# Cloudy water due to Neutral Regulator.



## Loveforfishes44

I went to petsmart to get my water tested and an employee there told me I needed Neutral Regulator 250 g because of high PH for my tank which is a 10 gallon. She also said my water is hard but it shouldn't be a big deal since my fish are hardy. I have 3 Cherry barbs in it and they seem to be doing okay. This same exact day I did take out one fish cherry barb - returned it to the store because he kept hiding and wasn't like the other barbs in my tank. I replaced it with another smaller more active new cherry barb. I still have only three cherry barbs. 

I put the new fish in 1st, everything seemed to be fine, water was clear and fishes seemed to be happy and getting along. 

I followed the directions for the Neutral Regulator and I decided to add some water a small pot filled of tap water with the neutral regulator and some stress coat. I put it in the tank and now it's not extremely cloudy that you cannot see in it, but it is noticeable even from a distance almost like a white film. Once I put the new water with the neutral regulator it made my water cloudy. Before this my water was always crystal clear. Will my tank get back to being clear again? Has anyone else experienced this? 

My tank is still in the process of cycling, It will be almost 2 weeks now. 

I'm pretty worried about my tank..Thanks for the help!


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## MissPisces

It sounds to me like a bacterial bloom, though you should avoid using pH products unless it's absolutely neccessary. I use neutral regulator, but only because an air stone, shell, and live plants didn't work. 

Here's my advice, because this happened to me, too:

1. Your tank is probably cloudy because of a bacterial bloom. This happens in a newly-cycling tank, and it's called New Tank Syndrome. You should buy some of the 5-in-1 test strips and an ammonia test, and monitor the water yourself. It's really easy to do. From there, you can ask questions related to that and do research on what to do when cycling a tank. 

2. Unless the pH in your tank fluctuates constantly, you shouldn't need to buffer your water. Buy a liquid pH test kit (it's cheap and VERY easy to use, and it's more accurate than the strips). The thing is, a lot of fish can adapt to a wide range of pH. I'm not sure about cherry barbs, but you should look up what range they can tolerate. If your pH is within that range, it shouldn't be a problem. You should only use the pH buffering powder if your pH keeps fluctuating, because using chemicals can make your tank unstable. I use it only because I have to, and I use it very sparingly. I also monitor the pH daily, and only add some buffer if it starts fluctuating too much. 

I know that a little bit of fluctuation throughout the day is normal, but if you see that it keeps swinging up or down a point or so every single day, and it just keeps shooting up or down, then that's the time for drastic measures. 

Oh, and here's a tip: For the test kits that use a tube (like the pH and liquid ammonia tests), buy a couple of eyedroppers from the pharmacy or from the medicine section at WalMart. They really save you a LOT of trouble when filling the glass test tubes up to the appropriate mark! 

Good luck!


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## DocPoppi

Hmmm... and Argghh
Pet stores make thier money selling all that additive crap... So before you buy, verify.
I'm sure they were being as helpful as possible, but their job is to sell product.
No more of that stuff... Eh
I, and most all the long time fishkeepers here recommend you buy your own test kit. (API Master Kit) DON'T buy test strips (sorry misspisces) they are not accurate enough.

I'm not 100% as to why your tank did that, and without readings of the parameters it's hard. Mixing chemicals does crazy things, or it could have been a bloom which will go away quickly enough....
Some Barbs will break off from the "pack" and solo off and on. Try adding at least two more. They'll all be much happier and active. But AFTER your sure your tank has cycled, and assuming the poor little guys in there make it through.


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## holly12

Agreed - probably a bacterial bloom since it's a cycling tank. give it some time - if it doesn't clear up in a week or so, then maybe it's the regulator.

The shy Barb could also just have been stressed since it is a fish that's being used to cycle the tank. It's not unusual to have sick or dead fish when cycling with fish... actually, it's usually weird if you DON'T have at least some sick or dead fish by the end.

And also agreed with the test strips. I used to use them and have moved on to the liquid tests. They are a bit more expensive, but last waaaay longer and are so much more accurate!

Good luck with the rest of your cycle and with the cloudy water.


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## Sweetgreenleaf1369

DocPoppi said:


> Hmmm... and Argghh
> Pet stores make thier money selling all that additive crap... So before you buy, verify.
> I'm sure they were being as helpful as possible, but their job is to sell product.
> No more of that stuff... Eh
> I, and most all the long time fishkeepers here recommend you buy your own test kit. (API Master Kit) DON'T buy test strips (sorry misspisces) they are not accurate enough.
> 
> I'm not 100% as to why your tank did that, and without readings of the parameters it's hard. Mixing chemicals does crazy things, or it could have been a bloom which will go away quickly enough....
> Some Barbs will break off from the "pack" and solo off and on. Try adding at least two more. They'll all be much happier and active. But AFTER your sure your tank has cycled, and assuming the poor little guys in there make it through.


*i/a* for most fish you don't need to add anything to your tank get a test kit so you can test your own tank.


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## Big Dog

Hi and welcome to the forum. Looks like you got alot of help with this subject


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