Lots of simple questions

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sinha_punit

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Nov 19, 2004
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I have recently setup a 29 gal freshwater tank. Right now I have 2 platy and 1 molly. Plan to introduce more later after few weeks.
I have an airpump with 2 outlets
I have a filter with 3 stage filteration, mechanical, chemical(activated carbon) and bilogical.
Water temp is steady at 72F


Q1: My water is murky. Its been just 3 days, so I dont think it would be dirty, Why is water murky and what can i do?

Q2: Should I run my filter 24 by 7 always. Or do I stop my fikter from time to time. basically how much should I run my filter

Q3: How much should I run my air pump

Q4: I notice air bubbles on the water surface, which I dont see in other aquariums I have seen elsewhere. So why do I have air bubbles floating on water surface?

Thanks for your help in advance.
 
Im not any expert but ill try to help you as much as possible being in the hobby for only about 5 or 6 months :)

A1: The water is prob murkey due to one of two reasons: Bacteria bloom, which is typical in a new set up like yours. once everything evens out your water will clear up over night. Another could be an algae bloom, which means the obvious lol. but just wait it out and im sure things will clear themselves up

A2: never ever ever ever shut off your filter unless you are doing your weekly/monthly maintenece on it i.e cleaning out your intake tube, impeller. etc. if the noise bothers you from the filter just add more conditioned water to your tank

A3: Not to familiar with using air pumps but i dont see it as a problem running it 24/7. just make sure the bubbles arent near the heater. From what i have read, it isnt good at all for the heater. But as for an airpump, if you have enough agitation on top of the water from the over flow in the filter, then u really dont need an air pump.

A4: Those air bubbles are naturaly for a new tank. they will eventually go away. Id reccomend doing a water change with coniditoned water once a week at 20%. that will help things along nicely

GOOD LUCK!
 
What kind of lights do you have, and how long per day do you have them turned on?

If you have incandescent lights, or leave any lights on more than 10 hours, it can cause an algae bloom- along with water that's rich in nitrogen compounds or phosphates. You can't really overdose on water changes, so if you'd like clearer water, a 30-50% water change would help.

Water bubbles are fine, especially if you have an airpump or powerhead running. You may even see bubbles on your fish if they swim near the outlets. They're not dangerous, more of a cosmetic issue if anything. Your airpump may have adjustable output, or you could reposition the output to change the aeration of the tank and bubbliness.

Cheers!
 
too many bubbles would be a concern for high ammonia, though. After setting up a tank, one of my big snails died without my knowing, sat there for a few days, dead, and spiked the ammonia. the white bubbles massed near the filters, and there was a bit of a white water line. I never consider murky water a good sign, I'd test for ammonia.
and yeah you have to leave your filter on 24/7 or the beneficial bacteria will die. the 2 previous posters are probably more experienced than me, but testing ammonia/nitrite couldnt hurt.
 
LEAVE THE FILTER ON.

That is the purpose of having the thing.

Bubbles are fine as well, they help in the circulation of the water along with adding oxygenation to the water, which you can also do by lowering the level of the water a bit and having it make a splashing into the tank from the filter is you do not want to have the bubbles going from an air pump.

If the bubbles are from something else and making some sort of a foam on the waters surface that would be something to look into. Air pump bubbles thought are fine.
 
depends on the bubbles, lol. if the bubbles look like normal air bubbles, and pop after a few seconds, its nothing, but if they're big and white and creepy looking you should check it out...
 
Good point- check your parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) and see how things are. And just for repetition's sake: water changes, water changes, water changes.
 
thanks for the input.
I have another Qs.

My platys dont eat. I feed them flakes, they take the flakes in and then spit them out. I find that the molly is enjoying the flakes.
 
my tetras do likewise, they seem to eat but spit out the food after they gulp it in... You could try a variety of things- I have lots of foods on hand for my fish: betta bits, blood worms, spirulina algae flakes, bio-blend, a million packets of tetramin tropical and goldfish blends, and sinking pellets for frogs.

Just to change things up, I'll rotate foods- the paradise fish will eat ANYTHING. The betta eats worms, betta bits, and the sinking pellets. My Rasboras love the bio blend, algae flakes, and the sinkers. The tetras like the tetramin and bio-blend. One krib eats just about anything.

See if the LFS has trial size packets of different foods- try a few different things, and once you find something that works, go with it.
 
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feeding

My fish usually bypass the white flakes and eat the orange and then the green flakes in that order. I've seen them spit out the white ones. I don't know what they are. I'm feeding Nutrafin Max, complete flake food. I think the white flakes migh be soy.
If your fish spit out food it could mean they are full. They will eat anyway, what else is there to do? Eating is the highlight od the day.
General rule: Keep the fish always just a bit hungry. Foraging is something they do constantly in the wild. Its nice to see active fish always rummaging through the tank than a bunch of chubby ones waiting for the next handout.
The platy quickly learn to associate your presence with food, you'll notice if you only feed at a certain hour, they will spend the time in between picking leaves for algae and grazing the substrate.
Next time, I'll try another brand of flake food. If the first ingredients are fish meal and wheat flour (like nutrifin max) it also fouls up the water faster if there is waste food. Or so I've been told :)
 
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