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by Anonymous on February 11th, 2005

Anonymous

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My new fish tank has cloudy water. I have under-gravel filters, a bio wheel filter and have added anti-clouding chemicals, but it hasn't worked. What can I do for this problem?

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Answers. 3 helpful answers below.

  • by Old_Fish_Man on June 14th, 2006

    Old_Fish_Man

    Hello;

    Your tank at 2-weeks is building a biological filter of beneficial bacteria. The cloudy water is a result of the bacteria multiplying and is normal.

    The ammonia levels will fall to zero soon and the nitrite level will spike as the ammonia is converted to nitrite. Then another type of bacteria will bloom and convert this nitrite to nitrate a rather benign substance in your tank.

    Keep your temperature at about 75-degrees and your fish load low. Feed small amounts and change 10-to-15 percent of your water every day until your nitrite level goes to zero --- about another two to three weeks normally. Then clean your gravel bed with a syphon tube once a month and you should be fine.

    Fish excrete ammonia normally and when the ammonia level is high in the tank they cannot pass this ammonia to the water. High water temperatures only makes the ammonia problem more toxic.

    OFM

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  • by Robert McLaren on February 12th, 2005

    Robert McLaren

    New tanks are sometimes cloudy because the beneficial bacteria which consume detritus have not yet fully developed. This is not usually a "chemical" problem, but a biological one. Do you have any natural plants? Many of them clarify the water themselves as well as foster the develpment of the helpful bacteria. If you do not have any live plants I'd suggest you get some from the pet store. Test your water for ammonia build-up, correct PH and temperature, and if these are all OK then try adding a plant or two and being patient, since it does take a little time to build up the necessary bacterial colony.

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  • by Anonymous on February 14th, 2005

    Anonymous

    I do not have any live plants and I have tested the amomnia and it off the charts and I am not sure why because my tank is only 2 weeks old. What could cause the amonmia to be soo high? Why are all the fish healthy or seem to be? My PH is perfect and so it temp. (80 degree) and nitrate and nitrite are also perfect. I am lost. I talked to a local pet shop and they told me that this is normal in new tank. Especially in large tanks like mine. What do you think. Can overfeading fish for 2 weeks cause this? I was also told to empty 50% of water and readd.

    Thx for the reply.

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