Cloudy water

[Alfredoman]

I gonna upgrade it later to 3

 

[daileene]

with your stocking list, i don't know if they are big heavy bioloaders and makes the tank cloudy.

 

[daileene]

I gonna upgrade it later to 3

what will you upgrade to 3?

 

[Alfredoman]

K

 

[Alfredoman]

My tank to 30 gallons i forgot th 0

 

[daileene]

uhhmmmm am not sure what that means?

EDIT: oh okay! LOL!

 

[Alfredoman]

My name alfredoman is because of the first fish i got an angel i dubbed alfredo

 

[IvanMike]

each one of those schooling type fish really "want" to be in groups of 6 or more (barbs, platties, tetras). I would honestly choose one or two of those types and get 6-10-12 or so of them and return the others (after you get a 30 gallon). Or you could have groups of 6-8 of each.

Most times cloudy water can be bacterial blooms (although green ones are algae). They are temporary and nothing to be too worried about. However, what sort of filters are you using? Do you clean the filter media in tap water or throw it out and replace it? I would suggest re-using the media (except carbon, which i would not use unless you suspect accidental poisoning) and rinsing it in tank water. There should be a large beneficial bacterial colony on there which eats the ammonia and nitrates. Rinsing in chlorinated tap water kills them, and throwing out the media removes them, and then you're back at square one. None of your fish are super sensitive to PWC -so i would go with a routine of changing 1/4 to 1/2 of the water every week - using a gravel vacuum (which is a larger diameter cylinder of plastic you attach to a plastic hose you siphon the water out with - goop goes out, gravel stays in). Make sure to match the temperature of the aquarium water as close as you can (and remember to unplug the heater while draining and refilling as it will break by heating up and then cracking when colder water hits it!!!) and also remember to add dechlorinator as directed (such as stress coat or novaqua).

 

[Alfredoman]

Ur probably rite about all of that

 

[IvanMike]

Ur probably rite about all of that

yeah, i am....

but seriously - what kind of filters are you using and how often do you change the water and how do you deal with cleaning/replacing filter media?

 

[daileene]

each one of those schooling type fish really "want" to be in groups of 6 or more (barbs, platties, tetras). I would honestly choose one or two of those types and get 6-10-12 or so of them and return the others (after you get a 30 gallon). Or you could have groups of 6-8 of each.

Most times cloudy water can be bacterial blooms (although green ones are algae). They are temporary and nothing to be too worried about. However, what sort of filters are you using? Do you clean the filter media in tap water or throw it out and replace it? I would suggest re-using the media (except carbon, which i would not use unless you suspect accidental poisoning) and rinsing it in tank water. There should be a large beneficial bacterial colony on there which eats the ammonia and nitrates. Rinsing in chlorinated tap water kills them, and throwing out the media removes them, and then you're back at square one. None of your fish are super sensitive to PWC -so i would go with a routine of changing 1/4 to 1/2 of the water every week - using a gravel vacuum (which is a larger diameter cylinder of plastic you attach to a plastic hose you siphon the water out with - goop goes out, gravel stays in). Make sure to match the temperature of the aquarium water as close as you can (and remember to unplug the heater while draining and refilling as it will break by heating up and then cracking when colder water hits it!!!) and also remember to add dechlorinator as directed (such as stress coat or novaqua).

GREAT Advice! Why didn't I think of that immediately?

 

[Alfredoman]

I use disposable filter cartrigesand i throw them away

 

[daileene]

ohhh that makes the mini-cycle....that makes the tank cloudy

 

[Alfredoman]

How does that happen

 

[IvanMike]

How does that happen

you're just starting to build up colonies of nitrosonomas and nitrobacter on the cartridges and then tossing them. The most important filtration in your tank is biological - not mechanical. Filter manufacturers would love for you to keep buying these cartridges, but it's doing you no good. I have used the same filter media (rinsed in tank water) for years. The bacteria colonies are literally eating the ammonia and nitrites which are the most poisonous things your fish are dealing with.

 

[Alfredoman]

No way thats Awesome

 

[IvanMike]

No way thats Awesome

way....

the biggest problem i have had is with bag type filter cartriges like the old whisper ones (and i think marineland uses those too). My favorite media is the aquaclear foam blocks. When i used whisper filters I actually bought oversized aquaclear/fluval foam blocks and cut them to fit the whisper filter media areas.

 

[Alfredoman]

I dont think the pet store carries those

 

[IvanMike]

I dont think the pet store carries those

thatfishplace is your friend...

 

[Alfredoman]

I no it is btw how do people feel about eating fish