Clearing Water

[Priest]

I am having a problem that I cannot make my fish tank water clear no matter what I do. Recently I replaced my carbon filter after the last one was breaking apart. Instead of me buying another one of those carbon filters that is for the filter, I just bought a box of activated carbon and a nylon bag. Once I bought the items I did a 50% water change with gravel vac, clean the plants, the ornaments and scrapped the algae off the tank. I did that three days ago and the tank is still cloudy. As an added step I tested the water and my results were 6.8pH, 0 Amm, 0 Nitrite and 0 Nitrate, it has been this way for a while now and the fish look very healthy and happy. I have been feeding them the same food and the same amount of food so I know that isn't the problem. Can someone help me with this problem I am having with my tank because right now I do not know. Thank you

EDIT: When I bought the carbon I also bought a box of ammonia, put both the carbon and the ammonia in the same bag, I do not know if this is good but I know many people that do this and even some companies sell them this way. My tank is a 10 gallon filled with tropical fish and my tank is not overcrowded because I scaled way back and also did the 1 inch rule. I also forgot to mention that the water was getting foggy with the old carbon filter, that is the reason that I replaced it.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Is it milky white or green?
If its white it is a bacteria bloom. It can happen in a cycling tank or if something is out of whack. Carbon is not needed. Every month when you remove and replace it you are removing bacteria needed for the cycle. STOP using the ammonia absorbing filter media. It is absorbing the ammonia and starving the bacteria. When it is 'full' and stops working the tank will have an ammonia spike because there will be little or no bacteria. Basically it's UNcycling the tank the longer its in there.
If it is green it is an algae bloom. Algae blooms are usually caused by excess light. Too much from your fixture or sun is hitting the tank.

 

[Aspencer]

In my experience with three different planted tanks with sand that I fertilize and have either CFL or T5HO lights on for 8 hours are cloudy for the first two to three months. I change water every fourth day on average and by the end of the second month, the water is crystal clear. Incidently, the filters are very dirty the first couple of months too but not as much a year later.

 

[Priest]

My tank is already cycled and the color of the water is kind of like a brown, it's strange because my tank does not have brown algae and I already scraped the entire tank. Also the tank only has artificial plants, the tank has two 15 watt incandescent and the tank is from away from any sunlight. Keep in mind that this happened in one shot, it was not a gradual process, so that's why I am confused. Also if I don't use carbon or ammonia, then what am I suppose to put in the filter, just leave it empty. I use the carbon because before I was using it the tank was clean but it never looked clean and use the ammonia because I was getting high levels of ammonia until I began using the ammo carb.

 

[Geronimo69]

What am I supposed to put in the filter.....??? How about porous material that bacteria can attach to? The one inch rule is also a joke.... I have a SINGLE fish in a 150 gallon tank and he's maybe 10 inches.

Pick up some bio media an a sponge. Voila, that's what you should have in that little tank.

Ps. How do you know your tank is cycled??? If it was, it would have at least .05 nitrates showing, almost guaranteed. I'd say it isn't.

 

[Priest]

What am I supposed to put in the filter.....??? How about porous material that bacteria can attach to? The one inch rule is also a joke.... I have a SINGLE fish in a 150 gallon tank and he's maybe 10 inches.

Pick up some bio media an a sponge. Voila, that's what you should have in that little tank.

Ps. How do you know your tank is cycled??? If it was, it would have at least .05 nitrates showing, almost guaranteed. I'd say it isn't.

I do get higher levels of nitrate (.05-1.0), just in the most recent test it showed 0. Also I am looking for help for this matter, I do not need the smugness that is permeating from your post. I've been asking for help and advice from this site for a few months now since I am new to this and for me there is no such thing as a stupid question, so when I ask what am I suppose to put in the filter, that is me not knowing what to put in the filter, not me being a jerk or something negative. Mumma and many other people have been helping me since the start in a polite and informative manner, so I don't need your attitude as if you are looking down at me.

A few months back I lost all my fish to Ick, it really upset me when they died but this site explain to me what went wrong and linked me to very good reading material that helped immensely because when I got Ick on my second tank, I was ready and in the end only lost one fish to the Ick because I acted fast. Some other site that I went to just told me to let them all die and just get new fish, the way you responded makes me think that is the type of answer you would give.

 

[Geronimo69]

Sorry man, it's a post, don't have hard feelings. I have 7 running tanks with all types of fish. I'd never tell anyone to let their fish die, unless it was to feed their bigger fish...

Take my advice tho, for real... Bio media and water changes are key. Carbon takes out meds, etc, things you'd use to treat ick for example. Ammonia carb is doing the opposite of what you want at this point, as said in an earlier post.

The bio media would give you tons of space for beneficial bacteria and a small sponge would polish your water (take out any small floating particles from the water column).

 

[Mumma.of.two]

My tank is already cycled and the color of the water is kind of like a brown, it's strange because my tank does not have brown algae and I already scraped the entire tank. Also the tank only has artificial plants, the tank has two 15 watt incandescent and the tank is from away from any sunlight. Keep in mind that this happened in one shot, it was not a gradual process, so that's why I am confused. Also if I don't use carbon or ammonia, then what am I suppose to put in the filter, just leave it empty. I use the carbon because before I was using it the tank was clean but it never looked clean and use the ammonia because I was getting high levels of ammonia until I began using the ammo carb.

What kind of filter is it? If you are seeing ammonia in a tank it is cycling or mini cycling. What you do when you see this is do a water change when the ammonia is seen. Eventually the bacteria will multiply and there will be enough to consume all the ammonia. The last thing you want to add is an ammonia absorbing product because it steals the bacterias food and it dies. No bacteria equals and uncycled tank. Carbon absorbs medication and smells in the tank. A healthy tank with regular water changes won't smell so carbon isn't needed. So instead of carbon or ammonia chips you can add extra floss, sponge or biomedia (ceramic rings/biomax/bioballs). When it gets dirty just swish it in a bucket of tank water to remove the gunk build up but preserve the bacteria colony. Can you put some tank water in a clear glass and hold it up to the light to see what color it is?

 

[Priest]

What kind of filter is it? If you are seeing ammonia in a tank it is cycling or mini cycling. What you do when you see this is do a water change when the ammonia is seen. Eventually the bacteria will multiply and there will be enough to consume all the ammonia. The last thing you want to add is an ammonia absorbing product because it steals the bacterias food and it dies. No bacteria equals and uncycled tank. Carbon absorbs medication and smells in the tank. A healthy tank with regular water changes won't smell so carbon isn't needed. So instead of carbon or ammonia chips you can add extra floss, sponge or biomedia (ceramic rings/biomax/bioballs). When it gets dirty just swish it in a bucket of tank water to remove the gunk build up but preserve the bacteria colony. Can you put some tank water in a clear glass and hold it up to the light to see what color it is?

I just did what you said about putting the water to the light and the water is crystal clear, so now I really am confused. The filter I have is this one, the 10i.
Whisper In-Tank Power Aquarium Filters from Tetra - Filters - Fish - PetSmart
I know that it probably isn't a good filter but right now my job isn't going to good and bills are starting to stack so I have that. I have been thinking of getting a new filter probably this one.
Petland Discounts, Inc.
I can spare $30 with my current situation but I cannot go above the price.

As for the ammonia, I haven't had a trace of ammonia in my tank for a while now. So I should just remove the carbon, the ammonia and put biomax in the filter, can I put a sponge in addition to the biomax or is that a bad idea. If I get that filter I plan to run it side by side to the other one and just run two filters in the small tank or is that a bad idea.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I just did what you said about putting the water to the light and the water is crystal clear, so now I really am confused. The filter I have is this one, the 10i.
Whisper In-Tank Power Aquarium Filters from Tetra - Filters - Fish - PetSmart
I know that it probably isn't a good filter but right now my job isn't going to good and bills are starting to stack so I have that. I have been thinking of getting a new filter probably this one.
Petland Discounts, Inc.
I can spare $30 with my current situation but I cannot go above the price.

As for the ammonia, I haven't had a trace of ammonia in my tank for a while now. So I should just remove the carbon, the ammonia and put biomax in the filter, can I put a sponge in addition to the biomax or is that a bad idea. If I get that filter I plan to run it side by side to the other one and just run two filters in the small tank or is that a bad idea.

Do you have any driftwood in the tank? The tannin can stain water a brown color.
The aquaclear is a good filter. Definitely get that if you can afford it. slowly remove the ammonia chips over a few weeks IMO. They have been absorbing all the ammonia so you have to wait for the bacteria to build back up. You might see some ammonia or nitrite after they are removed. Test regularly and if you do, do a water change to bring it down.
You can run both filters. No such thing as too much filtration. In the aquaclear I'd run 2 sponges and a biomax. In the tetra just run sponge or floss. Bacteria will grow on everything.

 

[Geronimo69]

Mumma..... Well said.