Help...i Don"t Know What To Do!!!

[gbcarter4103]

:shake: I am so worried about mine and my boyfriends tank. We have a 29 gallon tank and we have one live plant, and angel fish, two bala sharks, a catfish, another algae eater, and two tiger bards. They tank was doing great. We got everything down to where it was supposed to be (pH, etc...) and now for the last like three days it has gotten extremely cloudy!!! I have drops the " clear cloudy and murky aquarium water" that I use for my ten gallon and they work great. So i told him to use them, but it doesn't look like it has done anything. I mean, we can barely see the fish in the tank, that's why I listed the fish. Do you think that one of them might have died and is causing this? Please help us. We love our tank and don't know what to do.

Bree

[tomm10]

We need more information. How old is the tank? Is it cycled? What are your ammonia, nitrite, and pH levels?

Cloudiness is often caused by a bacteria bloom and is normal in a new tank. Generally its not a problem and clears up in a few days.

Tom

[gbcarter4103]

The tank is about 2 months old and i don't know about the nitrate, and ammonia levels becasue we just have test stripes that tell you if is ok or not. the pH level is at 6.8. I know that new tanks get cloudy and then get better, I know what kind of cloudy that is. But this looks like watered down milk. It is VERY BAD!!!



Bree:confused:


P.S. Come to think of it. I did notice a weird sort of growth in the tank. It's like a pastel green but was very small and was there for two days then it was gone.

[OrionGirl]

Was the tank fishlessly cycled? If not, how quickly were the fish added?

The bala sharks will outgrow the 29, as may the catfish, depending on what it is. Either way, these are substantial fish that are contributing a lot to the bio-load. It sounds like the tank is still in the process of cycling. While establishing the beneficial bacteria that consume ammonia and nitrites is important, another 'cycle' takes place as well--the establishment of the micro-fauna that consume other wastes and bacteria. With a tank that is stocked quickly, you're more likely to get imbalances, which often result in cloudy water.

I urge you to get a test kit that gives you numbers--much more meaningful than a general 'okay/not okay' result. Have you been adding pH manipulating chemicals? It sounds like you have, and that is likely a contributing factor. Having a precise pH is not as important as having one that is stable--something the chemicals seldom accomplish.

[Bristlenose Chuck]

I agree. Adding chemicals is almost never a good idea. It sounds to me like your tank is cycling and is going through a bacteria bloom (good thing) and should clear up within a week.

What chemicals are you putting in the tank? Please list everything except water. ;)

[NGerdes]

Off the subject:

Chuck: I just wanted to say, that is my favorite quote ever!

[Bristlenose Chuck]

Originally posted by NGerdes
Chuck: I just wanted to say, that is my favorite quote ever!

:dance LOL it's all too true.

[NGerdes]

You don't happen to work at Initech, do you?