new tank clouding

[bigmjg]

I have bought a new tank for my son, I have always had aquariums in the past and never had any problems. This new tank is giving me fits. I set it up waited five days and only added two fish to the ten gallon aquarium. I used the water conditioner as directed and it clouded up within five days and got worse everyday. I tore down and started over. this time I went to a pet shop and was advised to condition the water and add a stress zyme and wait 7 days. I did this and the water was crystal clear. I have aeration and a charcoal filter. I added two fish and within three days the water is cloudy and algae is forming rapidly and the water is orange. I am about to throw out the aquarium! I have well water with a water softner and I can only imagine this might be doing something but I am frustrated to say the least I wish someone coul dhelp Thanks Matt:confused:

[tomm10]

Usually, cloudy water is a result of bacteria free floating in the tank and will go away after a few days. The orange color could either be iron in the water or tannins from driftwood in the aquarium. If its tannins from wood than the carbon should help remove it after a while.

I'm not sure what to do about iron, especially if its in your well water.

Tom

[OrionGirl]

Check the Freshwater Archives for the threads on cycling. If you go with fishy cycling, you'll need to take additional steps to avoid deaths. The cloudiness is normal, and not a reason to tear a tank down--it will go away.

However--the very best advice I can give you right now--take a deep breath. You're moving a little too fast. It takes a while for a tank to be balanced--meaning, no cloudiness or toxins, and algae is part of a tank.

You may want to pick up David Burchowitz's book, A Simple Guide to Keeping Freshwater Fish. He's got a great explanation of the nitrogen cycle, and some good advice for successfully starting and maintaining a tank.

[Celura]

I also have well water with a softener, and I know the orange problem you mean. This typically happens to us when the salt level is low or the softener is doing it's cycle. Might want to check those first.

[OrionGirl]

In response to the PM:

You can test for ammonia, but I doubt that is causing the cloudiness. Nitrifiers attach themselves to objects--glass, gravel, sponges, plants, etc. They do not float within the water column, and cause cloudiness. However--there are many kinds of bacteria that live in healthy tanks. They exist in balance with their food supply and their predators. When the food supply is great, they reproduce rapidly, filling the water column. They are not usually harmful to the fish, but indicate something is out of whack. Frequent water changes often replenishes their food supply--yikes! So, if the water has no ammonia/nitrites, feed sparingly and hanging tough for a few days will usually clear up the problem. While chemical flocculants are available, usually sold as water clarifiers, the a) don't always work; b) add chemicals to what is already an unstable tank and c) don't resolve why the bloom happened to begin with. Patience is usually rewarded. In SW tanks, there's a wise saying: Nothing good ever happens fast.

[Hound]

Its also possible that you are getting an algae bloom instead of a bacterial one. One thing to consider is that we are all guessing here. I'd be curious as to your filter setup, aquarium decorations, and placement. Generally speaking direct sunlight is bad. If water changes aren't helping you out any I'd say check with a local fish store to see if they sell water for tanks. With a 10 gallon tank you should be able to do water changes with purchased water without spending too much.