Still cloudy after changing 100% in a day

The 100% water change probably wasn't a good idea, I would definitely leave it alone for several days at least, probably a bacterial bloom like they said. BTW, while I agree that a 25 is too small for an Oscar & I hope that you're planning to get at least a 55 gal very soon (75 would be better), I wouldn't worry about the hardness & pH. I have a full grown, healthy Oscar & Pleco that were kept in water that had a pH of 8.4 & was like liquid rock for the first three years I had them (now I am in another state & pH & hardness are a little lower). But, they were in a 120 gal. JMO, Oscars & catfish are pretty tough. Good Luck :)
 
100% Water Changes?

Since I've been here, off and on, I hear of 100% water changes and I wonder why so much water is being changed out..?
Wouldn't this cause a 'new cycle' for the tank?? No matter that there's still bacteria in the substrate, and in the filter(s), it just seems wrong, and a 'new cycle' will happen.

I may have overlooked something on the 100% change though..
Any comments?
 
From the mod in me: Let's not call actions stupid. Inadvisable, poor choice, etc. Stupid is not constructive.

For the problem:

Cloudy water is seldom the result of nitrifying bacteria. These bacteria like to be tied down, and don't go floating around. There are many bacteria in our tanks, though, and many of these will thrive in the water column. Most are short lived, thriving on a specific food source and dying off as that food source gets consumed. A 100% water change will sometimes fix the problem, depending on a) what the food source is and b) the manner of the change. Removing in-tank features (decorations, substrate) is bad, and can disturb the beneficial bacteria. Stirring up the substrate can release additional food for the non-notrifying bacteria--making the bloom coninute or worsen. Instead of doing a complete water change, doing 3 separate changes of 50% of the water is more effective, and keeps the fish less stressed.

And, please take heed on the advice to find a larger home for that oscar. In maybe 6 months, that fish will be stunted in a 20--I prefer to see them in at least a 75.
 
I just moved a 90 into my 3rd floor apartment I'll be setting up over the next couple of weeks :D No elevator here.:(

It was 2 - 50% changes.

The biofilter is in the biowheel filter isn't it? None of the test results have changed since the first change.
 
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Originally posted by Karlsbad
...It was 2 - 50% changes......
Click to expand...
It really does
'throw me off' when I hear the 100% water change... :eek:
 
regarding 100% water changes

I recently had to do a 100% water change, unfortunatly the gravel I choose to use the first time was blue colored. The epoxy coating was diminished by the bacteria I used during cycling, and a couple of weeks after adding the fish my water became cloudy, murky almost. I noticed a lot of blue specks floating about in my water, which indicated to me that the gravel was the culprit. So I purchased natural gravel, with epoxy coating. I withdrew my fish from the tank, 7 adults and 8 fry, emptied the tank and scooped out the blue gravel added the new gravel, and a new filter cartridge, refilled the tank using AquaSafe. I re-acclimated all of the fish for about 20 minutes each. All of the fish survived, even the newborn fry, probably due the the bio-wheel.

Just wanted to share that story, as it shows that sometimes 100% water changes can be necessary, for the health of your fish, and don't always turn out bad.
 
***worning*** Wife posting on husbands account LOL we will see when he notices <g>

I have had similar problems with my little 1o gal tank. I have had to deal with the cloudy water (I found that a 50% change every day for about 3-4 days took care of most of it time took care of the rest. It was about a week total)
Lets just say that in the last year and a half I have had to tear the whole tank down keeping as much of the water as I can (about 50%) and clean, and to change the gravel once. not once, not twice but 5 times! ( I have also gone through about 3 different tanks full of fish, we have water problems here) but I love my little tank (want a bigger one <g>) and so I try my best to do every thing I can even if I find out later that what I did was not what I should have done.

~Wifey
 
As most all "should realize",,
water changes if general have a positive effect with cloudy water situations.. Thanks.. :)

(I'm so glad the nice folks here guided me on getting the Vortex XL, and sharing knowledge on UV Sterilizers!! :) - don't think those products will go over well on this "topic" though..) JMO
 
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