Help with White Cloudy Water

[zfarsh]

Hi,



I have an overstocked 10G tank with 2 fancy goldfish and 2 guppies, planted with hornworth and anubias and java moss. I will be getting a 75g soon, but it will be a few weeks until i can trasnfer the fish. Filters are Aquaclear 20 with Sponge, Biological filter, and fine filter (removed the carbon). Everything was well untill last night i did a water change (i do 50% every 2 days, but recently doing every day).



After a few hours, water was white. I panicked and changed 90% of the water, tried to clean the plants and the Malaysian Wood, but some white would persist. Did not clean the substrate which is black very fine gravel (or sand) ecocomplete. Added 50% water, and as water was cloudy, did another change and cleaned the windows, and added water completely, then re-added the fish. Changed out the fine filter media, cleaned the sponge and bio with the old tank water, and cleaned the Aquaclear 20



It was better, but still milky today. I already fed my fish today, but planing to not feed them for 2 days, and doing 20 - 50% water change everyday. Should i be buying anti amonia products or filter media today (will test the water tonight). I normally have some traces (the lowest level after 0) of Amonia and nitrate. Pls give suggestions, as i am in the panik mode. Thanks in advance.

[lovingmyclown]

That's a lot off water changes in a short time. Are. You using a tap water conditioner if not you will be killing your beneficial bacteria and the filter will be redundant as you said your tank is overstocked and a that filter is under powered for that amount of fish you could add bacteria and a filter aid

[Sandz]

Sounds like a bacterial bloom. It happens sometimes when you are cycling your tank. You already said the tank is overstocked so it is assumable that you would expect it. With the dirty goldfish, you can muck up a tank pretty fast.

How are your full water perameters? Any ammonia in the tank usually means you are not fully cycled, but with this large bioload, its understandable that your filtration would have a bit of trouble keeping up.

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
Temp:

Also, please be aware that goldfish are cold water fish and guppys are tropical... very different needs.

[zfarsh]

thank you for the responses. I have to make this work untill i get the 75 Gallon tank and have it ready (in a few weeks hopefully). That said, my parameters were usually, pH ~7.4-7.6, Amonia ~ .25ppm, nitrite ~ .25ppm, nitrate ~ 5ppm

However, i just checked it now, and it is:
Amonia ~ .25ppm
Nitrite ~ 0ppm
Nitrate ~ 0ppm

I will check again tomorow night, i dont understand why nitrite and nitrate are 0ppm, though i have seen Nitrite at 0ppm last week. Anyone knows what this could mean. I am currently doing water change 50% every day or two.

[Sandz]

Are you making sure to turn off the filter when doing these water changes? If you are putting chlorinated water into your tank and the filter sucks it up, litterally 5 seconds is all it takes to whipe out your bacterial colony. Make sure when doing a WC you have the filter off and condition for the whole tank prior to pouring water in, then let sit for 5 or so min and turn the filter back on.

Other causes could just be the bioload is to heavy but there are multiple factors. Hornwart loves sucking up nitrates so that may be helping everything. Your waterchanges mostly contribute to the 0ppm nitrate, its the detox'd ammonia that the bacteria have already converted. The primary way to remove it is waterchanges so you are really doing mostly everything right. I can only think that bacteria are in your water column. What water conditioner do you use? And does it remove chloromines?

[zfarsh]

Update:

I added SuperBac last night after a 50% water change. Not sure if it was the cause or not, but when i came home tonight, no more white clouds, and results are still:

Amonia ~ .25ppm
Nitrite ~ 0ppm
Nitrate ~ 0ppm

I think i wont change water untill amonia reaches next level, which may be tomorow night . Will keep this thread updated.

The water conditioner i use is the Big Al Multi-Purpose Aquarium water Conditioner. It says it removes chlorine, but doesnt mention chloramine. What is the difference?

[Sandz]

Chloramine is just as bad as Chlorine, read this: LINK. A good product for you would be Prime.

[zfarsh]

ok, my results today are:

Amonia .25ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5pm

Waiting to get Ammonia to .5ppm to do water change

Question, should i use prime as water condition instead of the big al conditioner? Should i put Prime in my Aquarium NOW to remove Amonia, or should i wait to help the plants/bacteria eat the amonia??

[clainbro2]

Correct me if I'm rong, but I'm guessing prime is better because it does remove chloromines, I use it and most aquarists do. I wouldn't wait till tomorrow unless you already treated your water with (big al) conditioner.

[Lady Hobbs]

You treat your water for chloramines and chlorine removal before the water even goes in the tank. If you do not treat it, you will kill your bacteria and your fish.

Big Als water conditioner "says" it removes chloramine and chlorine but frankly I wouldn't trust his products. It also contains Aloes, which makes you use twice as much of it so being cheaper really is of no benefit using twice as much? Prime is concentrated and you use far less and is reliable.

Many products work to do this but at least get a name brand product and not something some site is pushing.

Guess why regular old household bleach is referred to as Chlorine Bleach? Because that's what it is.

In the future, please do not buy fish because "someday" you may have a 75 gallon. Get the tank first! I will tell you that for about 6 years now I have been waiting for my 75 gallon. Get the tank and THEN stock it. Your goldies should not have to try to live in a 10 gallon while you are making a decision on buying this other tank. Find them a home until you are ready for goldies.

Prime does NOT remove ammonia! It simply makes the water less toxic. Please read the cycling thread in my signature.