Instant Clear Water

IfIhadaboat85

IfIhadaboat85

Medium Fish
#1
Feb 10, 2011
81
0
0
Annapolis, MD
#1
So I've noticed, as is natural, that pretty much since the instant I added my first fish, my water's been a tad bit cloudy. I woke up this morning to find that my water is amazingly crystal clear. I've been doing the regular water changes and my temperature right now is actually hovering at around 84 (trying to fight back against a nasty outbreak of ich) and I've been adding a well rounded tablespoon of aquarium salt nearly two or three times a day for the past few days. The fish, although some covered in ich) are so active and seem really happy and comfortable.

My question i guess really is whether or not instantly crystal clear water is a good sign that my tank has finally managed to establish itself and complete it's first cycle?

I've only had the thing up and running and stocked for a shade under 2 weeks.
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#2
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#2
Clear water is a good sign things are leveling out (cloudly water is often indicative of a bacterial bloom) but really the only way to tell is doing a water test to see if nitrites are gone and nitrates have taken over.
 

aakaakaak

aakaakaak

Superstar Fish
#9
Sep 9, 2010
1,324
0
0
Chesapeake, Virginia
#9
It means you haven't broken anything yet. ;)

Keep a close eye on all three numbers. They will probably change.
(For some reason I get really low readings in my 29. Maybe it has something to do with the tank height vs. floor space?)
 

IfIhadaboat85

IfIhadaboat85

Medium Fish
#10
Feb 10, 2011
81
0
0
Annapolis, MD
#10
Yeah aakaak, I don't know. You'd be the man to tell me. Really though I did find it a bit odd that I'm pretty much fully (some might suggest over) stocked, have had the tank up and running without too much problem (except for the ich.. which is slowly resolving itself by the way :) :) :)! ) and I'm getting readings of zero and 'safe' from my jungle labs test strips. I suppose I should be very happy that I've only had minimal death (2 rams) very very clear water with very minimal odor and readings of 0 on some of the 'scarier' areas but I don't know..
 

aakaakaak

aakaakaak

Superstar Fish
#11
Sep 9, 2010
1,324
0
0
Chesapeake, Virginia
#11
Lol, I ran your numbers through Aqadvisor. It went off like a pinball machine. I wasn't sure what you're using for filtration, so I guessed at a standard generic Tetra Power Filter 30.

Warning: Buenos Aires Tetra is not recommended for your tank - it may eventually outgrow your tank space, potentially reaching up to 2.5 inches.
Warning: At least 5 x Buenos Aires Tetra are recommended in a group.
Warning: At least 5 x Bleeding Heart Tetra are recommended in a group.
Warning: Bala Shark is not recommended for your tank - it may eventually outgrow your tank space, potentially reaching up to 12 inches.
Warning: At least 5 x Bala Shark are recommended in a group.
Warning: Buenos Aires Tetra may become food for Bala Shark.
Warning: Bleeding Heart Tetra may become food for Bala Shark.
Warning: Betta Imbellis may become food for Bala Shark.
Warning: Gold Barb may become food for Bala Shark.
Warning: Neon Tetra may become food for Bala Shark.
Warning: At least 5 x Gold Barb are recommended in a group.
Warning: Bala Shark is too aggressive to co-exist with Neon Tetra.Recommended temperature range: 75.2 - 78.8 F. [Display in Celsius]
Recommended pH range: 6 - 7.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 15 dH.


Warning: You NEED to add more aquarium filtration capacity!!!

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 37%.
Recommended water change schedule: 54% per week. (You might want to split this water change schedule to two separate 32% per week)
Your aquarium stocking level is 155%.
Your tank is overstocked. Unless you are an experienced aquarist who can meet the maintenance/biological needs of this aquarium, lower stocking levels are recommended.
Click to expand...
I recalculated to appropriate levels. I removed your bala shark and buenos aeries tetras (you said they were a bit too overly agressive anyway) then added in an extra gold barb and bleeding heart tetra. It removed all the warnings, put you at 100% stocked, and only needing an extra 32% filtration. Adding a second filter of pretty much any varaiety rated for 20g and up would cover you with a little to spare to add about 4xcorys (bottom feeders to fill out the tank).

NOTE: Aqadvisor is just a guesswork tool. Experience and research are a million times better than that site. It just helps with general math, not absolute gospel.
 

aakaakaak

aakaakaak

Superstar Fish
#14
Sep 9, 2010
1,324
0
0
Chesapeake, Virginia
#14
Humane would be bringing them back to the fish store so they could sell them to someone else. Or, you could put them up on Craigslist. Or find someone else with tank space. Or get a bigger tank. Fishicide is not the only answer.
 

IfIhadaboat85

IfIhadaboat85

Medium Fish
#15
Feb 10, 2011
81
0
0
Annapolis, MD
#15
yeah. I have my eye on a 55 gallon already but just worry that it may be a little too big for me for the time being. Not sure really what other sizes between my 29 gallon and the much bigger 55 gallons are out there or really where to get them... I'd really love to (and have the room and budget for) a nice 40 or 45 gallon. But I hate bowfronts and am not the biggest fan of hexes... but I'd maybe give one a shot.
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#16
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#16
The footprint of a standard 39g, for example, isn't much different from a 29g - it's just taller. And the amount of work involved wouldn't be that different. But unless you go for a huge jump in tank size, you gotta rehome that bala shark, unfortunately. Maybe work on that for now???
 

nanu156

nanu156

Large Fish
#18
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#18
I see aakaakaak is taking a page out of the book-o-marcy :)

You can pick up a tank cheap on Craigslist.org, you are luck enough to be in a big metropolitan area.

Check sunday nights (for some reason I always find more on sunday evenings) and be sure to check the general for sale items, as well as under the pets section. (they don't link up for whatever reason)

Buy a 55, it's actually less work then the 29. I promise. Dump the bala shark anyway tho.... Even in a 55 they are still too big. (need group of 3+ some say 5+) they get to be over a foot long thats a lot of really big fish.

Rams are a bad plan for new fish keepers they are finicky guys.

ALSO YOUR readings are innacurate. Im sure of it, that many fish that size tank, ammonia should be off the charts, or IF it has cycled you should have a nitrite reading.

The false readings are likely because your test strips are bad, you need a liquid kit, the test strips are almost never accurate.
 

IfIhadaboat85

IfIhadaboat85

Medium Fish
#19
Feb 10, 2011
81
0
0
Annapolis, MD
#19
aakaak, nanu. Again, I thank you BOTH very much for your expert guidance. I'll keep you both updated. Thinking I should probably wait and give my 29gallon some time to cycle and and settle and I suppose, at this point, let the tank decide who is the best fit for it and then upgrade to a 55. 55 is a lot of tank to immediately upgrade to when it's quite possible I'm only on the tail end of the beginning cycle...
 

nanu156

nanu156

Large Fish
#20
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#20
eh, honestly..... the 55 will cycle just as fast, it will require less work, and in general will be easier to maintain. (think about adding a drop of food coloring to a shot glass, then adding a drop of food coloring to a gallon of water) that's what it's like for excess food or heaven forbid something dead.

yeah you are in for a long haul with the fish in cycle. Keep changing the water. You need to get rid of the bala shark, return him to where you bought him.
 

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