How do I keep my water clear??? (Load Warning)

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
kelwkatdady;1014368; said:
I personally do not think you need to any water changes until your tank is cycled.

If I remember correctly you said the ammo is .05 ppm and nitrite were .05 ppm, that is hardly any ammo or nitrites. I'd wait for a couple of weeks until your tank is cycled. If you do a water change during the cycle process, it can and will slow the cycle process down.

As far as the water clarity, what filter media are you using to polish the water? Do you have any fine media in any of your filters? I use poly pillow stuffing that you can buy at most craft store and pennies on the dollar vs. what you would pay at the LFS.
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Let me quote Dr. Joe. "You do not cycle the tank but the filter." That statement applies to me as well. As I've said on my previous post. My first filter (HOB) is already cycled and I think its doing a good job on the biological filtration part because I have minimal ammonia and nitrite levels. Let us forget about the cycling part because I am done with cycling and I am only on my way to over-filter my tank.

I will definitely look into a finer media for the canister filter. I think the canister filter has filter foam, activated carbon, crushed corals, and ceramic rings. What would you suggest for media for my canister filter?
 
the lb/gal rule for substrate is terrible imo. the base area (floor) of a 10 gallon tank is about 240 sq in. the base area of a 55 gallon is 570 sq in. that means putting in over 5 times more gravel for the same floor space that has only been a little bit more than doubled.

anyway, it's possible the pictures show the gravel pushed up against the glass to make it look deeper than it really is.
how do you do water changes? it's best to gravel vac until the amount of water you want to replace is taken out. and i refill my tanks with a siphon as well and use the incoming water jet to push debris toward the filters.
 
I hate to say this too you, but your tank is not finished cycling, if it had it would have a reading of zero for both ammonia and nitrites. You have have got the cycle started and established but not for the fish you have in there, their bio load must be larger then the bio load you placed on the tank while cycling. The cloude murk is suspended bacteria, you need to not do ANY water changes until you have a reading of ZERO Ammonia AND nitrites. Or your filter is not able to handle the bio load on the tank itself.

You asked for help, this is what is being recommended for you. If you don't like what you are reading then do what you want. I have only had that very problem on ONE of my tanks and that was from not having enough filtration going.
 
I do WC the same way you do it. I replace 25% on each change.
 
But the issue is not with the water changes, its with the fact that your bacteria can not keep up with the ammonia and nitrites, you need to allow them to catch up before you do water changes. Water changes only slow things down while cycling the tank, prolonging the ammonia and nitrites in your tank. Allow the ammonia and nitrites to clear then do a 50% water change to balance out your nitrates.

Your tank is going through a bacterial bloom causing the water to look like your looking in a cloud, when you get rid of this it will settle a lot down, then you can polish the water later if you still have stuff floating in the waters.
 
dr_sudz;1014590; said:
I hate to say this too you, but your tank is not finished cycling, if it had it would have a reading of zero for both ammonia and nitrites. You have have got the cycle started and established but not for the fish you have in there, their bio load must be larger then the bio load you placed on the tank while cycling. The cloude murk is suspended bacteria, you need to not do ANY water changes until you have a reading of ZERO Ammonia AND nitrites. Or your filter is not able to handle the bio load on the tank itself.

You asked for help, this is what is being recommended for you. If you don't like what you are reading then do what you want. I have only had that very problem on ONE of my tanks and that was from not having enough filtration going.
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Ok let me clear things out. First, I did a fishless cycling which lasted about 6 weeks. I had 12ppm ammonia readings and about 250ppm nitrite during the cycling period which by the way, at the end of the 6th week are both down to zero. That would be a completed cycling right??? I know that my current bio-load is more than 1 filter can handle so that is why I am adding more filters. As far as my first filter is concerned, it is done cycling.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I do not think the free-floating particles (dust) in my tank does not have anything with cycling the tank. From what other posted in the thread, I might just simply need a finer media that can filter out the dust.

I wish I could take a more detailed photo of the particles for clarification.

By bacterial bloom, you mean the beneficial bacteria right? If they are blooming, why would my ammonia and nitrite levels not be zero when they are "blooming." By blooming, my understanding is that there are more than enough bacteria in the filter and they free-float to the water itself. I am a noob so my fishkeeping knowledge is minimal.
 
Try this.....Remove most of your substrate.....Cover your tank with a bunch of blankets (black out) make sure no light can get in NO LIGHT NO PEEKING! 3-7 days no feeding (your fish will be fine) Uncover and you will have "pretty" water. And throw that carbon out your second floor window, It is now better for fertilizing a garden then removing particulate matter from your tank. Keep us posted and good luck!
 
And by remove substrate i mean rinse all of it and throw half somewhere for another tank in the future.
 
^ Logical advice. I just might try it.
 
bigspizz;1015064; said:
Try this.....Remove most of your substrate.....Cover your tank with a bunch of blankets (black out) make sure no light can get in NO LIGHT NO PEEKING! 3-7 days no feeding (your fish will be fine) Uncover and you will have "pretty" water. And throw that carbon out your second floor window, It is now better for fertilizing a garden then removing particulate matter from your tank. Keep us posted and good luck!
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So you figure this is some type of algae prob?
 
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