I need advice-cloudy tank

[NewFishGuy]

okay...here is my problem:

I have a cloudy tank that I can't seem to get cleared up. a few of my fish also kept shooting to the surface as if they were not getting enough oxygen.

Here is my setup:

10 gal freshwater
1 dwarf fire gourami
2 minor black spotted tetras
2 albino cory catfish
top fin power filter

Here is what I've tried:

First I thought maybe the fish were shooting to the surface because they weren't getting enough oxygen in the water so I bought a bubble wand....It didn't seem to make any difference...I think they were just hungry...I started feeding them a little more often and they seem to have quieted down with the surface attacks.

Next is the big reason for my post. The cloudy water situation. all my tests and numbers in water quality are fine...nothing out of the ordinary. I have tried multiple water changes, even up top 50%...no change. I have thoroughly vaccuumed the substrate...no help....I have changed filterd and sponges...no help. I have purchased and used this liquid which is supposed to make your water crystal clear...no help.

I can actually see particles floating in the water....I don't understand this because I haven't had a problem with this in the past 6 months...this just started a couple weeks ago.

HELP!!!!


Thanks in advance

 

[Fishyfanatic]

How did you test your water? Are you using test strips, a master test kit, or are you taking water to the lfs? If you are using strips, invest in a Master Test Kit. For the time being, you should take a sample to the lfs for testing.

Most people on this website would tell you not to use the liquid that is supposed to make your water crystal clear because all it does is mask the real problem. It will give you a temporary fix. It is true most of the time, but not always.

I know what you are talking about because I had the same problem about 6 months ago. No matter how many times I did water changes, it was still cloudy. It is probably an algae bloom. (That's what mine was) I even went so far as to buy 4 different clemicals from the lfs to combat this problem. None of them worked. So, I did two things, and the problem went away. First I bought Algae Fix and put it into the tank, following the instructions on the bottle. Then, purchased a common pleco to take care of the algae that had formed on the glass in the back. Within 24 hours the problem was fixed.

I very rarely use chemicals in our tanks because of the effects that it has on the fish. Normally the only thing that ever goes into our water is the dechlorinator. But the Algae Fix seemed like a miracle in a bottle. I'm sure more people can post their opinion on this and either back what I am saying or give another theory.

 

[NewFishGuy]

Thanks for the ideas.....I do use a master test kit....don't like the strips....just don't seem like they can be anywhere near as acurate....I will take your advice and take a sample into the lfs to have them test it.....although my local lfs is a petsmart and the use test strips...they don't even use a master kit....I am having trouble finding a good lfs other than this one in my area....I am still looking,though.

 

[Menagerie]

If it was the cories darting to the surface, that is completely natural. What is the nitrate level?

 

[NewFishGuy]

at first it was both cory's darting up....looked like they were going after bubbles on the surface...then my gourami and one of my tetras started doing it...not sure if it is related to adding the air wand or not...happened at almost same time.

as far as the nitrate level, I'm not sure off the top of my head...I'm at work and that info is in my computer at home...I'll post the #'s when I get home.

 

[NewFishGuy]

Okay...here are the numbers:

pH : 2.0
temp : 80 deg F
Amonia : 2.0 ( normally runs around 0.5 but spiked after I had my arm in tank adding bubble wand)
Nitrite : 0.25
Nitrate : 0.00

Okay....any other ideas?

 

[Rach101]

My friends tank clouded up real bad cause she was feeding her fishes way to much. and the food wasnt being aten.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I think your PH is wrong, a PH of 2 could eat the paint off a car quite easily..

It would look as tho the tank is just starting to cycle.. tho the ammonia is a bit high. kinda odd considering the timeframe, sorry I haven't read all the posts, but have you changed the filter or something major in the last while?

Also, try reducing your temperature slowly to about 77, ammonia becomes more toxic as the temperature increases (or am i thinking of nitrite?)

Ahh, just read, you're using a topfin filter, they use a cartridge just like the tetra whispers, but they lack the biofoam (at least the one I have here doesn't have it, if yours does I hope you didn't change this as it will reset the biological filtration, which could cause part of your problem.)

the foam is biological, at most rinse it with aquarium water to remove clogs. if yours lacks the foam, then keep re-using the black frame that holds the material, it is the biological part of the filter.. (I know they give you a new one, but I wouldn't use it since you're just backing up the progress of your tank)

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I agree with wizard, the pH that you stated has to be incorrect. I've never heard of a pH being that low or being able to even test that low. Do you mean 7.2?

Your ammonia is too high. It should be reading 0 if the tank is completly cycled. Also your Nitrite should be reading 0 and your Nitrate should be somewhere below 40. The fact that it reads 0, the tank needs to be re-cycled.

Even though you may be tempted to gravel vac, change cartriges, and do a 50% water change, resist the temptation. It will cause you to have to recycle the tank. As gross as it sounds, just simply clean off your cartidges each month in used tank water (from the bucket that you drained from the tank). Gravel vac once a month, or better yet, if you can get one of those filtration units that you can hook a gravel vac to, all you have to do is hook up the gravel vac and clean the gravel, then rinse off the cartridge and you are done. This can be done mid-month.

 

[RoK]

My tank became very cloudy once when I did a water change because there was a bunch of debris in the gravel and the filter cartridges were changed at the same time. I must of killed a lot of the beneficial bacteria, at this time I didn't really know you shouldn't siphon the gravel and put in new filter cartridges at the same time. If you did this, try to do these two tasks at different times. If you change the filter wait a few days before doing a water change and vice versa.
It does seem your tank is still cycling if you are not getting 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. How long has the tank been running?
If the tank has been running awhile it may be that it has to now re-cycle because of doing water changes and changing the filter media and has to regrow the beneficial bacteria to remove the ammonia and nitrite.
There is no way the pH is 2.0, it must've been for something else. 6.8-7.2 is the normal range.

 

[NewFishGuy]

Well....I was incorrect on the pH....I tested it again and it was 6.4-6.6,,,,I also doscovered the culprit....

I had recently gotten 2 new albino cory cats because my wife left the tank lid open and the albino cory cat I had jumped out and was eaten by my cat or dog. well a couple nights ago I did a 50% water change to add 2 additional cory cats...a spotted cory and another one...for the life of me I cant remember what that one was. Anyway....when I did the large water change....the body of my missing albine floated out of a hole in a rock feature that I have in the back of the tank....I removed what remained of the carcass and the next morning the water was crystal clear. The cloudy water was coming from the decay of the fish. Everything is perfect now.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[black udder]

I've found that putting too many of the algea tablets in can cloud the water - so it might be food that's causing the problem.

When I've had cloudy water I've gone with the clear drops and paritial water changes for several days in a row and it clears up quickly. However; I'm pretty sure that my cloudy water came from the food put in tank, so gravel-vac & water change should resolve.

Perhaps it is in relation to the tank cycling...

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

It would be an ammonia spike which caused a bacterial bloom.. decaying fish cause a lot of ammonia, esp in smaller tanks..

Glad to hear you found your problem, and sorry about your loss.