New tank question/problems...

emilyekk

emilyekk

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Apr 28, 2009
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As some of you know I recently bought a 55 gallon tank.


I finally got the stand and tank set up last night.

I purchased about 60 lbs of tahitian moon sand (black) for the tank, I washed it OVER and OVER and OVER again last night washing only a little at a time and I reeeally felt like it was okay to put in the tank.


Well, the tank was reeeally murky last night but I figured that was normal. It definitely has gotten better today, but it's still really cloudy.


Sooo, I am wondering if I need to be doing daily water changes or something? Will that help? I have a python so luckily this isn't the end of the world if I have to do it...

I know the tank is in cycle mode so obviously it's not going to be crystal clear, but even when my 10gallon was going through this and his the nitrate spikes and was all cloudy it was still more clear than my 55 is now. :/


My mom thinks I should just leave it alone and that it's just going to take a lot longer to get clear because it's a lot more water...


Also, I have an aquaclear 70 for filtration (also BRAND NEW so no good bacteria or anything), and nothing else is in the tank except the sand and some active gravel from my other aquarium that's wrapped up in a mesh bag...

So, long story short- should I do a water change tonight or every few days or leave it be? If I do water changes, how often should I be doing them?



Also just fyi - no fish are in this tank or will be in this tank for probably 2 months...
 
If the cloudiness is just from the substrate, it will eventually settle out or get removed by water changes. Do you have an ammonia source for the tank, or is it just sitting? If there's no ammonia, it isn't cycling, only sitting and the bacteria on your established gravel is just dying. In this case the cloudiness is just dust. Water changes will help get the cloudiness out if it is just dust
 
I have Tahitian moon sand in my 55 i washed it 4 or 5 times and it still was cloudy when i filled tank I ended up filling and empyting the tank a few times b4 it cleared up completely
 
andyjs said:
If the cloudiness is just from the substrate, it will eventually settle out or get removed by water changes. Do you have an ammonia source for the tank, or is it just sitting? If there's no ammonia, it isn't cycling, only sitting and the bacteria on your established gravel is just dying. In this case the cloudiness is just dust. Water changes will help get the cloudiness out if it is just dust
Click to expand...


I have start right and tetra safe cycling in the tank for right now.
Those two items and active gravel were all I had used to cycle my 10gal and that seemed to work fine, but I definitely didn't want to take chances with the bigger tank and so I am wanting to do the ammonia.
I have been looking ALL over for pure/liquor ammonia but I can't seem to find it anywhere! I've tried wal-mart, publix and my local dollar stores, but all the ammonia foams when I shake it. I was told to try ace hardware, so I am going to go there tomorrow and look, *fingers crossed*!


So if it is just from the substrate, should I continue to let it cycle before doing a water change? Or should I go ahead and do small water changes daily, every two days? Every week? How much should I change each time?

I just want everyone to know that normally I know how often to change the water - I just am lost right now because it's so cloudy and cycling, lol. =)
 
I got mine at ACE. It's labeled as "Cleaning Ammonia". Once you start adding the ammonia, I'd add some more established gravel as the bacteria on the gravel you added is probably dead if the gravel has been in there a couple days with no ammonia
 
RDTigger said:
also turning up the heater is a good helper to the bacteria. If you have no fish in the tank that is a safe way to speed the cycle.
Click to expand...
Yep, forgot about that. I'd turn the temp up around 86-88 F for the cycle
 
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