# Need Help With My Tank



## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

I recently bought a 47 gallon tank from my friend. It has a Biowheel filter. I got the gravel, decorations and filter he used in the tank. I was wondering if the good bacteria would still be on it because we transferred it to my house in 1 day. 

I am on day 2 of trying to cycle it. I put tap water and then put chlorine remover in and then a PH neutralizer. I tested and it was saying my nitrates and nitrates were good but my ammonia is high. I have two fish in the tank. 

It got cloudy today so I did about a 20% water change. Does that mean the bacteria is blooming? Is that a good thing? 

I was assuming it wouldn't take long to cycle since I have his filter, gravel and decorations with the bacteria on it already, am I wrong?


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Oh and the tank is still cloudy after the water change.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Kill you lights and stop adding food until it clears.

I would also add some fast growing plants like anacharis.


my .02


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

And quit using PH neutralizer, it's not needed and can cause fluctuations with the ph that is more harmful than a stable ph.

Was the filter kept in tank water?
Shouldn't have a problem with a cycle.

Or was it allowed to be out of the water? Did you clean the filter before putting it on the tank in tap water? 

If so you will have to cycle.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

susankat said:


> And quit using PH neutralizer, it's not needed and can cause fluctuations with the ph that is more harmful than a stable ph.
> 
> Was the filter kept in tank water?
> Shouldn't have a problem with a cycle.
> ...


I don't think I know what you mean by the filter being in or out of water. It is a emperor biowheel filter and it sits on top of the tank but water runs in and out of it. We emptied the tank when we moved it but the filter was still wet when we put it back on. I didn't clean the filter with tap water because I was scared chlorine would kill the good bacteria.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

But I am worried because the ammonia is reading high. Which I thought is the first part of the cycle.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I wouldn't worry so much about a cloudy tank when the tank is cycling. I wouldn't do a water change unless the ammonia is above 1ppm. Cloudiness is normal and unless it is green, no need to turn off your light.

If you transferred all the stuff without trying to clean it and you kept it wet the whole time in between, you should have an easy time.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

Brinksta said:


> I don't think I know what you mean by the filter being in or out of water. It is a emperor biowheel filter and it sits on top of the tank but water runs in and out of it. We emptied the tank when we moved it but the filter was still wet when we put it back on. I didn't clean the filter with tap water because I was scared chlorine would kill the good bacteria.


You pretty much just answered the question. It sounds like your filter media was still wet (the cartridge that goes into the actual filter, aka a filter cartridge)


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

as long as its still wet you have roughly 12 hours before the BB will die off, you most likely will lose some but you should have the majority


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

As far as the bacteria bloom goes...is it a good thing? Does it mean the right kind of bacteria is being created for the bio-filter?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

A bacteria bloom is caused by excess nutrients in the water. Once the nutrients are gone the bloom will disappear.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

Brinksta said:


> As far as the bacteria bloom goes...is it a good thing? Does it mean the right kind of bacteria is being created for the bio-filter?


yes.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Alright, I got a 2 test kits. One for ammonia and one more nitrites and nitrates. I am on day 4 and my ammonia I believe is at .5 my nitrates show they are good and the nitrites are reading a little high, but not to high. The tank is cloudy still. I have done one water change.

Don't forget that I was assuming the cycle would go fast because of the bio filter, gravel, decorations I got from his 4 year established tank.

Do you think I am almost done, or what?


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Another question for you guys. I am now on day 5 of my cycle I only put 2 mollies in for the cycle. It seems like the cycle is going slow. I think it should go faster because the tank was established. Ammonia is reading at about .5 while the nitrates and nitrates are good. 

Anyways I was wondering if I should add another fish to make it go faster? I was thinking about a female betta. Or should I wait until the cycle is finished before adding anymore?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You never answered the specific questions about how you transferred the gravel and everything. Depending on how you did it, you could have just started a tank with older gravel, not established gravel.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

Are you talking about how I moved the gravel? there was still water in the tank above the gravel when we moved it. He even had about 5 or 6 gallons of used water I put in when I got it set up.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The used water wont make much difference but as long as everything stayed wet you could see an abbrevated cycle.


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## Brinksta (Nov 16, 2011)

What about adding another fish? Is it to late to do that now? I only have 2 mollies in a 47 gallon.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

It seems like you want to do a cycle with fish. New Tank Syndrome

However in the future I would recommend doing a fishless cycle for any other tanks you plan to set up http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html

I did a cycle with hardy fish for my small tank and I was fine, but after reading more information on the subject I have come to the conclusion that a fishless cycle puts less stress on the fish, which makes them more happy and healthy.


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