Why is my water cloudy?

[gman]

I cant figure out why my water is not crystal clear. I just tested the water parameters, and they werent bad, but not perfect.

pH 7.4, ammonia .125ppm, nitrite 0, and nitrate 40ppm

It is a 30 gal tank. I am running a wet/dry with 1 gal of the new smaller bio ballsand prefilter (should be cycled by now) and an established aquaclear 50 for filteration.

I have 3 royal/clown knifefish in the tank (a 15", 10" and 7") a bit overcrowded

I know that a 30 is too small for a 15" royal knife. I am in the process of building a tank with a 6'x2' footprint, where he will be housed.

I also do a 10-15% water change every 2 days.

So please give me some suggestions for how I can keep the water clearer

thanks
mike

 

[cougar579]

I find it odd you have ammonia but no nitrite? How long have you had this set-up running. The sand could be causing the cloudiness since you mentioned, "should be cycled now".

 

[gman]

I thought it was odd too, I also have no substrate in the tank so I dont get it. I have had the setup running about 3 weeks now, and the hang on filter was on another tank for a good 5-6 months.

 

[graham]

and your sure its not an algea bloom? My tank just got over being cloudy, it was a whit'ish cloudy so I thought it was a bacteria bloom, but we tried some algea killer and it is crystal clear now.

And how do you fit those knifes in a 30gallon????

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

pH 7.4, ammonia .125ppm

Your ammonia level puzzles me: Is it the total NH4+ and NH3, or is it the pH-adjusted NH3 (ammonia) level? If it is the pH-adjusted ammonia level, then it is critically high and you need to perform a total water change, it has to stay below 0.02 ppm. However, if it is the total ammonium/ammonia level, then you're safe at your current pH to about 1 ppm. In any case, you want it undetectable at the end.

I also have no substrate in the tank so I dont get it. I have had the setup running about 3 weeks now, and the hang on filter was on another tank for a good 5-6 months.

Substrate would actually help to stabilize the tank. It provides great surface for beneficial organisms. Three weeks is not a lot, you will have to wait quite a bit longer before your tank is in a biological equilibrium. Hang-on filters do not provide a great amount of biological filtration, thus, I am not surprised about the problems. You only introduced a minimal amount of bacteria with it. Add some bottled bacteria, keep up water changes and be patient. Do not add more fish and only feed minimal amounts. With these measures, it should all stabilize within the next month or so.

Good luck,
HarleyK