Cloudy water... not the usual question

[xytrix01]

I Just set up my new 45gal. tank. I have a fluval 303 canister filter, and a hang on filter made by a company called regent. (from what I have read this filter is actualy made by marineland and is sold to walmart under the regent name! I can see why, it looks just like the penguin 330 without the biowheels.) Anyways, the fluval has its ceramic pre-filter stuff on the bottom, a layer of "Ammo-Carb" in the middle. The box saya that this is a mix of carbon and "ammonia removing resin." It then has its sponge filter at the top of the canister.

Well, heres how things have gone.
Day 1: Set up the tank, filters, airlines, etc. Washed the s**t out of the rocks for the bottom. I filled the whole thing with water (treated) and added some of the gravel from my existing 20gal. (To introduce the bactiria.) All said and done, the water was a bit cloudy, but I expected that due to the unrinsed gravel from my other tank.

Day two: This is the first canister filter I have ever owned, and OMG was I impressed. it alone had the water crystal clear overnight. (The regent filter hadn't been pluged in yet.) I marveld at its abillities and headed off for school.

Day three: Uh-oh, what happened? Its cloudy again! I checked to make sure that the filter hadn't cut out on me... nope, still running fine. I checked my ammonia levels, and came out with .5ppm. Now instead of just posting "Why is my water cloudy?" I was a good boy and did some google research first. I found that this grey looking cloud is a bactirial bloom in my tank caused most likely by excess nutrients in the water. Aparently this is a common thing in new tanks. I think my 20 gal may have had it a little, but I didn't think anything of it. The sugested cures that I have foud for this are:
1. Use activated carbon to remove nutrients from aqua.
2. Reduce the amount of light.
3. Reduce feeding.

Well, I was already using the carbon stuff, but nevertheless I stuck some new cartrages into the regent and fired it up. The lights havent been on, and I cant make it any darker in here, so that takes care of #2, and as for #3, there arent any fish in there yet, so I'm not feeding the tank anything. duh!

So here's my actual question. What about temprature? Can I freeze/cook the bactiria to death? When the cloud started, i had the tank at 78. I have dropped that to 72 (it seemed a bit warm in there) Like I said, I don't even have my starter fishes in there yet, so drastic temprature changes arent a problem. The only thing I'm worried about is the bactiria that I introduced on the gravel from the other tank. I don't really want to kill that. Which brings up another question. Are they one in the same? The cloud and the good ammonia eating bactiria? If they are then I better stop trying to kill the little buggers.

Thanks for helping us noobs!

[Cearbhaill]

Jusr relax and sit tight. The cloudiness will clear and no- you haven't cooked or chilled it, although I'd keep a tropical tank well above your current 72ºF.

And to properly cycle the tank you do need to be adding some ammonia- with no fish waste there is nothing for biobugs to grow on. Use straight ammonia or just feed the tank as if there were fish- your call. If you choose ammonia just hit the stickie for "fishless cycling" and you'll be set.

[OrionGirl]

You don't want to kill the bacteria--you want them to establish equilibrium. If you're fishlessly cycling the tank, just relax and let this bloom work through. Keep in mind--you're trying to establish the beneficial bacteria for the nitrogen cycling, anything you do to kill off the ones that are currently clouding the water will adversely affect these as well. These are not the same bacteria, but both are a healthy part of the aquarium environment.

[xytrix01]

Ok, thank you. I did plan to add some fish to start the cycle, I just hadn't done it yet, because of this odd cloud. I got all this equiptment used and was worried that it might not be something good. anyhow, I was just going to put some of the feeder goldfish into this trank, instead of keeping them all in my 10 gal. (I feed them to my catfish.) How many should I add to the 45 gal to get a good cycle going? I put two in there just before this post, but they look pathetic in there, and I don't think that thay could poop enough if they tried. I'm thinking mabey 8-12?

[Cearbhaill]

Argh.... two is plenty. They are awesome poopers!

[xytrix01]

really? oh, ok. Like i said I'm just a noob! What do I know?

[Cearbhaill]

I can't help myself- are you aware that goldfish have an extremely high fat percentage as well as dense, nearly indigestable skulls? They really don't make very good feeders- something about fatty liver disease as well as intestinal blockages.

Not that I recommend using them for cycling either.
Look into fishless cycling:
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

[xytrix01]

wow! I really should look into something else to feed to felix then. Do you perhaps have any sugestions on other live foods? he is about 6" now, so I've been buying the medium feeders, cuz they fit in his mouth. I tried alge disks, but he ain't interested. He likes 'em lively!

[Cearbhaill]

What kind of catfish are we talking about?

[xytrix01]

I have a 6" channel cat. After he ougrows the 45 gallon he's going into the pond!

[Cearbhaill]

He's pretty close to pond sized now, but from what I understand a hungry channel cat would eat a rock :D
Seriously- most any larger sized sinking pellet should do- found this thread (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3028&highlight=feed+channel+cat) by folks who have kept them.