Cloudy water - help!

[alanmc3112]

Can anyone help me please. I recently had to change my tank water as it was really cloudy, I'm not sure why this happened. So I completely cleaned the tank and put fresh water in it but I've noticed tonight that it's starting to get cloudy again, and it's only been a week since it was changed. Can anyone help with what or why this happens and if there is anything I can do to clear the water and prevent it happening again?


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[sinibotia]

Can you tell us more about your tank? Size, water parameters, what's in it, filtration, how long it's been set up, etc?

 

[alanmc3112]

I'm going to sound stupid here but I don't know too much about it, the size or much else in afraid. I have apisto, 1 gourami, 1 dwarf gourami 2 cory fish and 2 Molly. What is meant by water parameters?! And I'm not sure how to explain my filter. The tank has been set up for a year but there is only 1 original fish, and as mentioned I only changed it last week again.

I'm not much help sorry but I've not much experience/clue about tanks


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[sinibotia]

Water parameters means ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Cloudy water is often caused by high levels of ammonia.

Can you measure the dimensions of the tank?

When did you add each of the fish? And how big are all of them?

 

[alanmc3112]

It's approx 40l litres, how do I find out the ammonia levels?! (Again probably sounds stupid)

The gourami approx 4 inches has always been there for the year or so, the mollies 1.5 inches a good few months after, the dwarf gourami 2.5 inches was put in about a month ago and the apisto 2 inches and cory 2 inches put in at the same time 2 wks ago. Thanks


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[sinibotia]

You need a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Get the API freshwater master test kit. Costs about $30, but they can do hundreds of tests each.

Your tank is severely overstocked. What likely happened is that your fish are producing more ammonia than your filter can keep up with. Adding the apisto and corydoras probably pushed it over the edge.

None of the fish you have is appropriate for your tank size; I would try to get a bigger tank or find a different home for them and then get some fish that stay smaller for your tank.

 

[alanmc3112]

I really appreciate your help, thanks.

So if I rehome the fish will the water filter clear again or do I need to redo the tank or is there anything I can get for this? Will the fish die if I take no action or what effect will this have on them?


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[sinibotia]

This is somewhat conjecture since I don't know your water parameters.

If you rehome the fish the ammonia should go down and your water should clear on its own.

Ammonia is highly toxic to fish so if you take no action then yes they are likely to die from that.

 

[alanmc3112]

Thanks again for your help, appreciate it


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