cloudy water but amonia ok

[Seasons]

Hi
I've had numerous problems with my tank in the last few weeks...but to make a long story short...I had to do a complete tank overhaul because my fish were getting sick with several different things. Now that that's under control I have a cloudy water problem. I know that my tank is going through a cycle process but the amonia is nil...nitrites were up but its starting to level out and of course now my nitrates and at a high. I've been doing water changes throughout this whole thing...I can't figure why the water is cloudy though...bacteria bloom? I thought maybe an algae bloom but its not pea soup like. I have a 29 gallon tank with just an activated carbon filter...temp is 76 and I use an air stone...gravel bottem with several java fern. Mostly what I have for fish are gouramis and oranda's. Can anyone help? I don't want to put anything else in the tank without knowing for sure if I need to...the poor fish have been through enough. Thanks
Seasons

 

[Menagerie]

It sounds like a bloom of sorts. I suggest watching it and see what happens. How new is the carbon in the filter? What are the exact numbers for the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?

 

[Anemoneman]

Cloudy water is a classic sympton of overfeeding causing an bacteria bloom. Try cutting back on feeding for a while to clear it up.

 

[Seasons]

Thanks for the response. My amonia level is 0. It was very high but with numerous water changes and the cycling process moving into nitrites..its not a prob now, although I do check it every day. My nitrites area about .8 (3.3 mg/L) and my nitrates are about 60 (110.0 mg/L). My ph is sitting around 7. My filter is pretty new but the coudiness started before I changed it. I've been trying to feed the fish in small amounts but 3 times per day...perhaps that's too much? Thats been one of my concerns ever since I got this tank...how much to feed them. At one time i knew I was feeding too much by looking at the filter so I cut back. So if u have about 24 inches of fish how much is the right amount? Also when I got up this morning I notice that my pond goldfish looks a bit red along her spine...I hope those disease problem's haven't reappeared...arggggg.
Seasons

 

[Hara]

feeding three times a day is way too much.
I would feed every other day until your bloom dissipates. Goldfish
are known to produce alot of waste matter as well.

One other thing, you have goldfish with gourami and their tank
requirements are quite different. You may want to pick which one you
like better and then return the others....it will save you problems down
the road.

 

[Menagerie]

Fish will eat whenever there is an opportunity to eat and therefore, always act hungry. I agree with Hara, every other day is just fin for your finned friends.

So if u have about 24 inches of fish how much is the right amount?

Just drop in a little and see that is gets eaten in 3 minutes. If it gets eaten VERY rapidly, go ahead and drop in some more.

 

[Christmasfish]

Remember..as in another posts i've reminded..

FANCY GOLDS are an exception in feeding rules (as are babies being grown out).
They don't have a digestive system that is complete, the stomach is large, but the intestines are not efficient. Food goes straight through quickly...this means that very few of the nutrients in the food are properly adsorbed or digested (which is WHY fancy golds are such messy critter who can have a tank crash fast..the feces is nearly like throwing food straight in), So frequent controlled feedings are very important to gold health. They are not a fish you skip feedings on unless it is directly connected to a health issue (like constipation or dropsy).
I would say to step up your water change schedule as well find new tank mates.. The only tropical that wouldn't mind gold temps is a Paradise gourami. But you have other requirements too.

You have fish on two different sides of the scale...in the same enviroment

GOLDS............................................... Most poplar Gourami
delicate digestion................................ eats variety with no problem
ominvore.............................................insectivore and benthic predators
COLD WATER Species(temps below 75) ....WARM WATER Species (most like it 77-82 and up)
harder water adn slight alkaline..........................................soft and acidic
REQUIRE high oxygenation were developed from deep lake and river fish.............
.............. .............Specially adapted to low oxygenation caused by high temps and small water bodies with decaying matter)
will tear up plants (yum)...................................prefer plants to hide
are not territorial........................................... bubblenester can be very territorial
large fish (8 in &up)....................................most common are large fish (8+in )and the colisa(3-4in)

It's like making an Eskimo move to Guatamala..
or a Southern Californian move to Iceland..... sure they can survive..but

 

[Seasons]

Oh Boy...I'm not too sure what to do here. I wish I had gone looking for this advice before picking out my fish for the tank. I did ask the ppl working in the store a lot of questions about what fish work well with what. I had realised when my tank got sick and I got advice again that I should be looking for info on the net and asking the pro's...I've learned a great deal now and that's how I managed to get rid of the diseases and decided to overhaul my tank. Now I learn that these fish don't belong together but I don't have another tank to put the Gourami's in. Ok..so I have to do something though. What fish do go well with gourami's and oranda's??
Seasons
Appreciate your help

 

[tmurphy171]

As Christmasfish said, food goes in one end and right out the other end. I fed my goldies flake food at first. The food would be eliminated from the fish within minutes. After some research I tried Bio Blend for Goldfish which is a sinking pellet. The fish did well on this food and the food stayed in them longer. I then tried Pro Gold available online after reading good things about it. After soaking the pellet I feed them twice a day. It "stays" with the fish longer then other foods and the fish are doing very well on it. An added benefit is that the fish eat from the bottom of the tank which can help prevent swim bladder problems which can occur in some fancy goldies when the fish eat at the top of the tank and swallow air.
Also feed them fresh veggies and fruit like oranges.
How many oranda's do you have.?

 

[tmurphy171]

Double

 

[jlindseyjr]

Anacanapuner!

 

[Seasons]

I have 2 oranda's 1 black moor 1 fancy goldfish and 1 pond goldfish(which is huge). With that I also have 2 moonlite gourami's and 2 golden gourami's. I bought another 20 gallon tank last night so now I'll be separating the gourami's from the goldfish. It's sitting empty right now for the cycle process. Does anyone know what fish live well with goldfish and gourami's? I don't want to make this mistake again.
Thanks
Seasons