cant clear my cloudy water!!

[DrRockzo]

Ok perfect I will keep that in mind,, also just putting it out there now that I have changed %60 of the water my arowana seems to be way more active,,,does it matter if I check the water conditions if my heater is still heating the water?

 

[eco23]

Ok perfect I will keep that in mind,, also just putting it out there now that I have changed %60 of the water my arowana seems to be way more active,,,does it matter if I check the water conditions if my heater is still heating the water?

First, with the levels you have, this is definitely a bacterial bloom that will go away on it's own. You actually want it cloudy right now because you're seeing the bacteria finding a place to stick to and start colonizing. Using a flocculent would be a bad idea right now. It will clear as the tank stabilizes.

I'm not sure I understand the heater question. Just make sure to keep it in the desired range your fish needs it, and make sure you try to match temperatures as closely as possible when changing the water...and use the Prime every time. Temperature won't effect tests.

Your fish is acting better because by lowering the ammonia below .25 and adding Prime, the ammonia has stopped burning his gills for the time being. You've just got to keep it that way with pwc's

 

[DrRockzo]

What is a flocculent?

 

[eco23]

What is a flocculent?

The water clarifier the other poster mentioned.

 

[DrRockzo]

Oh lol,, ya I wasn't planning on using that, I just want to get my tank cycled properly so my fish stays healthy

 

[DrRockzo]

This is how my tank looks at the moment,,, don't mind all my bright colours lol

 

[BeavisMom62]

What is a flocculent?

The types of water clarifiers that clump small floating particles together to make it easier for the filter to remove them. I know better now, but I've used them before (used them in my hot tub as well) and they didn't work at all! But the Bio-Clear that I mentioned is not a clumping kind of clarifier. But as you have been told, the cloudiness is normal and wanted in your tank right now. It is not the result of particles but bacteria, so that is good. Keep up the good work.

 

[eco23]

This is how my tank looks at the moment,,, don't mind all my bright colours lol

Looks like a dinosaur should be in there! Lol Nice tank, the cloudiness should clear up soon. Now that you've got the info, I'm sure you'll do a great job and take good care of your fish

 

[DrRockzo]

Ok so I Checked my water today

Ph=7.5
Ammonia=0.025ppm
Nitrite= 0ppm
Nitrate=0ppm

When will I start showing any nitrites???

 

[Deep Seven]

ok thanks for all your help!!! but just to clarify, if my buddy has a healthy fully cycled tank to speed up the process i can squeeze his filter sponge into my tank to get all the good bacteria?

If he has a small piece you can just take and add to your tank it would be best. A lot of people use a little gravel from an established tank in a media bag. Just make sure it doesn't dry out, or freeze or cook. That said, squeezing the filter into your tank will still add small quantities of bacteria to your tank. Bacteria don't appear out of thin air, and waiting for bacteria to find your tank "naturally" can be hit or miss IMHO. It will still take a while to build up the populations you need, but even a few bacteria will get you started on your way to billions and billions of them.

Eventually Ammonia should stop going up and zero out, and nitrites should appear then. Some tanks seem to "skip" this phase and go straight to nitrates.

 

[BeavisMom62]

This is how my tank looks at the moment,,, don't mind all my bright colours lol

That's pretty cool. I saw a volcano bubbler the other day that had a red light on the inside so that the bubbles coming out looked red. It was pretty cool. I can't tell, is yours like that too?

The second tank that I ever set up was all brightly colored. Yours at least is mostly one color. Mine was NEON! We called it the Disney tank, neon gravel, neon plastic plants, neon decor and a black light! LOL. That didn't last too long once I started setting up more natural ones. But I like yours. What are you going to put in it? (Or do you already have fish? I didn't go back to the beginninng of the thread).

 

[DrRockzo]

Ya I just have a baby arowana,,, I love bright coloured tanks,, people don't do it much

 

[eco23]

Do you have plans for a bigger tank in your future? If I remember correctly, I think those things can hit like 3 and a half feet! Liveaquaria has them listed for a 250 gallon tank minimum.

 

[DrRockzo]

Yes I do have plans for a bigger tank,, these are my favorite kind of fish and plan to have a couple more as well

 

[eco23]

Yes I do have plans for a bigger tank,, these are my favorite kind of fish and plan to have a couple more as well

Good deal

 

[DrRockzo]

Ok,,,, so this morning I woke up and my aquarium was crystal clear,,,,, and my water conditions have not changed,, not that I am complaining but I have no idea why

Ph - 7.5
Ammonia -0.25ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate -0ppm

I am confused now

 

[eco23]

Ok,,,, so this morning I woke up and my aquarium was crystal clear,,,,, and my water conditions have not changed,, not that I am complaining but I have no idea why

Ph - 7.5
Ammonia -0.25ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate -0ppm

I am confused now

Bacteria blooms usually only last for a short period of time. Hopefully this means the bacteria have settled down and will begin colonizing

 

[eco23]

BTW...are you absolutely, positively, one million percent sure you are testing the nitrAtes correctly? It's SO easy to do incorrectly. Make sure you shaking everything long enough and letting the tube sit 5 minutes before recording the result. I'm starting to think something is "fishy" if you have these numbers when the tank has been set up over 2 months.

 

[DrRockzo]

Ya I shake both bottles, the 2nd one for 30 secs and ther let it sit for 5 mins,,

 

[DrRockzo]

Ok so I did that test again,, and timed it alll out with a stop watch and still showed 0ppm