Cloudy Water Issues

[Jefft]

My 75 gallon tank simply will not hold. I have tried everything including travelling great distances to pick up used filters from Jon and Chris was kind enough to come to the apartment to take a look. The amoonia goes up to .50 to 1 inside 1 day and the water will not stay unclouded for more than a day at a time. I cannot figure this one out. Any ideas? The only thing I did differently with this tank from all my others was a sea sand which is rather fine in comparison to cichlid sand and rocks in the bottom. Fish are healty and breeding just the water clarity bugs the crap out of me... Changing water every other day doesnt phase me much just wish this tank looked as pretty in water clarity as my others.

 

[Imaginary]

How long has it been set up and what kind of filter do you have? I am not familiar with that sand but that could be contributing to the cloudy issue. In tanks that big and especially in tanks that get frequent water changes the cycle can take longer, even months to complete. Be sure to feed the fish sparingly and keep testing. Also, I have noticed a tank gets cloudy right before a green algae bloom. If you are detecting ammonia, it's probably bacterial bloom. Hang in there! You can always try to buy that good bacteria stuff at an aquarium store, might move things along.

 

[Rasta Fish]

Give your tank some time dont mess with it too much

 

[ezrk]

I think you may have two separate issues.

If you have really fine sea sand something like "sugar sized" it will tend to cloud the water - especially with something like Mbuna that like to dig. When we put together our new tanks we used super fine aragonite. It works fine with the tropheus that like to peck at the sand, but not really dig. After a week or two the water has stayed really clear.

It didn't work so well for our Mbuna that dig constantly. We would change water, add flocking chemicals to clear it up - which worked. Within a day or two the Mbuna would have dug enough to make it cloudy again. Our cannister had a nice layer of this on the bottom even after cleaning so we know they were digging it up.

The NH3 may well be from Chloramines. We live in FFX county and they use Chloramines in the water and our water will always test positive for NH3 at moderate levels, like your 1ppm, after we change the water. After a day or so if you bio filter is working it is gone.

 

[Jefft]

OK I was assured by a HOT staff member the sand had nothing to do with it but upon further investigation ( taking the sponge filter up) sand is under the sponge so it is the sand that is clouding the water. Will beheading to Wal Mart tomorrow to purchase a wet and dry shop vac in order to take all subst. out of the bottom of the tank sand, coral rock and argonite will be coming out and coral rocks and argonite going back into the tank without the sand will let yall know if this clears the tank up.

 

[Hawkman2000]

I don't think it is the sand. My water has become cloudy on 2 different occasions. One was chloromines and debris from the county flushing the water mains. The other was a precursor to a green algae bloom.

Coralife 100 micron filter cloth in the filter and Seachem Prime solved the water main flush issue.

UV sterilizer cleared up the green algae bloom, just as it started to turn green.

 

[Jefft]

You name the product I have used it in this tank to try and kick over the bio filter. Seachem Stability, Prime, Ammonia Lock, the list goes on and on. I have removed all subst. in the tank which held the sea sand I purchased from HOT the stuff is so fine it really had no weight in the water. I have vaccumed out as much as I could. I put in white coral rock (pebble sized) and a 20 Lbs. bag of argonite shell and coral mix. It looks good in the tank and while too early to tell. I can say the tank water is far far more clear now 4 hours after water and subst. change than I have ever seen it. Maybe just maybe I have my show tank. Will post tomorrow for now off to bed.

 

[Ping]

I had a cloud water when I started my first tank last year. The ammonia level is high. I tried many reagents sold in the store, but none of them work. The problem was solved by introducing some Anacharis in the tank. After two days, the water got clear and ammonia level was down. I think some plants are helpful to remove ammonia and get water clear for a new tank.

Now I do see water becomes light cloud after I change 3/4 water, but it becomes clear next day.

 

[Jefft]

getting rid of the sand in the bottom of the tank seems to have done the trick. Day 2 and holding clear as a crystal in there. Thanks for all the suggestions and tips ya'll.

 

[countryboy]

I had a cloud water when I started my first tank last year. The ammonia level is high. I tried many reagents sold in the store, but none of them work. The problem was solved by introducing some Anacharis in the tank. After two days, the water got clear and ammonia level was down. I think some plants are helpful to remove ammonia and get water clear for a new tank.

Now I do see water becomes light cloud after I change 3/4 water, but it becomes clear next day.

I don't know....do plants use ammonia or just the nitrates?