Cloudywater! Help!

[GOLDFISHPOOP]

I used to have a comet in a tank without a filter (tut tut tut) but yesterday i went down to my local aquatics shop to get a filter. Also i got a shubunkin because my other goldfish was a bit lonely plus i couldn't resist the lovely calico patterning. Before i got the shubunkin and the filter, i did a partial waterchange to my tank so the new fish would have a clean, fresh welcome into it's new home. Plus, it was partial waterchange day anyway. The new fish settled down fine, but i noticed how dirty the gravel and the water was. I was horrified at how much dirt could build up without a filter! I quickly installed the filter. The bad water quality was too much. The next day, i did a another partial waterchange, scrubbed the walls of the tank get rid of the algea, rinsed the live plants and stirred the gravel to catch the debri/waste with a large net. Now the water is cloudy! I put my goldfish into another tank and waited for the cloudyness to settle, but it didn't! I have out my goldies into the cloudy tank. Is this a wrong turn and why is my water cloudy?

[mayreee]

How big is your tank?

[GOLDFISHPOOP]

My tank is not as small as a 5gallon and not as big as a 10gallon...so i would estimate that it is about 7-8 galls. I know that is too small for goldfish but i will be moving them to a bigger tank when they grow out of this one.

[mayreee]

I would get a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel and give it a little more time to clear up.

[GOLDFISHPOOP]

I already have a gravel vacum that i use to do my water changes weekly.

[Cearbhaill]

If you've just stirred everything up it will take time for things to settle out. The fish don't mind cloudy water as much as we do :D

Usually stirring up that much gunk means you'll be needing to do several water changes in a row- gravel vacuuming included, to get it all straightened back out.
A nitrate test kit would help you tons. You need (IMO) to keep changing water daily until you get your nitrates down under at least 30 ppm or so.

After you get to that point restrict your feeding and keep the water changes coming at least twice a week to maintain nitrates under maybe 20 ppm. The number preferred is an individual thing- I prefer to keep them low enough that if I miss a water change it doesn't hurt the fish too badly.

You will have difficulty keeping your nitrates down with two fish in that size tank. You'll be changing water nearly daily- and that's just the motivation you need to push you into a larger tank- which they already need.
I would hope that you would get two goldfish at least a 30-40 gallon tank.

If it all seems like too much trouble- there and many other species of fish better suited to small tanks. You would be very very happy with Bettas, Killifish, Paradise Fish etc. and the maintenance required would be a whole lot less.
Just think about it.

[GOLDFISHPOOP]

I can't get a bigger tank for various reasons. What can i do with my goldies? They seem healthy and happy. I don't know anyone i can give them to.

[OrionGirl]

Locking this--any additional posts can be made here: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37400

OG