Cloudy water issues...

[rsanz]

I've had this tank set up for the past 2 weeks. I spent the night away from home last night, and when I came back home this morning, the water was very cloudy. I treat the water with a discus buffer whenever I do a water change to level off the pH at 7.0 since the pH of the tap water here is pretty high (7.5). I also occassionally use Stress Coat water conditioner when I need a quick water replacement in the tank. I usually try to let the water sit out for 24 hours, though, to conserve water conditioner (hey, I'm a poor college student, gimme a break, haha).

Is there anything I can do to treat the tank without having to buy another item? Would small daily water changes alleviate the cloudiness (10-15% daily water change)?

So you know, there is a single Dwarf Gourami living in the tank. Is he in any danger? Thanks, guys!

 

[blkwdw13]

I personaly wouldn't use the ph buffer a constant ph is better than one that is constantly going up a down. About the cloudiness how long has the tank been set up, because if it hasn't been set up long it could be a baterial bloom.

 

[rsanz]

It's been set up for about 2 weeks now. The tap water pH is too high for the poor gourami. I bought two dwarfs originally, and just used tap water, but they both died by the next day. I took a water sample in to get tested at my LFS, and they said the pH was the problem so they sent me on my way with a new fish and the discus buffer.

What should I do?

 

[sarcare]

I second the suggestion to ditch the ph buffer. My dwarf gourami has been in water with a PH as high as 8, and has even adapted when the PH lowered through the use of diy co2.

Also I'd still use a water conditioner--just get prime--a little goes a long way and so ends up being more affordable! Unless you know that your water has no chlorine or chloramines (sp), it wouldn't be worth the risk to me.

What kind of cloudyness? Is it green or brown--might be an algee bloom.

 

[rsanz]

The cloudiness is a grayish color. It is slightly brown, but I think that comes more from the light bulbs than the actual color of the cloudiness itself. So, from now on I should just ditch the buffer and just put in straight up tap water?

Will the cloudiness go away on its own without my doing anything?

 

[blkwdw13]

If it's only been up for two weeks what are the amonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings because unless you cycled the tank before you got the fish it might be a bacterial bloom. And take what the LFS says with a grain of saltbecause most of them are just there to make money.

 

[rsanz]

Alright, well, it sounds like it's a bacterial bloom. What can be done about this?

 

[sarcare]

Funny, the only fish I've had die was a gourami that they told me died from a too high ph--but what you really need to ask is what the ph is at the store where you got the fish. If it is in the same area it is probably similar unless they change it. The death was probably due to the tank cycling. Dwarf gouramis are not the most hearty fish--they are kind of overbread and can be fragile--just see how many threads around here are about sick gouramis.

How large is this tank?
Has this tank cycled?
How often do you change the water?

You might want to get a test kit--13$ at petsmart and a bottle of prime for like 8$. It will save you money in the long run, because you wont have to replace fish all the time and you wont have to run back and forth to pet stores.

 

[rsanz]

The tank is 10 gallons.
The tank has not cycled, I was using the gourami to cycle it.
I change 20% water once a week.

I don't have access to transportation (live in a dorm), so I'm sort of stuck with what I have. I don't have a master test kit, and I only have the Stress Coat water conditioner.

What should I do?

 

[blkwdw13]

The tank is 10 gallons.
The tank has not cycled, I was using the gourami to cycle it.
I change 20% water once a week.

I don't have access to transportation (live in a dorm), so I'm sort of stuck with what I have. I don't have a master test kit, and I only have the Stress Coat water conditioner.

What should I do?

I would order the AP master test kit and Prime and have it shipped to your place. And since you tank is still in the cycle process you should be doing 30% water changes daily to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels either really low or at 0.