hi, i inherited a fish tank from a friend, i don´t know how long was it sitting in his house without being used, it had some water in it when i got it. i cleaned the tank and gravel and filled it up, the water is cloudy, it´s been over a week since that, i added some barbs, and the water stays cloudy, any suggestions to adress this problem?, thanks
cloudy water
- Thread starter atopetu17
- Start date
How large is your tank? How many fish and what species are in the tank?
Please read about cycling and purchase a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.
I suggest you return your fish to the store and do a fishless cycle. Cycling basically means that your aquarium filter is building up enough beneficial bacteria to support your fish. When there is not enough bacteria, such as in new or overstocked tanks, fish live in toxic chemicals that can kill them, give them diseases and/or shorten their lifespans. Your water is cloudy because your tank is not cycled and/or has too many fish.
Fishless Cycle
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
Please read about cycling and purchase a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.
I suggest you return your fish to the store and do a fishless cycle. Cycling basically means that your aquarium filter is building up enough beneficial bacteria to support your fish. When there is not enough bacteria, such as in new or overstocked tanks, fish live in toxic chemicals that can kill them, give them diseases and/or shorten their lifespans. Your water is cloudy because your tank is not cycled and/or has too many fish.
Fishless Cycle
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
You might want to have him go through the full list of FAQ's as well.
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/fre...eshwater-beginner-stickies-read-me-first.html
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/fre...eshwater-beginner-stickies-read-me-first.html
10 barbs (schooling fish in a school)
5 random cats (Some of these grow big)
2 zebra danios (schooling fish NOT in a school)
1 penguin tetra (schooling fish NOT in a school)
I would agree with Little Tank. Unless you know for a fact that your tank is cycled you should probably return these fish and do a tankless cycle. Then you might want to adjust your tank population a little. I'd drop the danios, tetra and a couple-three of the cats. But again, that's after you cycle your tank. Otherwise you're almost guaranteed to have a few dead fishies.
Good luck!
5 random cats (Some of these grow big)
2 zebra danios (schooling fish NOT in a school)
1 penguin tetra (schooling fish NOT in a school)
I would agree with Little Tank. Unless you know for a fact that your tank is cycled you should probably return these fish and do a tankless cycle. Then you might want to adjust your tank population a little. I'd drop the danios, tetra and a couple-three of the cats. But again, that's after you cycle your tank. Otherwise you're almost guaranteed to have a few dead fishies.
Good luck!
First, let's make sure that your tank is cycled. Get an API Master Test Kit and test your water for ammonia, nitrItes, and nitrAtes. Your readings should be 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrItes, and 10-20ppm nitrAtes. Until your parameters reach the desired levels, do daily 50% water changes with Seachem Prime (it detoxifies ammonia in all its forms, including nitrite).
Once that is taken care of, we can move on to your stocking issues...here's some things to think about while your tank is cycling...
The cories (of which the pictus is not one) will school together, but you might want to get at least one more.
The whiptail cat (aka-whiptail pleco) is okay for your tank, since they get to be about 6".
The pictus will also get to be about 6", but will basically eat anything it can fit into it's mouth, so every fish in your tank other than your whiptail cat is at risk of being eaten once the pictus matures.
I agree with aakaakaak about the penguin tetra. Either fill out the school (to 5 or more) or get rid of it. Tetras do not do well at all on their own. Same thing goes for the danios, except they will become nippy and aggressive when not in a proper school (of 5 or more), while the tetra will just become reclusive.
Now onto the barbs...the tiger barbs and green (tiger) barbs will school together. The rosy barbs *might* as they are similarly-shaped, but I wouldn't count on it. I can't find any reference or pics of a "hexagon barb," so I don't know what to tell you on that one (unless you mean a checkerboard barb?). The gold barbs are more peaceful than the tigers or rosies and won't school with either.
Here's what I would do...I would get rid of the tetra, danios and pictus cat. I'd add one or two more cories (any variety, really, as cories will school regardless of color). I would add at least two more tiger barbs (regular, green or albino...doesn't matter since they'll school together regardless of color). I'd bring your other barb schools up to at least 5 each. The whiptail cat can stay.
Once that is taken care of, we can move on to your stocking issues...here's some things to think about while your tank is cycling...
The cories (of which the pictus is not one) will school together, but you might want to get at least one more.
The whiptail cat (aka-whiptail pleco) is okay for your tank, since they get to be about 6".
The pictus will also get to be about 6", but will basically eat anything it can fit into it's mouth, so every fish in your tank other than your whiptail cat is at risk of being eaten once the pictus matures.
I agree with aakaakaak about the penguin tetra. Either fill out the school (to 5 or more) or get rid of it. Tetras do not do well at all on their own. Same thing goes for the danios, except they will become nippy and aggressive when not in a proper school (of 5 or more), while the tetra will just become reclusive.
Now onto the barbs...the tiger barbs and green (tiger) barbs will school together. The rosy barbs *might* as they are similarly-shaped, but I wouldn't count on it. I can't find any reference or pics of a "hexagon barb," so I don't know what to tell you on that one (unless you mean a checkerboard barb?). The gold barbs are more peaceful than the tigers or rosies and won't school with either.
Here's what I would do...I would get rid of the tetra, danios and pictus cat. I'd add one or two more cories (any variety, really, as cories will school regardless of color). I would add at least two more tiger barbs (regular, green or albino...doesn't matter since they'll school together regardless of color). I'd bring your other barb schools up to at least 5 each. The whiptail cat can stay.
It's just a matter of research (Google is your friend!), as well as knowing how to navigate and understand sites like AqAdvisor. When I research different types of fish, I never rely on just one site's information, as it may be incomplete or even incorrect. No offense to the OP or anyone else, but if people woud just take the time to do a little bit of research on the fish they want or have, it would solve a lot of their problems.
Bass-OK, been reading this forum for a while but what does "OP"
mean? Original Poster?....
Ok so as already stated, Google is your friend, check different sites to get more information and do the research! I think most important right now are water changes, daily 50% or better, and also go SSSSLLLLOOOOOWWWWW until things are right! 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and under 20 Nitrates and then you should also go slow!
Bo knows fishie advice
Im still puzzled as to the cloudy water? What did you clean the tank with?
mean? Original Poster?....
Ok so as already stated, Google is your friend, check different sites to get more information and do the research! I think most important right now are water changes, daily 50% or better, and also go SSSSLLLLOOOOOWWWWW until things are right! 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and under 20 Nitrates and then you should also go slow!
Bo knows fishie advice
Im still puzzled as to the cloudy water? What did you clean the tank with?
lol...yes, Dylandrewsdad, OP=Original Poster.
There's a lot of things that can contribute to cloudy water including (but not limited to) insufficient filtration, no (or inadequate) water changes, overstocking, stripping down the tank and scrubbing all the surfaces/gravel/decorations (thereby killing the cycle and starting from scratch...done this one before when I didn't know better...yeah, not fun AT ALL)...
There's a lot of things that can contribute to cloudy water including (but not limited to) insufficient filtration, no (or inadequate) water changes, overstocking, stripping down the tank and scrubbing all the surfaces/gravel/decorations (thereby killing the cycle and starting from scratch...done this one before when I didn't know better...yeah, not fun AT ALL)...
Using cleaning chemicals in your tank is extremely dangerous because glass is porous and those chemicals can get down into those pores and cause all sorts of havoc with your tank.
Here's what I would suggest...strip down your tank and clean it with HOT HOT (boiling) water and white vinegar. Not too much white vinegar...I usually use about 1 teaspoon white vinegar per gallon of HOT water. Scrub your tank REALLY well with a clean, unused scrubby pad (the yellow and green cleaning sponges). Let the tank sit until the water is cool, then dump the water. Fill the tank again with HOT water (without vinegar this time), scrub it again, and let the water cool again. Dump the water and let the tank air dry. Hopefully this will remove any residue from the Lime Off.
Here's what I would suggest...strip down your tank and clean it with HOT HOT (boiling) water and white vinegar. Not too much white vinegar...I usually use about 1 teaspoon white vinegar per gallon of HOT water. Scrub your tank REALLY well with a clean, unused scrubby pad (the yellow and green cleaning sponges). Let the tank sit until the water is cool, then dump the water. Fill the tank again with HOT water (without vinegar this time), scrub it again, and let the water cool again. Dump the water and let the tank air dry. Hopefully this will remove any residue from the Lime Off.
