# cloudy water for some reason...need help



## silver51 (Nov 8, 2011)

the water has been changed and i have changed the filter media and rinsed it before putting it in, the water looks like when you just pour a cup of water from the sink and it has lots of tiny air bubbles in it, but mine wont go away, any ideas? i have also tried using water clarifier with no change


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## pH7 (Dec 5, 2011)

silver51 said:


> the water has been changed and i have changed the filter media and rinsed it before putting it in, the water looks like when you just pour a cup of water from the sink and it has lots of tiny air bubbles in it, but mine wont go away, any ideas? i have also tried using water clarifier with no change


What's your reading for ammonia in the tank?


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## silver51 (Nov 8, 2011)

pH7 said:


> What's your reading for ammonia in the tank?


it was low


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## pH7 (Dec 5, 2011)

silver51 said:


> it was low


What exactly are your water parameters?

Temperature: ___
pH: ___
Ammonia: ___
Nitrite: ___
Nitrate: ___

What is your water source? When was your last water change, how much water did you change, and how big is your aquarium?

Exactly what aquarium products are you using?

When you rinsed your filter media, did you use untreated tap water to clean it?


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## silver51 (Nov 8, 2011)

pH7 said:


> What exactly are your water parameters?
> 
> Temperature: ___
> pH: ___
> ...


it is a 10 gallon, i changed the water an hour ago, i changed about half, im getting the water from a sink faucet, i am using stress coat water treatment, seachem neutral regulator, top fin water clarifier, and top fin bacterial supplement. i rinsed the filter in untreated tap water, and i dont have all the exact parameters, ill get a test kit tomorrow


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## drzoom (Dec 10, 2011)

Rinsing the filter in untreated tap water can kill the useful bacteria in it. That can cause instability and cloudy water as the bacteria gets re-established in the tank. So, this could be a bacterial bloom clouding the water. If you had a test kit, you might observe higher levels of ammonia and/or nitrites that would've given you a clue about this problem. It's good that you're getting a test kit. I test my tank once a week to make sure that things are stable.


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## pH7 (Dec 5, 2011)

drzoom said:


> Rinsing the filter in untreated tap water can kill the useful bacteria in it


PROBLEM:
Rinsing the filter in untreated tap water DOES (not "can") kill the useful bacteria in it. The useful bacteria are what consume the toxins in your water that the fish produce as a bi-product of their respiratory cycle (the process of getting oxygen to their internal organs), and as a bi-product of food digestion (waste).

PROBLEM:
Some tap water sources (most in urban and suburban america in fact) contain chloramines, which is essentially chlorine + an ammonia ion. With normal water conditioners, that breaks down to ammonia which adds to the toxins the fish already produce. By simply doing a water change you also have introduced toxins into the water.

SOLUTION:
Neutralize the toxins in your tap water by using Seachem Prime, which not only removes toxic chlorine, but also neutralizes ammonia. Do not simply use a dechlorinator.

SOLUTION:
Keep toxins permanently at bay by establishing a healthy bacteria colony in your filter. Read about the "nitrogen cycle" - google it, or even better, search this forum. And NEVER rinse your filter media in untreated tap water after you have established the bacterial colonies (technically there will be at least two--nitrosomona and nitrobacter) in your filter.

SUGGESTION:
Make double use of the Prime until your nitrogen cycle is complete. It's the only way your fish are likely to survive. After about a week of ammonia poisoning, nearly all fish WILL be dead, if not sooner. Prime will "lock" the ammonia away safely from the fish, while still making it available to your growing bacteria colonies. It's a win-win! Safe fish, growing bacteria.

SUGGESTION:
Make sure your water temperature remains around 78 degrees F. Regulate this by using an aquarium heater.

SUGGESTION:
Use aquarium salt during the cycle, and raise the temperature to 80 degrees. Fish like the salt (helps them breathe easier during the cycle), and bacteria like the warmth.


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## pH7 (Dec 5, 2011)

silver51 said:


> it is a 10 gallon, i changed the water an hour ago, i changed about half, im getting the water from a sink faucet, i am using stress coat water treatment, seachem neutral regulator, top fin water clarifier, and top fin bacterial supplement. i rinsed the filter in untreated tap water, and i dont have all the exact parameters, ill get a test kit tomorrow


Use seachem Prime. This removes the need for the stress coat. The bacterial supplement is a waste of money. It's not the right type of bacteria for permanent cycled aquariums. It's a short cut to a dead end, even if it does work (and usually it doesn't). Stop using the neutral regulator unless your pH is outrageously high (or low). If your ph is less than 7 or higher than 7.8, use it, otherwise it can do more harm than good. 1/8th of a teaspoon too much in your size of aquarium could have catastrophic results. I wish I could say I only knew this from reading or hearsay, but this is real life experience talking. Don't use the regulator. Finally, get RID of the clarifiers! They are mostly flocculates that will clear your water at the expense of your filter. It basically slime coats everything in the water and binds it together in goo, which sticks in your filter and clogs it up, necessitating frequent filter media changes. Flocculates should be used as a last resort. Unless you've got a huge amount of dust in your water, leave it on the shelf. And yes, get that test kit. Get the API freshwater master test kit.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

silver51 said:


> it is a 10 gallon, i changed the water an hour ago, i changed about half, im getting the water from a sink faucet, i am using stress coat water treatment, seachem neutral regulator, top fin water clarifier, and top fin bacterial supplement. i rinsed the filter in untreated tap water, and i dont have all the exact parameters, ill get a test kit tomorrow


If this is a new tank, a cloudy tank is fairly normal. Stop adding all the junk. Youi only need a dechlor. How many fish are in the tank?


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## Hooperman42 (Oct 23, 2011)

Agree from experience. Stop all the chemicals. If its a cycling tank then I use stress coat and safe start but that is just me. prime is great too. All the other junk is a waste of money as is algae removers etc. set it up and let it cycle and here was the hardest part for me"..........stop messing with it. Let it percolate! Clarifyers or miracle liquids are a scam and agree just set you back and stick your fish in a man made ooze.


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