I got a aquarium for a early Christmas present from my wife with all the accessories. My tank has been set up for 3 week's now and I'm still having issues with cloudy water. I've done a 10 percent water change once a week. I added the correct amount of water conditioner and have adequate water flow. I've added good bacteria to the tank and cleaned the filter with tap water. I've tested my tap water for ammonia and it came back negative. I've added duckweed water wisteria and a couple of other small plants as suggested by the aquarium specialist at my local pet store. I've included pictures of the test results and Aquarium. Please help.
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- Thread starter Larry225
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Your Ammonia levels seem to be very high. I'm having problems with my tank being at .25 ppm and according to others here that is lethal to fish yours looks to be at 4.0ppm I don't think anything could live in there if .25 is lethal
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nirbhao
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you have any fish in your tank or are you adding ammonia?
Keep up the water quality monitoring.
As for the cloudy water. Let the tank be for awhile. Do not rinse the filter in tap water.
By rinsing it in tap water with bacteria killing chlorine and chloramine comin gout of the faucet, you will kill your beneficial bacteria aka BB. So you can not get a cycled tank if you keep killing the BB.
It is most likely a bacterial bloom, which should go away by itself in ~21 days as I was told. Mine went away a little sooner than that.
Only do water changes as necessary for the water conditions to be safe for the fish.
Try to feed smaller amounts of food.
What kind of substrate do you have?
What kind of fish... and are they young, babies or adults?
9 Goldfish would be different bioload than say, 9 young Neon Tetras or 9 baby guppies.
What is the gallons per hour turnover with your filter? Should be on the box or in the info from the company website as details or describtion. The number posted on the box is in testing condtions where there is new filter media and and basically a clean tank. Not the usual running conditions of an average tank.
What type of food can also make a gigantic difference in the water quality.
To clean your filter pad use pwc water to get the biggest mess gently rinsed in a container/ bucket and swish as gently as you can to still remove particulate waste.
If you can't quite get it clean to your satisfaction, use treated water (like the water you add to your tank after a water change) to rinse over pad. That way you won't kill the BB. As an additional help, if you can easily slide in a second filter pad into the filter, then do it. You will be doubling the available surface to build a strong BB colony.
As for the cloudy water. Let the tank be for awhile. Do not rinse the filter in tap water.
By rinsing it in tap water with bacteria killing chlorine and chloramine comin gout of the faucet, you will kill your beneficial bacteria aka BB. So you can not get a cycled tank if you keep killing the BB.
It is most likely a bacterial bloom, which should go away by itself in ~21 days as I was told. Mine went away a little sooner than that.
Only do water changes as necessary for the water conditions to be safe for the fish.
Try to feed smaller amounts of food.
What kind of substrate do you have?
What kind of fish... and are they young, babies or adults?
9 Goldfish would be different bioload than say, 9 young Neon Tetras or 9 baby guppies.
What is the gallons per hour turnover with your filter? Should be on the box or in the info from the company website as details or describtion. The number posted on the box is in testing condtions where there is new filter media and and basically a clean tank. Not the usual running conditions of an average tank.
What type of food can also make a gigantic difference in the water quality.
To clean your filter pad use pwc water to get the biggest mess gently rinsed in a container/ bucket and swish as gently as you can to still remove particulate waste.
If you can't quite get it clean to your satisfaction, use treated water (like the water you add to your tank after a water change) to rinse over pad. That way you won't kill the BB. As an additional help, if you can easily slide in a second filter pad into the filter, then do it. You will be doubling the available surface to build a strong BB colony.
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I have 1 Angle fish, 3 neons, 3 Molly's and 1 dragon fish. I did use tap water, I asked the guy at the aquarium shop if I should use treated water or water from the tank to clean the filter and he said use tap water because it will kill off all the bad bacteria that can kill my fish. I use regular small grain gravel. I feed them once a day only what they can eat immediately. I did add a co2 booster and a plant feeder other than the water conditioner as I put live plants to help the water. I've had the tank going since 12-22-16 and don't remember having this much of a issue getting past the cycle stage if that's what this is. It was 16 years ago when I last had a aquarium. Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure and do everything you suggested. The GPH is 320 ( not sure if that's good or not ). Should I take it back for a different filter?
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Lfs guy does not know about the nitrification process.
As soon as possible read the Aquarium Advice article link in my signature, called getting started.
There is lots of very useful info there already laid out for you and will give you a strong foundation for getting your tank cycled.
Here is another article too about going through the cycle process with fish living in the tank, added 2 below.
The test results you first posted show that the tank water is not at all good for fish to live in. There should be NO NitrItes should be blue. Very dangerous to fish.
Ammonia is way too high as well. It needs to be at .25 or better yet, -0-. Also check your tap water for Ammonia too, as sometimes, as yuck as it is, a fact there can be ammonia (and also nitrAtes) straight out of the tap. Good to know just in case you have it.
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Do a 50% pwc and check for the water quality, and if still not good then do one more 50% pwc. By then you will have changed a good portion of the water and diluted the toxic NitItes and Ammonia, so it will be at a safe(r) level.
As soon as possible read the Aquarium Advice article link in my signature, called getting started.
There is lots of very useful info there already laid out for you and will give you a strong foundation for getting your tank cycled.
Here is another article too about going through the cycle process with fish living in the tank, added 2 below.
The test results you first posted show that the tank water is not at all good for fish to live in. There should be NO NitrItes should be blue. Very dangerous to fish.
Ammonia is way too high as well. It needs to be at .25 or better yet, -0-. Also check your tap water for Ammonia too, as sometimes, as yuck as it is, a fact there can be ammonia (and also nitrAtes) straight out of the tap. Good to know just in case you have it.
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Do a 50% pwc and check for the water quality, and if still not good then do one more 50% pwc. By then you will have changed a good portion of the water and diluted the toxic NitItes and Ammonia, so it will be at a safe(r) level.
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You are welcome. I don't think I have anything to sell you....????? Let me check,
only kidding -
.
Anyway, years back I didn't know about a nitrification cycle! This not rinsing filter pad with tap water, or never changing the filter pads til they fall apart, made tank keeping much more simple, stable and easier to enjoy the tanks.
It really was life changing - in an aquarium type way, lol. Knowing all that now makes so much more sense.
Happy to help.
only kidding -
. Anyway, years back I didn't know about a nitrification cycle
! This not rinsing filter pad with tap water, or never changing the filter pads til they fall apart, made tank keeping much more simple, stable and easier to enjoy the tanks. It really was life changing - in an aquarium type way, lol. Knowing all that now makes so much more sense.
Happy to help.
I do not know anything about that specific filter. I run Fluval FX-5 older model and there are Fluval 4 and 6 canister . Also AquaClear (HOB / hang on the back) filters.
The A/C 110 is nice, but you already have the canister. You might try looking at reviews to see how good it is. An excellent filter is a worthwhile expenditure if you can do it. More is better in regards to water turn over in gallons per hour.
The A/C 110 is nice, but you already have the canister. You might try looking at reviews to see how good it is. An excellent filter is a worthwhile expenditure if you can do it. More is better in regards to water turn over in gallons per hour.
So when you go to buy the new one down the road, look up not only the good about the filter you are interested in purchasing, but also search "problems with the ---- " name of filter, might save you more $.
Enjoy the fish keeping. It will get less complicated as you gain more knowledge about it, and it is interesting and addictive!
Enjoy the fish keeping. It will get less complicated as you gain more knowledge about it, and it is interesting and addictive!
nirbhao
Aquarium Advice Addict
I always read one star reviews. They are so much more helpful than, "It's great! I love it!"
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