Cloudy water, new 29 gallon

[Kris P Bacon]

I used pea gravel from the garden section (so painfully frugal, I squeak) I rinsed it well.

Before this, I have had a 5 gallon for about a month. It went from cloudy to clear in daily cycles (had tank gravel)
Is cloudy/clear water a fact of life in a new tank?

I used a dechlorinater on both.
How long should I expect this?

Also, can sailfin mollies and jewel cichlids live in this tank in peace?
Thanks, Robert.

 

[Coryloach]

Is cloudy/clear water a fact of life in a new tank?

Cloudy water is a sign of the wrong type of bacteria developing in a tank. It is normally caused by explosion of heterotrophic bacteria which outcompete nitrifying bacteria for surfaces. It is also accompanied by very low oxygen levels and generally speaking, the environment is not safe enough for fish....so water changes are in order.

The reason you maybe seeing this in your scenario is because your tank is not cycled yet....

 

[Kris P Bacon]

Cloudy water is a sign of the wrong type of bacteria developing in a tank. It is normally caused by explosion of heterotrophic bacteria which outcompete nitrifying bacteria for surfaces. It is also accompanied by very low oxygen levels and generally speaking, the environment is not safe enough for fish....so water changes are in order.

The reason you maybe seeing this in your scenario is because your tank is not cycled yet....

It was rather overcrowded, for a 5 gallon, one large Male, Sail fin Molly and several mystery minnows (long and thin and fast swimmers) and 12 grass shrimp.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Jewel cichlids really shouldn't be kept with mollies in a small tank, as jewels would beat up the mollies

 

[Kris P Bacon]

Jewel cichlids really shouldn't be kept with mollies in a small tank, as jewels would beat up the mollies

Debating whether to add even one in the new 29 gallon.

 

[pops]

cloudy or milky water mean tank and filter not cycled. takes up to 6 weeks to cycle a tank. the cloudy water is do to ammonia build up that causes a bacterial bloom. if fish in, water changes need to happen every day, or at the least every other day, 90% or fin level till ammonia and nitrite reading are 0 and nitrates register.

 

[Kris P Bacon]

Crappy laptop pics, but anyway here it is.

 

[duanes]

Just a heads up.
I used pea gravel many years ago, and found the large interstitial spaces allowed detritus to slip between and underneath the gravel, creating anoxic pockets of grunge. These can be hard to vacuum out, and can produce hydrogen sulfide (which can make the tank smell like rotten eggs when they release), and can contribute to bacterial blooms even after the tank is cycled.
I prefer PFS that does trap fish feces, old food and other detritus, and is easier to vacuum off its surface when water changes are done.

 

[duanes]

Above should read, PFS that "doesn't trap" feces.........

 

[Kris P Bacon]

Tank is now crystal clear, hope it stays that way. My 5 gallon went from cloudy to clear in cycles. I understand water quality in bigger tank, is more stable?