# White cloudy water



## Baconator90 (May 8, 2012)

Hi, I just got a new 30 gallon tank and I'm having some cloudy eater issues. I got the tank all set up in Sunday( filled it, got the filter put together, heater in, extra.) Then yesterday I put in some gravel substrate and added the packet of water Conditioner that came with the tank and about 3 teaspoons of "stress zyme" bacteria. This morning when I got up the water was kinda cloudy, so I did a few quick searches and found it was likely from a "bacteria bloom" my question is, Is it safe to add fish to the tank? I was planning on picking up a few neon tetras tomorrow. I used some test strips in the tank and all the levels are fine except for a little hardness.
*edit* The temp is a little warm as well, it was at about 86 this morning so I turned down the tank heater a little bit, I think that might also be a contributing factor to the bacteria bloom.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I reccomend doing a fish less cycle using straight ammonia. there is a sticky thread explaining how to do this. DOing it this way will save fish from potential harm, and will actualy cycle faster than with fish in.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Sounds like a case of the gravel not being rinsed good enough. Couldn't have been a bacteria bloom since the presence of ammonia causes the bloom and fish are the source of ammonia. Do a big water change and try to get out most of the gravel dust, or just let it run a few days and see if it will clear. If it isn't too bad may be okay to add fish, but if the bacteria bloom does come it will make things worse and you'll have 2 problems going on at once.


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## Baconator90 (May 8, 2012)

OK I was thinking that it could have been a bloom if I measures the bacteria wrong when I added it. I added the gravel a few hours before the bacteria and it was clear still, it didn't get fogy till this morning


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## scooterlady (May 10, 2011)

It sounds like your tank hasn't gone through the nitrogen cycle yet...that's building up the beneficial bacteria that will get rid of ammonia and nitrites. The bacteria you added probably died because there is no source of ammonia for it to feed from. Read up on the nitrogen cycle and decide if you want to do a fishless cycle, using ammonia, a fish in cycle where you have to really keep track of your parameters to keep the fish from dying, or a fish in cycle in a heavily planted tank. Then you can add more fish right away since the plants will absorb the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Also, it is highly recommended to get an API test kit since it's way more accurate than strips


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Alright...I missed you added a bacteria supplement. However, their food source, if there was actual bacteria in that bottle, comes from fish.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Initial cloudiness can be just suspend "crud" and will clear in a day or two.

Otherwise I would kill the lights and not add any food until it clears.

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Don't worry about killing the lights unless the cloudiness is green in color.


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## Baconator90 (May 8, 2012)

Thanks for all the help, my water has cleared up and the fish I added are doing fine (6 neon tetra one did die but it was freight day at my local pet store and three ghost shrimp) I ordered an API Master freshwater test kit and it is on its way.


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