new tank turned cloudy after adding heater

[BBN]

I've got a 5g nursery tank I set up two days ago with plants. Since we keep our house around 68-70 degrees I just added a small heater about an hour ago that automatically keeps the temps at 78. I leave the house for that one hour, come back and now the water is cloudy. Not real bad, but just a little. What could this heater have done to cause this?

 

[J double R]

the increased heat probably spurred and accelerated a bacteria bloom, which is quite common and harmless in new tanks. expect it to stay anywhere from 1-8 days, and it will subside on its own once the tank balances and cycles.

 

[BBN]

OK, thanks. My ammonia is spiked right now too. About 5-6 ppm. Will my plants be OK with this ammonia spike?

 

[jpappy789]

plants will be just fine and will actually use some but not a whole lot...

 

[BBN]

good deal! Thanks!

Shame I couldn't have that cycled. One of my mollies had a load today. I knew she was due and wasn't about to put her in the breeder net. I kept an eye on her. She was hanging out near the bottom all day. I check my tank about an hour after last time and she was skinny and I panicked because I saw no babies anywhere. Then I saw my angelfish behind the spillover picking away at something. I knew the babies were back there!!! :22_yikes: I was able to save 7 of them. At least it wasn't a complete disaster.