Help

[Montizuma]

Hey Am new to the forums but not new to fish keeping (although it has been 9 years since i had the tank set up). But i have a big problem. I set my tank up about a week ago and let it cycle for a week plus a couple of days. I washed the gravel/rock. i washed all the plastic plants that i have and the LIVING PLANT to. So after the week or so that i let it cycle everything was nice and clear and looking good. So i went and bought 7fish 5 Tiger Barbs and 2 Clown Loaches. But after 2 days and watching the temp i decided to buy a heater for it and ever since i put the heater in the tank has been cloudy and i cant get rid of it. Bellow i have posted pictures and everything that is being used. IAM LOOKING FOR HELP AND ADVICE

1. Top Fin Power Filter 20 (i think the tank is 20gl)
2. Visi-Therm heater 100 watt
3. 3 top fin plants and 1Real top fin plant
4. I don't remember who made the log
5. Top fin Gravel.
And the 7 fish listed above

This is the filter Am probably going to get soon if the cloudiness doesn't clear up.
http/www.petco.com/product/4051/AquaClea...er-Filters.aspx

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I think cloudy water is normally caused by high ammonia, or bacteria blooms.


We need more information

Tank Size? 20 gallons for sure?
Water stats?
What did you cycle it with?

I doubt you did it right, because normally tanks don't cycle in a weeks time, it usually takes quite a bit longer. And, Ammonia would be through the roof if you added that many fish to a non-cycled tank. The fish look poorly in those pictures, you I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason. Clown loaches can get very big (over a foot in length) and need to be kept in bigger groups, in a tank at least 75 gallons.

 

[Montizuma]

Iam pretty sure its a 20gl tank i don't know right now what the water stats are i will tomorrow. The filter only has carbon in it and that's were i made my mistake. As for the cycle time after talking to many people and my friend who has a 150gl, 100gl, and a 30gl he said a week was fine. Iam not playing on keep the clown loaches till they are a foot to two foot length my friend wants them when they are that big. The tiger barbs seem to be enjoying them self alot the swim around the tank and ea very very good and same do the clown loaches. Iam not trying to shoot you down on your advise. It was very helpful. Do you think the heater might have done something because the tank was clear until i put it in and turned it on?

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Nope.

It wasn't cycled.



Check the link bellow in my signature, or go to the pinned topic on cycling tanks. You need to add Ammonia to a tank, to actually cycle it. Nitrifying bacteria only grows when it has a food source, and takes a while to grow to an amount where it can fully process the ammonia a full tank of fish produces. If you don't add ammonia, and put fish in, there isn't enough bacteria to break down the ammonia, and so it builds up and can harm fish.

This is the same for the nitrifying bacteria that breaks down Nitrites and Nitrates.

Sorry if I am coming across harsh or anything, I am only trying to tell you what's happening, and why.

 

[I Love my fishies]

I think cloudy water is normally caused by high ammonia, or bacteria blooms.


We need more information

Tank Size? 20 gallons for sure?
Water stats?
What did you cycle it with?

I doubt you did it right, because normally tanks don't cycle in a weeks time, it usually takes quite a bit longer. And, Ammonia would be through the roof if you added that many fish to a non-cycled tank. The fish look poorly in those pictures, you I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason. Clown loaches can get very big (over a foot in length) and need to be kept in bigger groups, in a tank at least 75 gallons.

I agree the tank is not cycled properly but don't think you can really tell if the fish look poorly or not in those pic's the water is murky after all the little barb looks to be happy to me.


spelling edit

 

[Montizuma]

So what should i do add amonia or decrease the amoniam. Also i didnt just put water in the tank and run it i add nitrate,nitrate and something that has to do with amonia. i dont have the bottle cause my bro has a tak and used the rest when he changed the water

 

[I Love my fishies]

So what should i do add amonia or decrease the amoniam. Also i didnt just put water in the tank and run it i add nitrate,nitrate and something that has to do with amonia. i dont have the bottle cause my bro has a tak and used the rest when he changed the water

You don't need to add ammonia now as having fish in your tank will build up ammonia if you read the link Discus lover pointed out it will give you all the information you need on what to do (I am pretty sure it has a section about cycling if you put fish in)

 

[rowdyburns21]

Iam pretty sure its a 20gl tank i don't know right now what the water stats are i will tomorrow. The filter only has carbon in it and that's were i made my mistake. As for the cycle time after talking to many people and my friend who has a 150gl, 100gl, and a 30gl he said a week was fine. Iam not playing on keep the clown loaches till they are a foot to two foot length my friend wants them when they are that big. The tiger barbs seem to be enjoying them self alot the swim around the tank and ea very very good and same do the clown loaches. Iam not trying to shoot you down on your advise. It was very helpful. Do you think the heater might have done something because the tank was clear until i put it in and turned it on?

I hate people who ask questions and then dont accept one of the senior members answers, go figure!!!
your tank is cycling, youve got approx 4 weeks of high ammonia and 1-2 weeks of high nitrite, do daily water changes and keep ur ammonia and nitrite levels under 0.25 ppm, it will be tough, good luck

 

[Angel_Queen]

This is a pretty good link for Fishy Cycles Cycling With Fish
I am also doing a cycle with fish and found it very informative.

 

[Montizuma]

Thanks to everyone for the help. I have another question i woke up this morning and turned on the light and noticed that the tank was cleared and my tiger 2 of my 5 tiger barbs were very close to each other(like they were rubbing) and then they went to my live plant and swam circles around it and then left Right After that all the fish came over to the area and they were eating stuff on the ground I have not feed the fish and i could not make it out what they were eating is i possible the 2 tiger barbs spawned?

 

[Montizuma]

Ok so i got a test on the amonium levels and its at 1.0ppm i did a water change and bought a diffrent filter cartridge that has io stuff and carbon. Its been an hour and the tank has cleared pretty good in abaout another hour and a half i wil cheak the amonium and update you guys

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I think cloudy water is normally caused by high ammonia, or bacteria blooms.


We need more information

Tank Size? 20 gallons for sure?
Water stats?
What did you cycle it with?

I doubt you did it right, because normally tanks don't cycle in a weeks time, it usually takes quite a bit longer. And, Ammonia would be through the roof if you added that many fish to a non-cycled tank. The fish look poorly in those pictures, you I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason. Clown loaches can get very big (over a foot in length) and need to be kept in bigger groups, in a tank at least 75 gallons.

I agree the tank is not cycled properly but don't think you can really tell if the fish look poorly or not in those pic's the water is murky after all the little barb looks to be happy to me.


spelling edit

The Tiger Barb in the last picture doesn't look great.

Swimming very close to the bottom, and doesn't have great color

 

[Montizuma]

Yeah all my fish have changed they are all swimming around and eating very good Even the clown loaches are more alert. i tested the Nitrite and it came up as 0ppm, is that good? or should it be higher? my temp in the tank has stayed at 75.5F. Its like all my fish woke up this afternoon thanks for the help i greatly appreciate the help.

 

[Gazpug]

Yeah all my fish have changed they are all swimming around and eating very good Even the clown loaches are more alert. i tested the Nitrite and it came up as 0ppm, is that good? or should it be higher? my temp in the tank has stayed at 75.5F. Its like all my fish woke up this afternoon thanks for the help i greatly appreciate the help.

There is three stages to cycling a tank.. Because you have put fish in the first thing you will see is the ammonia raise higher every day because there has to be time for the bacteria to grow to consume the ammonia. You will eventualy see the ammonia start to drop. It has taken my tank 3 weeks for the ammonia to drop down to zero. Because i am 3 weeks into a fishless cycle my self i am now experiencing high levels of NitrIte in the tank over 5ppm. This is also very toxic to fish. I am now ging to have to wait roughly 10-15 days for another bacteria to mature in the filter to be able to reduce the NitrIte levels down to zero. At this point your NitrIte is being processed and the by product of this will be NitrAte.

This isn't as toxic as the other two but it is controlled by weekly water changes. Try to keep your nitrAte levels down below 40ppm. Because you have done a cycle with fish you will need to do large water changes to keep both ammonia and nitrIte levels under control.

Good Luck

Gaz.

 

[littlest]

Gazpug is right,

It is good that nitrite is at zero as nitrite is poisonous to your fish, but it might only be at zero because the ammonia isn't being processed (converted to nitrite) yet. so you could have all that to come.

Carbon is not a particularly useful media. You are better off with foam (sponge) or ceramic media. not sure what IO stuff is?

Also, appearance of water doesn't tell you much. Even if it is crystal clear it could still be toxic to your fish.

What is your ammonia level now?