Cloudy Water

[modestvolta]

I have a 40 gallon tank with a Fluval 305 filter. Recently, a fish (Bala Shark) developed what I think is fin rot. I did a partial water change and as I hadn't cleaned the filter in a while I cleaned that out (probably dumb to do, but I tried to avoid washing everything off if that counts...). For the fin rot, I started using Melafix and Primafix. I read that the carbon of the filter would nullify those two chemicals so I then removed the carbon.

Since removing the carbon (which also coincides with the filter cleaning), my water is getting very cloudy. I did a 30%-ish water change yesterday but the water is still very cloudy.

I'd like to use the Melafix and Primafix for a few more days in the main tank in case there's any disease hanging out in the water still, but I'm concerned that if I leave the carbon out, the water will keep getting worse. Any tips?

As for the fin rot: I moved that fish to a recently set up hospital/quarantine tank that I set up with (cloudy) water from the main tank and fresh water. That tank is also clouding up now. It was set up yesterday during the water change of the main tank. Any ideas on fixing that? Is it too soon to do a water change for that tank?

Sorry for the tome of text - thanks for any help!

 

[Mebbid]

Fin rot is caused by poor water conditions 95% of the time. What are your parameters currently at?

When cleaning the filter did you change the cartridge or just rinse it off? How exactly did you clean it? Generally, carbon becomes inactive after 1 - 3 weeks depending on the quality and amount.

The cloudiness is likely a bacterial bloom from ammonia in the water so the first course of action should be to test your water parameters.

 

[modestvolta]

So the 5 in 1 test str doesn't cover ammonia. However nitrite at 0 and nitrate around 40 to 80 (hard for me to tell on the strip). pH is lower than it should be (6.5 when I'm trying to keep it at 7 to 7.5).

And I only rinsed the media - no changing of it.

 

[Fishdude3233]

The strips are really bad, buy the API master liquid kit.

 

[modestvolta]

I don't have time to run out to get a new test kit tonight but I will keep that in mind (or possibly order on Amazon ASAP). Would another water change tonight be a good idea? And should I add carbon back to the filter or keep treating the tank for fin rot (even though the visibly sick fish has been removed)?

 

[Mebbid]

Fin rot isn't contagious as long as the poor water conditions are remedied. All but the most severe cases of fin rot will heal in the matter of a few weeks. If you have 80ppm nitrate (which is what we will assume it is at just to be on the safe side) then I would suggest doing 2 50% water changes waiting 1 hour between them. This would theoretically lower your nitrates down to 20ppm. Another 50% change tomorrow wouldn't hurt.

 

[modestvolta]

If fin rot's not contagious then I may move the shark back over to the main tank (I have very little faith in my backup equipment for the hospital tank). I'll post his symptoms in the sick fish forum as well to see if there's any other possible diseases/sickness going on. He also started swimming on his side and a lot of vertical floating. (This was happening before the move to the hospital tank so I don't think the two are related.)

I'll do a water change ASAP as well. I assume adding the carbon back in is not a good idea if I'll be continuing the Primafix/Melafix dosing?

Thanks for the help so far!

 

[Mebbid]

If fin rot's not contagious then I may move the shark back over to the main tank (I have very little faith in my backup equipment for the hospital tank). I'll post his symptoms in the sick fish forum as well to see if there's any other possible diseases/sickness going on. He also started swimming on his side and a lot of vertical floating. (This was happening before the move to the hospital tank so I don't think the two are related.)

I'll do a water change ASAP as well. I assume adding the carbon back in is not a good idea if I'll be continuing the Primafix/Melafix dosing?

Thanks for the help so far!

Usually, when fish are swimming like that they are too far gone to be saved. It was likely caused by high nitrates in the tank.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I would just like to second all the advise you have got already. Also, bala sharks shouldnt be kept in a 40g tank long term. They need 150g minimum.

 

[modestvolta]

Update: I did a 35%-ish water change (I just wasn't comfortable taking much more water out). Also cleaned off excess algae from decorations (after taking decorations out of the tank). About 30 minutes after the water change, I did a check on ammonia and, assuming I did the test correctly, the ammonia is down to somewhere between 10 and 20.

I'll do another 25% water change tomorrow and if needed, another on Friday or Saturday. Does that sound like an adequate plan or do you still recommend a more aggressive water change?

And regarding the Bala shark: I'm a moron, it's actually a rainbow shark (I had Balas a long time ago (in a slightly larger tank) and just got them mixed up in my head). He's doing a very admirable job of sticking in there but he's definitely seen better days. I'm still treating with fish meds, but most likely in vain at this point.

Thanks for all the feedback so far! The angel fish may be ticked off for now but I'm sure they'll appreciate it in the long run...

 

[venymae]

Did you mean .1-.2 on that ammonia? Either way it's still too high. I would do at least another small water change, if not a bigger one. Also, did you rinse your filter in tap water or dechlorinated water? At this point I think the stress of toxins in the water will be more than the stress of a water change.

 

[jlk]

I second increasing your water changes and investing in a decent test kit. Also realize that adding both melafix and pimafix to your tank will cloud the water as well. Healthy water is generally sufficient to heal minor to moderate cases of fin rot. If you do see improvement with daily water changes, please let us know and we can make further recommendations.

 

[modestvolta]

Venymae: No ammonia test yet (kit ordered from amazon and should be here tomorrow though); that was for the nitrates. And filter rinsed in tap water with all the dechlorination junk added in after rinsing (though the shark wasn't doing so great before the filter rinse anyway). Any recommendations for rinsing with dechlorinated water?

jlk: I think I'll stop the Melafix/Primafix medication in the main tank as they all look to be fine, but I'll still do a daily water change for the next three days to see if the water clears up.

Thanks for the help so far - let me know if there's any other recommendations!

 

[NYgiantsRP]

You should NEVER rinse your filter media in tap water. That kills off benifical bactiera that everyone works so hard to grow. ONLY RINSE IT IN ONLD TANK WATER.

No need for meds with fin rot, just better water. You can change 100% of your water as long as your filter media is well established, but your is not, so smaller water change is fine.

Do you have another tank?

 

[modestvolta]

Well I feel dumb for completely messing up the filter. I guess good to know for next time! Besides the hastily set up hospital tank for the rainbow shark (who's still hanging in there), the 40 gallon tank is all I have. Hopefully the water changes for the next few days help keep everything in check and safe for the fish.

 

[mrvincent]

Is the water white or green ? Put it in a white buck to see it...

 

[venymae]

You should NEVER rinse your filter media in tap water. That kills off benifical bactiera that everyone works so hard to grow. ONLY RINSE IT IN ONLD TANK WATER.

No need for meds with fin rot, just better water. You can change 100% of your water as long as your filter media is well established, but your is not, so smaller water change is fine.

Do you have another tank?

+1 to rinsing in the old tank water. Simply swish it in your bucket of removed tank water when you do a water change. Unless it is SUPER gunky, then shake it like crazy!
I'm sure you didn't kill off ALL your bacteria by rinsing in tap, but you probably killed a good amount. Starting is the biggest learning curve, it just gets easier from here, so keep on going!
Also +1 to fin rot not needing meds. Clean water will usually clear it up and a good slime coat booster can't hurt either.
I would disagree about not doing big water changes because your tank is not cycled though. Big water changes are actually a key to doing a fish-in cycle (I feel like I'm one of the only people who do them on this forum, guess I have the most time. lol) most of the bacteria is going to be growing on stuff (filter media, decor, etc) and will not be slowed down much (if at all) by water changes.

edit: when I said I'm the only person who does them, I meant fish-in cycles, not water changes. I better clarify that.

 

[modestvolta]

mrvincent: I'm guessing neither isn't a possible answer? I'd describe it as a cloudy clear mix. Maybe a yellow tint to it?

latest update: another water change done tonight, but I've stopped adding the Melafix and Primafix to the tank based on everything y'all have said so far. I am using Stress Coat from API so hopefully that does well as a slime coat booster. If not, feel free to make other recommendations and I'll try to swing by a pet store this weekend.

Thanks!

 

[NYgiantsRP]

+1 to rinsing in the old tank water. Simply swish it in your bucket of removed tank water when you do a water change. Unless it is SUPER gunky, then shake it like crazy!
I'm sure you didn't kill off ALL your bacteria by rinsing in tap, but you probably killed a good amount. Starting is the biggest learning curve, it just gets easier from here, so keep on going!
Also +1 to fin rot not needing meds. Clean water will usually clear it up and a good slime coat booster can't hurt either.
I would disagree about not doing big water changes because your tank is not cycled though. Big water changes are actually a key to doing a fish-in cycle (I feel like I'm one of the only people who do them on this forum, guess I have the most time. lol) most of the bacteria is going to be growing on stuff (filter media, decor, etc) and will not be slowed down much (if at all) by water changes.

edit: when I said I'm the only person who does them, I meant fish-in cycles, not water changes. I better clarify that.

I also do fish in cycles. It does take a lot of water changes. Some people make me feel bad about it haha. But I think is fine as long as you do what it takes to keep the fish healthy.

Its not good to change to much water when you are doing a fish in cycle. You want the ammonia so the cycling process dosent crash. But that also depends on what is in the tank, how big the tank is, how much you feed. So its always tough to make exact standards with these things.

 

[modestvolta]

I plan on adding the carbon back into the tank tonight - does anyone recommend reusing the old carbon removed, using all new carbon, or mixing the old and the new packs? (the fluval takes 3 packs of carbon)

And when rinsing the new carbon out, should I use used aquarium water or is tap water fine for that?