cloudy water need help

[rerun5880]

I just set up a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium. I put tap water in it and let it run for 2 days without fish and then tested it and it was good. I put 2 tiger oscar cichlids and a pleco-common algea eater in it. The next day my water was kinda hazey not milky just hazey is the best I can describe it. So I waited 3 days keep my water checked and everything is fine "ph is 8.2, ammonia is at 0, nitrite is at 0, and nitrate is at 0. The ph is good for the fish i have is what i am told and researched. I have a heater, water temp is at 80 degrees. I have water filter running its for a 70 gallon tank. i have air pump running into tank as well. no live plants but considering it.

 

[carey]

You did not cycle the tank before getting the fish? Is that correct?

 

[rerun5880]

yes, i did not cycle. is the cloudy water part of it cycling it self?

 

[OhNeil1969]

Was this a brand new tank or did you use any media, filters, gravel or decor from an existing tank? If not, carey is correct; your tank is not cycled. Also the fact that you have 0 nitrAtes tells me your tank is not cycled. If you did use existing items in your tank, you may be actually experiencing a bacteria bloom which is a good thing. It will eventually clear up.

 

[carey]

The tank can't cycle itself. Anyway you can return the fish you got? Also, do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? The test tube with liquid testing kits, not the strips?

Hmm if you cant return the fish you are gonna have to do water changes quite frequently to keep your ammonia at 0. Theres so much more to say...we'll see where you stand

 

[rerun5880]

the tank was previously used by the person i bought it from. the only thing that i put back in it from him is the filter pump. i put new gravel and decorations.

 

[carey]

Was the filter and the media inside still fresh when you got it? Like did you get the stuff and wait or did you do a direct move?

 

[rerun5880]

direct move the filters was still wet

 

[OhNeil1969]

the tank was previously used by the person i bought it from. the only thing that i put back in it from him is the filter pump. i put new gravel and decorations.

To be honest, that may help you. Your tank is already seeded thanks to the old filter. It is indeed then possible that your cloudiness was actually a bacteria bloom. Like I said, it will eventually go away, or more accurately settle. You will still need to test your water frequently and perform the necessary water changes. And like Carey said: DON'T USE THOSE TEST STRIPS!!! I found out the hard way that they are crap!

 

[hdultra]

You need to read this.
Tips and tricks for your fastest fishless cycle!

 

[rerun5880]

thank you, yes i am using a api master test kit the liquid

 

[carey]

You might have lucked out on this one! Good for you. A healthy tank will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and from 5-40 nitrates. Until you see some nitrates you cant be sure youre fully cycled. I def. wouldnt get any more fish until your sure.

Also, are you using a water treatment for the tap water? Something that get the chloramine, chlorine etc out? People mostly use prime, but theres several others. Thats another necessity if you dont have it.

oscars are pretty hardy, i had a 55 of them about 10 years ago and they grow fast! Fun fish tho

 

[rerun5880]

yes i bought nutrafin aquaplus for the treatment of my water. do i need to do some 20% water changes or just leave it alone for now? the fish i have is all i plan on putting in there cause i was told they get pretty big.

 

[carey]

First off, if this was me I would test my water 2 times a day. I am a bit OCD but you wanna catch the ammonia as soon as it hits. If the filter does in fact seed your tank you should see some test results on any of the 3 mentioned earlier.

If the ammonia does pop THEN you gotta do a water change. And depending on how high it may spike it could mean more than one in a day to get the values down.

Theres an article here on cycling with fish but I cant seem to find the link, someone will do it I'm sure.

You may be good though, just keep testing! let us know how youre doing and if you have any questions just ask away. The people here are super great and helpful

 

[hdultra]

First off, if this was me I would test my water 2 times a day. I am a bit OCD but you wanna catch the ammonia as soon as it hits. If the filter does in fact seed your tank you should see some test results on any of the 3 mentioned earlier.

If the ammonia does pop THEN you gotta do a water change. And depending on how high it may spike it could mean more than one in a day to get the values down.

Theres an article here on cycling with fish but I cant seem to find the link, someone will do it I'm sure.

You may be good though, just keep testing! let us know how youre doing and if you have any questions just ask away. The people here are super great and helpful

HINI has it but I can't find it either.

 

[carey]

Oh I forgot to ask, did you change the filter media before hooking it up? What filter do you have anyway? lol

 

[rerun5880]

no i didn't change or clean the filter cause i was told i needed the bacteria in the filter. i have a aqua tek 30-60

 

[rerun5880]

also i was thinking of putting a live plant "Riccia Fluitans" in the aquarium. what do u think?

 

[carey]

Ok then you have some bacteria. The more the merrier. Just from my experience, Oscars are horribly messy eaters so that filter might not make do forever. You arent gonna feed live are ya? I used to but heard it spreads disease to the oscars.

I guess now its just time to wait. Remember Nitrates are what indicates pretty much that your tank cycled so keep on the lookout. Using filter media you might just have some slight rises in ammonia etc. But best thing to do is wait and see.
i hope I was helpful.

 

[carey]

I know with my african cichlids plants are a no no. But with new world they might work. I would post a thread in the aquascaping section about plants, there are some seriously serious people with their plants.