My Tank's Lookin'...cloudy.

[LotusRuin]

Hi guys. Please to move this if it needs to be moved :D

So, Question: I've started up my new 10g tank and the water keeps on getting cloudy. I'm not quite sure what to use to get rid of this problem, so are there any suggestions?

Facts: First time I started it up, I let it run on filter for 1.5 weeks. No decor. The water became milky, and developed a white film on top, resembling a hardboiled eggshell when broken apart.

I took it down, scrubbed it up, started it again. No decor. After 3 days, it was the same.

I took it down, scrubbed it up, used cold water to fill it up in case it was the hot water bothering it, and added 2g of spring water. It's just starting to get cloudy again and I did this last night. I thought the problem would be fixed by now, so decor is in.

I used: Ph 7.0 powder stuff, water conditioner.

I bought today: cycle [i was told it would help clear it up], but should i take it back?

I'm thinking: It's calcium and lime in the water.

Water tested at pet store, everything came back perfect except Ph levels, which is why I added 7.0 Ph balance.

My bettas are in itty bitty glass bowls until I get this sorted out. They're stressed so I want to get them into their tank asap. Yes, it's divided.

Yes, there is a heater. Yes, the water is at a temp of 80 degrees f. Yes, they have betta pellets and freeze-dried blood worms. There is a filter that came with the tank. Tetra tank, I think. Yes, there is a hood with lights.

Please to suggest? :D??

[Mister Sparkle]

1) Did you thoroughly rinse your gravel before you put it in the aquarium?
2) Does your water conditioner remove heavy metals from the water? If there's a problem with your tap, you may want to consider getting RO water. Phosphates and/or silicates in the water could make it cloudy, also.
3) What did you clean the aquarium with? It wasn't something containing ammonia (i.e. Windex), was it?

[LotusRuin]

I thoroughly rinsed everything twice or more, my water conditioner is Aqueon's, which states "Detoxifies heavy metals, ammonia and other elements released from fish waste", and I cleaned my aquarium with piping hot water, never something that would be harmful to my fishies. :)

Edit: When I say piping hot, I mean so hot my eyes watered when my hand was swishing around the paper towel I was using to wipe down the surfaces of the glass. More than 120 degrees F according to the poor thermometer I rinsed as well. After cleaning with hot water, I would rinse with warm water, then filled with cool water.

[LotusRuin]

Also, and I hate to double post...but, my boyfriend's itty bitty CT Caldus looks like he's either developing finrot, or healing from finrot [his spikes are clear at the ends] and I'd like to put aquarium salt in his itty bitty 4x4 bowl to help him heal. For each gallon, the dosage says put 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Should I put about 1/8 teaspoon? 1/4?

[andreig09]

the tank is cycled??? what do you have as sustrate?

[LotusRuin]

I have absolutely no idea what cycling [or substrate] is, and I was actually typing it into the search bar for the forum after seeing people mention it in threads, when I decided to see if I got an answer! I think it's allowing the tank to have perfect levels of bacteria to sustain fishies...when I got my water tested after that week and a half of it being cloudy, the pet store said all levels were absolutely perfect to sustain an aquarium, minus the ph.

[Mister Sparkle]

Cloudy water is something indicative of an aquarium that is in the process of cycling. But I don't know how that process would have gotten started without you somehow putting ammonia in there. It's an odd set of circumstances.

I would go and get a conditioner that doesn't claim to "detoxify" ammonia. The beneficial bacteria that will result from cycling your aquarium is the only thing you want to detoxify the waste products from your fish. Those conditioners actually get in the way of growing those colonies of bacteria.

[LotusRuin]

Thanks Mister Sparkle, I have this stuff by Nutrafin called Cycle, and I was told to use that instead of everything else. I think I shall! The water isn't totally cloudy like it was before this time, so I think that's a good sign. Any ideas as to when I can put our boys in?

[Mister Sparkle]

Get a test kit. Monitor your ammonia and nitrite levels on a frequent basis. You'll see the ammonia go up, and then go down, followed by a rise in nitrites. Once those nitrites go back down, your aquarium is basically cycled and ready to handle some fish.

Alternatively, you can put the fish in now, and let their waste drive the cycling process. Only thing is that you DEFINITELY need to be monitoring toxin levels if you do this, and do a good 25% water change daily until you get 0 readings on both ammonia and nitrite, and a reading for nitrates between 5 and 30.

[LotusRuin]

Thanks! I think I'll wait to put the boys in, just in case :)