Been a while since I had an aquarium

**NewFish1** · 12-20-2011, 01:41 AM

Hello!

My name is Mike and I am not new to aquariums but it's been probably 30 years since I left my parents house (my parents always had a 10 gallon for as long as I can remember!), got married and now that our kids are grown and out of the house I decided to take up the aquarium hobby again.

I have a 28-gallon bow front, Aqua-Clear 50, Aqueon heater. The tank has been up and running for about 3 weeks with 3 Zebra Danio's as starter fish. It is not a planted tank and the tank was set up for about a week before adding the starter fish.

I did a Google search for cloudy/hazy aquarium water and this forum came up. I read where most people prefer NOT to use carbon in their filter??? If that is the case, what do I put in the filter to fill void the charcoal took up?

My readings are (and have been the same for most of the last 3 weeks):
Ammonia: .25-.50 ppm
pH: 7.0
Nitrite: 0.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm

How long will it take for my water to clear up?

Should I continue to do water changes?

**oscarkid36** · 12-20-2011, 01:45 AM

hello and welcome to the site.

**Dave66** · 12-20-2011, 01:47 AM

Mike,
You're ammonia should be, must be, zero for your tank to be cycled. Your just fortunate that your tank is large enough that the danios haven't been damaged (gill lining burning) thus far. Just add nothing to your tank in 10 days; by then ammonia will be zero and you can add JUST A FEW more fish to your tank, like three more zebra danios. You didn't post your temperature, but at 77 degrees, it takes 10 days for Nitrifying Bacteria to proliferate sufficiently to the influx of ammonia generated by fishes.

Weekly water changes: 10 to 20 percent.

Just be patient, my friend, and stock slowly in small numbers every ten days, and you'll have a tank to be proud of.

Dave

**DylanisHawttt** · 12-20-2011, 03:11 AM

+1 to the above, Dave knows what he's talking about.

Welcome to the AC

EDIT: Congrats on 6k posts Dave

**DougStanley** · 12-20-2011, 03:13 AM

+ 1 to Dave he has been very helpful.

Welcome to AC

**ElizabethJKR** · 12-20-2011, 03:42 AM

Welcome to the forum and +1 to the advice given by Dave.

**gadget228** · 12-20-2011, 09:37 AM

Welcome to the AC...

**Captain America** · 12-20-2011, 10:37 AM

Welcome to the AC !

**Pamela2Heaven** · 12-20-2011, 10:47 AM

Welcome to the AC~

**vinodjbhatia** · 12-20-2011, 03:44 PM

Hello and welcome to the forum.

+1 to Dave. He has pinned it right once again.

For the void left by the charcoal, you could either put in filter wool for additional mechanical filteration and beneficial bacteria which grows on it or you can add bio balls or cylinders which has a huge capacity for bb and will help your tank.