and keep posting, we are here to help you set up your acuarium.

 

[MoeZ822]

Bluerose...thanks for the quick response.

It is a bit of a long (but a little funny) story. I originally got a 29 gallon tank as a birthday gift. My husband and I used 5 tiger barbs to cycle the tank. After about 3 weeks of having the tiger barbs, we decided to add 2 angelfish that I really wanted for my tank. Both pet stores I went to told me the angel fish would not have any problems with the tiger barbs - boy were they wrong!! I guess I should have done a little more research!! Anyway, we purchase a 47 gallon tank for my angelfish (still kept the 29 gallon tank with the tiger barbs - my husband thought they were just too cool) and used about 25% of the smaller tanks water to help with the cycling. I had the new tank run for almost 2 days without the angelfish in it. I had only the 2 angelfish in the tank for about a week. We then had to add the blue gourami b/c the it wasn't getting along with the tiger barbs in the other tank. A few days after adding the gourami, we added three more angelfish (one of them didn't survive 8 hours after being brought home from the store). We waited about 5 days before we added the last two. It has been about a week since all the fish have been in the tank.

I have been looking into different test kits. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[MoeZ822]

Reefman - thank you for the advice.

Caige - thank you for your concern. I definitely do not want any of my fish to die. I have come to like all of them very much. I never knew fish could have so much of a personality!!!

Will adding another filter for the time being help in any way?? I have an extra 30 gallon Top Fin from my smaller tank.

Is there anything I can put in the water to prevent the nitrates from going to a deadly level??

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Well seems you moved very quickly on these tanks/fish prob too fast.

The 1st suggestion is to get a test kit, like the API freshwater Master test kit. Dont waste your time or $$ on test strips.

I believe your tank is cycling still which means you need to test your water daily and do water changes as needed.

The cloudiness is prob the bacteria starting to grow and establish. If it is more like sediment then you can try putting some 100% poly batting(pillow stuffing) in the top tray of your new filter as this will clear it fast.

Nitrates are only controlled by water changes, or if you have live plants then they will use them to grow.

 

[reefman]

I totally agree with speedeuphoria, nitrates are only controlled by changing 50% of your water twice a week. and when your tank is ready once a week. I started with a 10G. tank and now I have a 46G tank wich is running for almost a month the water went from clear to cloudy and now clear again, this means that is cycling creating all the bacterias, I am waiting for 3 more weeks to complete de cycle and to transfer my fishes to their new home. So be patient, wait some more weeks, for your tank to be cycled and you'll be fine. Don't forget to test your water and post the results here, this way we can tell how is your tank doing so far.

 

[MoeZ822]

I did a 50% water change and picked up the API master test kit. I checked the water and the nitrate level (NO2) is 0 and Ammonia is .5. The PH is VERY HIGH at 8.0. I'm not sure if getting API's PH down is be the best solution, if I should do another water change, or if there is something else that can be done. I was not able to check the NO3 levels b/c my kit didn't come with the color key (it is a bright yellow if anyone has one to look at).

Any suggestions...

 

[Alaris]

Do you have ammonia in your tap water? What do you use to condition it with? Bright yellow on the nitrAte card is 0. Leave your pH alone. Fish prefer a STABLE pH over an "ideal" one. Fish are very sensitive to pH changes and using a chemical to alter the pH will only set your tank up for a crash.

 

[MoeZ822]

I don't think there is ammonia in the tap water but I live in Florida, the water is not the best, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was. I use filtered water for the tank so I don't use any conditioner. Should I be concerned with the ammonia level?

Is there something I should do to slowly bring the pH down?

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Dont mess with the PH it will cause you more probs in the end, my PH is 8.0 also and all my fish do just fine.

Please test source water that you are using for the tank for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and PH. Just to give you a better picture.

 

[Purrbox]

If your water is being treated with Chloramine instead of Chlorine, it will test positive for Ammonia. Ammonia is bonded with Chlorine to form Chloramine which is more stable and doesn't gas off the same way that Chlorine does.

 

[reefman]

It seems that your parameters are reading good, but the ph still very high, keep doin 50% water changes twice a week this helps to lower your parameters. Don't panic, I went through all that it is totally normal cause your tank is in the process of been cycle.

 

[Alaris]

It seems that your parameters are reading good, but the ph still very high, keep doin 50% water changes twice a week this helps to lower your parameters. Don't panic, I went through all that it is totally normal cause your tank is in the process of been cycle.

Water changes don't lower pH.

 

[rkilling1]

Lets cut to the chase.

You have NH3/NH4 detected in your tank without any NO2 or NO3. Could it be from the water being added? It could, but I have never seen NH3/NH4 in my tank and I have chloramine in my tap water. A cycled tank shouldn't tank long to devour the NH3 from that. You also wrote that you don't treat the water for chlorine because it's filtered. This all leads me to:

You adding too many fish too fast and to top it off, the tank wasn't cycled to begin with.

Problem? Some would say yes, while others would say no.

You have the test kit now and can do PWC's. As long as you are monitoring the NH3/NH4, NO2, and NO3, you will be fine. Don't let the NH3 go over 0.5 PPM by performing PWC's as needed. (same goes for the NO2. Keep it under 0.5 PPM)

Keep the feedings down to about once everyother day. That doesn't mean add enough food for two days either.

What do you mean by filtered water?

Do you own a Python?

PS. One of the most important things to remember about PWC's is to ensure the incoming water is close in temp. to the water that is left in the tank. Large and sudden temp. changes really stress the fishies.

 

[sumpnfishy]

I might add just for future reference, when switching filter systems, best leave the old filter running for a couple of weeks while the new filter builds up the proper bacteria for biological filtration. I just did this recently when I went from HOB to canister filters. (same issue, HOB's are noisy).