Cloudy water

BurningCuriosity · 09-07-2006, 10:18 AM

I just got a new 55 gallon tank (fresh water). there are no fish in it yet because I wanted to make sure that everything was working before i might have doomed my fish.

Everything was working just fine for a few days, the water was crystal clear, the tempurature is at 76 degrees. but i noticed yesterday that its beginning to look a little cloudy.

i used Brita filtered water when filling the tank.

i have the tank all set up with rocks , three fake plants, a fake pirate ship, and a fake pirate. all of these things i rinsed off thoroughly before putting them into the tank. Im using a carcoal filter that this lady (nicknamed the 'Fish Nazi' becuase shes so smart about fish) gave me.

any ideas what could suddenly make my tank cloudy? i was planning on getting my fish this weekend and i really want my tank to be clear again.

please help!!

-Jen

jd@ga · 09-07-2006, 11:09 AM

Your tank is going through a natural cycle it should clear up in a few days. Add a few fish (2) every other week so your tank can adjust to the fish waste load. Don`t put to many fish in stick to the rules and you`ll be fine.

Striped Bass · 09-07-2006, 11:15 AM

Welcome to the forum.
DON'T CHANGE ANY OF THE WATER YET. Its all part of the cycling process. You need to let the tank run for a month or so before adding any fish. What's happening is you are growing bacteria. BENEFICIAL bacteria. During the cycling process your tank will go threw something like a growth spurts, before it hits maturity. YOU should have a kit. Check all your level's-Ammonia-Nitrite-pH-Nitrates. You should be having an Ammonia spike at this point after only a few days of running the tank. What happens next is a Nitrite spike. The cloudy water should clear right up after each of those spikes, depending on your filters hourly filtering capacity. You will find that taken it slow for the first 2 months will pay off dramatically. So only add 1 or 2 fish when you first go to add them into your tank. You will mostly have another small scale raise in those level's again because your fish release ammonia out of there bodies, via waste and gills. Im assuming when you say NEW TANK you mean BRAND SPANKING. This is why im going into such detail. If you have any other questions. write back. Plus this is the place to be for any questions you might have. Theirs a lot of extremely helpful people using this forum.
Striped Bass
PS. I,M,O - DON'T DO ANY WATER CHANGES until the end of the first week you have added your fish. This is when you should notice an ammonia spike.
PPS If you have any fish flake food. Put a table spoon of it into the tank. It will fall to the bottom, start to decay, and trust your Ammonia that much higher. As to force the bacteria Nitrites to grow and eat up the Ammonia. When you do this you are adding life to a tank that is just starting to take life.

45gl fw fully live planted & Cichlids
20gl fw fake everything but the fish. Whimppy fish.

StripedBass - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

BurningCuriosity · 09-07-2006, 11:35 AM

in reply to Striped Bass

yes, it is a brand spanking new tank, freshly bought from the pet store.

its been running for about a week prior to the cloudyness.
im glad you said not to change the water becuase it took us (my boyfriend and i) about four and half hours to fill the tank.

i was planning on purchasing a testing kit.

thanks both (jd@ga and Striped bass) for the help so far!

-Jen

jd@ga · 09-07-2006, 11:42 AM

Hey, what type of filter and how many gph do you have on your tank?

Striped Bass · 09-07-2006, 12:30 PM

Im useing a emporior 280 on my 45gt it filters 280 gph.Its doing a great job keeping my water crystal clear. But i would use the 400 if I had a 55gl to a 75gl tank.

Hey "BURNINGCuriosity"
Once you get your tank started and stocked you'll love it. ALSO make sure the fish you put in the tank can get along. You wouldnt want to say cop and a hippy in the same area. Ones likely to get picked on. ya know what i mean.

Stripedbass

Jay · 09-07-2006, 12:33 PM

Hi Jen and welcome to the forum!!

Good call on no fish yet!!

It might help to read the sticky on tank cycling.

go here --> http://www.fishtankforums.com/5-fres...-aquarium.html

Here is a recent thread where cycling is the major topic. --> http://www.fishtankforums.com/4-fish...g-answers.html

In contrast to jd@ga and stripers advice, most experienced hobbyist usually advise a fishless cycle, not only because it is more humane, but it gives you control over the process.

Read the information on cycling, all that fishless cycling requires is to buy a bottle of ammonia and an eye dropper. NO fish

You should also invest in a basic test kit. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes one that is not too bad. You want to be able to test for .....

Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, pH thru the cycling period.

Cloudy water in a new Freshwater aquarium is normal and to be expected.
It is superfine particles stirred up from the gravel, or a harmless bacteria bloom. It can be a combination of both. It is very difficult if not almost impossible to filter out. It will, as pointed out, go away in a few weeks.

By the time the tank is fully cycled, about 4 weeks, it will be gone.

Regards,
Jay

ahill3780 · 09-07-2006, 02:27 PM

Looks like everyone has this thread under control here, no need for more of the same advice from me.

So I'll just add: Welcome to FishTankForums Jen! (and I suggest following the links Jay provided to learn a little more about whats going on in the tank.)

-Aaron