.

[KSA]

.

 

[Colin_T]

Is it fresh or salt water?
Have you got a scientific name for the zebra fish?
Is there a filter in the tank?

 

[KSA]

Hello Colin

Thanks for the reply. Most of the fish are AB wildtype and a few AB transgenic fish also. I'm actually not sure if there is another name for them. And no there is no filter, only an airstone and a heater.

 

[Colin_T]

Are the tanks fresh water or salt water?
What is the Instant Ocean stuff you mentioned?

InstantOcean (60mg/L).

 

[KSA]

Sorry forgot to reply on that. It is freshwater tanks.
"Instant Ocean® Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world"

 

[Essjay]

Why are you adding sea salt to fresh water tanks?

 

[KSA]

Because we use double demineralized water. Therefore, the water is completely devoid of all salts (a little is needed). Have anyone of you ever experienced or know why the water become this reddish cloudy colour?

 

[Essjay]

I would look at fresh water remineralisation salts rather than sea water salts. And get filters for the tanks.


Colin asked what the zebra fish were - do you mean zebra danios? Post a photo of the fish so we know which type of fish you have.

 

[KSA]

Here you have a picture of the zebrafish (Danio rerior), before the bacteria Bloom.

 

[ChefAlex]

Have you acquired these zebra danios from a biological supply source and/or using these fish in a school/work laboratory setting? Everything you seem to be doing or asking falls in line with how biological supply companies suggest zebra danios should be housed, which is the only reason I ask. Zebra danios are the species most used extensively for these types of uses as well for various reasons.

The way home aquarists keep fish is quite a bit different, and honestly, an easier and better way for keeping fish healthy long term. Correct me if you are just a hobbyist.

 

[Byron]

Because we use double demineralized water. Therefore, the water is completely devoid of all salts (a little is needed). Have anyone of you ever experienced or know why the water become this reddish cloudy colour?

Common salt (sodium chloride) is not good for any freshwater fish. You may or may not need to add "minerals" to RO or similar water, depending upon the species, but you shouldnot be adding any sodium chloride. Instant Ocean has sodium chloride "sea salt."

 

[Retired Viking]

With the sea salt added it almost sounds that you are experiencing a bacterial bloom similar to what is refer to as a red tide. I have seen this when I lived by the ocean. The water turns a brownish red to pink.

 

[ChefAlex]

Instant Ocean is simply saltwater aquarium mix, not pure table salt/sodium chloride (NaCL). It provides a balanced mix of many other trace elements that corals, invertebrates and saltwater fish need to survive.

Many laboratories use distilled or RO/DI in conjunction with instant ocean mix to control any variables for research purposes. The Northwest fisheries science center explains their same process here using the exact same method (IE distilled water and instant ocean mix) for studies using zebra danios.

 

[Metalhead88]

Zebra danios are super tough fish and although not recommended can tolerate levels of ammonia that would kill fish in a day.

I'm still confused to why you NEED to add salt for a freshwater fish tank.

Is this a long term setup or experiment? The fish really need a real tank and not a tiny container. The tank needs places for beneficial bacteria to grow on such as rocks,plants, gravel, and filter media.

The color of the water may be due to the food. The grains look very small, and with no filter the leftovers are just resolving into the water.

 

[ChefAlex]

Zebra danios are super tough fish and although not recommended can tolerate levels of ammonia that would kill fish in a day.

I'm still confused to why you NEED to add salt for a freshwater fish tank.

Is this a long term setup or experiment? The fish really need a real tank and not a tiny container. The tank needs places for beneficial bacteria to grow on such as rocks,plants, gravel, and filter media.

The color of the water may be due to the food. The grains look very small, and with no filter the leftovers are just resolving into the water.

The need to add trace elements (in this case in the form of instant ocean) stems from using distilled water which is virtually pure H20. Fish need dissolved ions in surrounding water to properly osmoregulate and thus survive.

And yes, the OP is very likely in a laboratory setting, not a home aquarist so their husbandry methods won’t be the same as ours. Nor is their ultimate intended goal for keeping zebra danios the same as ours.