New, Need Help!

[kelly77143]

Had a clear tank two weeks ago. We upgraded our filter that came with the tank to a Eheim and added colored gravel. Parameters were good on all accounts. Had to go out of town for the weekend, bought 3 weekend feeders and put 2 for the main fish and 1 for the babies in the breeder net. Came back and the tank is cloudy as can be. We just assumed it was cycling from the new filter. its still not clear. our nitrates jumped up to 20ppm so we treated that with Prime. Still not clear. Dont know what else to do. Could the filter be that dirty already for us to have to change it out?? Any suggestions would help. I know we are getting over run with babies but we have tried the "let nature takes its course" thing and they are surviving more than they are getting eaten and so now we are netting the ones we can get to so we can give them to the LFS. My Tank36 Gallon tank-set up since March 2011

Eheim ecco 60g filter-upgrade 6/20/2011

standard gravel on tank floor

various tropical fish include:
Black, Silver, Dalmation, Cremesicle, balloon Mollys - Male/female

Fancy Guppies -male/female

Mickey Mouse Platys

Mystery/Apple snails

a few glofish
one Pleco

Note:Black Molly and Dalmation Molly are having fry regularly. May 18, June 20. We are putting the fry in a breeding net inside the tank until they are big enough to give a LFS.

Ammonia, Nitrites good
pH 6.8 - would like it to be a little higher. have buffer to raise it but dont want to harm the babies so I am raising it gradually.
Nitrates are 20.

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

 

[alLexX]

welcome to AA. ballon mollys=bad,they are horribly deformd,can barely swim,and often die when giving birth.just let the ballons fry turn into live food.

 

[kelly77143]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

Thanks! Love the site/app. Great topics.

 

[kelly77143]

welcome to AA. ballon mollys=bad,they are horribly deformd,can barely swim,and often die when giving birth.just let the ballons fry turn into live food.

Are the bred wrong? It's the black and dalmatian mollies that are giving birth. They are surviving more than they are becoming food. :/

 

[alLexX]

Are the bred wrong? It's the black and dalmatian mollies that are giving birth. They are surviving more than they are becoming food. :/

no,ballon mollys are deformed.people took the ones most like that,and continued to breed them,so that they looked "balloony". if the ballons arent the ones having babays then its fine.

 

[kelly77143]

Thanks