Cloudy Ammonia Water :(

[LimpyFins]

Hello All,

I've been lurking here for a few weeks and have found some very helpful information for my new tank. I've had it up for about 3 weeks now, and all has been good until the past few days.

After having the tank set up and water cycling for about 4 days, I added a few skirted tetras. About a week ago, I added 2 ghouramis. These are the only fish at this point, and when I've added them, I've done so in the recommended way - left the bag in the water for 20 minutes, added a bit of my tank water to the bag, let it sit a while longer, then use a net to add the fish to my tank without adding the water from the pet shop.

The pH, nitrate/rite and ammonia level has been stable up until the last couple of days. The pH level is still fine, but the ammonia level has spiked VERY high - around 8 ppm - and the water has become extraordinarily cloudy. I took out about 5 gallons from my 20 gallon tank, and sure enough, within an hour the tank was just as cloudy as it was before. I did this same thing again today, with the exact same results - cloudy tank and high ammonia. It's not a matter of over-feeding, as I've had tanks in the past and know to feed them just enough so that the food is consumed in a few minutes.

Here are my tank particulars:

20 gallons
4 skirted tetras, 2 ghouramis
neutral pH
8 ppm ammonia
1 live plant - lace-top fern

Any suggestions (or even criticism, I guess) would be appreciated. Thanks...

 

[dolphin]

Hi LimpyFins

This is just the start of the cycle.

It is best not to add any more fish, (after the first ones), as the filter can not cope with the waste that they produce.

Keep doing small water changes. The ammonia level will drop in about a week, but then the nitrite level will rise for about two weeks.

Do not change too much water, as you need some ammonia in the tank for the bacteria to eat/consume.

Just keep doing what you are doing, and things will be ok in a few weeks.

 

[LimpyFins]

Hello Dolphin,

Thanks for the response. I am not planning on adding any more fish for a few more weeks, but thanks for the input. I'm just going to trust that the tank will clear up (it really is quite cloudy), and that the levels will fluctuate in the first few weeks. That's good advice to go on.

In the meantime, should I use anything to adjust the ammonia levels, or just let it all level itself out?

 

[sandyd]

Hi, I would not add anything to the water, because you need for the tank to cycle. You dont want to start adding chemicals in there for ammonia or it will not cycle properly. I would do what Dolphin said and do small water changes and let it take care of itself. It will clear up. Sandy

 

[LimpyFins]

And thank you, SandyD for your input. I'll do just that...wait.

 

[Tanked]

If you can get your hands on some Bio-Spira use it. the stuff works wonders saved my fish from ammonia poisoning.

 

[LimpyFins]

well, my tank is slowly returning to normal. i'd read in several places about the spike in the ammonia level, but i didn't read anywhere (until after posting here) about the cloudiness of the water. for a while, it was so cloudy you couldn't see the an inch or two inside the tank. the ammonia level is still high, but the cloudiness is slowly disappearing.

i'm looking forward to the next feek weeks ending - i wanna add fish to my tank! till then, i'll wait (im)patiently.

 

[Tanked]

glad to hear is is clearing up. it is a slow process but the end result is great. I had to learn more patience for this fish keeping thing too. as by nature I tend to be VERY impatient

 

[dolphin]

Hi LimpyFins

Fish keeping is a great way of learning patience. Good the here things are getting better.

Once the cycle is complete, you still have to be careful. You can only add a few fish at a time. You will have to wait after adding them, for the filter bacteria to multiply, to copy with the new fish.

 

[LimpyFins]

thanks again for the additional input. i have a 20 gallon tank with 6 fish right now. i was considering, at most, adding 2 or 3 more fish to the tank. i do know to add only a few at a time, and that was exactly what i was going to do.