Cloudy Water

[BJP]

Do whatever it takes to keep the ammonia level at that range or lower. The higher it goes the greater the stress to the fish which can lead to diseases, ick and even death. I listed some options earlier back in this thread.

[newtofish]

alright guys thanks for all your help.

[Loman]

I clearly agree that you do not want to let it get higher but I would probably even consider an ammonia neutralizer to get through this period

[Sniperelite8243]

did you test your tap water yet?

as BJP said do water changes. and you should aim for 1 or 1.5 for now.

good luck

[newtofish]

i havnt tested my tap water yet. because im trying to figure out if the tap is the same water as the hose water cause i filled it with hose water. but off subject i think one of my balas is dieing. because since day 1 he would just chill on the bottom under the plants and sorta twitch and just sit there now hes geting a little more active and hes actually out swimming but hell stop and then his tail starts to sink and he begins to a backflip and he slowly sinks to the bottom then he just gets up and swims away really fast and does it all over again.

[Tommy Gun]

No offense here, but your bala shark, as has already been pointed out to you, is not going to be able to handle these cycling conditions as you apparently think it can. My opinion is that it is being lethargic and then swimming oddly becuase it is suffering from ammonia poisoning. Ammonia is highly toxic and would be the equivalent, in some ways, to you living in a room full of carbon monoxide.

Maybe we should have been more clear on what water to test...it doesnt neccessarily have to be tap water per say, but test the water source you use to fill the tank in order to have a good idea on what the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are before it is in the tank so you can understand where these chemicals are coming from. For example, if the water from your hose has some nitrates in it, which I would suspect from your earlier test results on a brand new tank, then you can expect to see that amount right away in your tank and know that it is not from the fish.

Depending on how your house is set up, the water from your hose can be either the same water as your 'tap' or faucet water, or different. In a house that is supplied by a city water source, both would most likely be the same unless the home owner has a filtration system in place to suppliment the city water. If your house uses a well, most people would run that well water through a water softener for a drinking supply, but use unsoftened water for an outdoor hose hook up or even for toilets since the water quality does not really matter as much as what one drinks as far as taste and clarity goes. So, those are some simple ways to look at your house to see how things are set up and what water would be the same from each source. I am sure there are other determining factors, but they can all be skipped in reality if you simply test the water from the same source you are taking it from.

[Jay]

Wow, this has really been a long rehash on tank cycling covering a lot of ground.

I do not want to add much more to this long winded read except to say that one of the most important factors, myth laden, and frankly ignored in this post, is BJP's statement.

I want my bacteria to develop in places that are going to be permanent homes for them. If your filter cartridge is designed to be rinsed or replaced eventually then rinse it when needed or replace it when needed.

If this concept is not foremost in your tank husbandry technique, then you do not really understand the Nitrogen Cycle.

Regards,
Jay

[Sniperelite8243]

i have a well, and i also used the hose to fill up my tank.
go out and get a cup of hose water and test it, also test the faucet water and compare the resaults. you should be able to find out if they are both from the same water supply