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I have a 90 Gallon, planted tank that is in its third week. I I still have cloudiness in the water. I've done two, 50% water changes in the past week but, though improved, is definitely still a milky or cloudy appearance. I've had this in other, smaller start-ups but the problem went away within a week or so. Any suggestions? Thanks,

If the tank is only three weeks old and a planted tank (no fish) it has not even cycled.
I suggest you do a full water test and post all the water parameters and give us a lot more info about the tank and what is in the tank fish if any also the filtration etc.

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Keith

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if your filtration isn't sufficient up that ASAP! also many products willhelp to clear your water.. they can be determined by their label that is like clear water or anti cloud or whatever... if you live in the US (stupid me for got to look) petco has started a new line of water additives and they now make their own and it is labeled "clear water again" or something similar... there are also the little fizzing tabs made by jungle labs that help clear the water... from what i understand it sounds like it is a bacteria bloom... you might want to add some zebra danios or some feeder gold fish to the tank to help you cycle it properly...(after you get the water cloudiness under control...of course... )

good luck!

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Hi,
White, Cloudy water, is generally the result of a bacteria
bloom. This is caused by poor water conditions, over
crowding, and/or over feeding. In new tanks the result is
the same, but can be caused because the tank is brand new
and the Nitrogen Cycle is not yet fully in place along with
the other limiting bacteria.

Or, could simply be the result of poorly washed aquarium
gravel and the very fine dust particles are staying in
suspension. A good filter would, eventually, take care
of that.

Partial water changes and a good cleaning will take care of
the problem if it is bacteria. An adequate filter along
with water changes will take care of it is the gravel.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Sorry to have not posted enough information. I am using a Emperor 400 HOB and a Penguin 170 HOB (this one taken directly from a 44 gallong tank after being used for four years so was well established). I will add another, established Penquin 170 once the 44 gallon is completely vacant of its residents. Because of the established filter and established rocks, and wood in the tank, I started with three fish right away. I only have five fish in there now, totalling about 17 inches and they all are doing well so far.

Substrate is Flourite Dark mixed with some quartz. I rinsed both very well through a callender so that only clear water was dripping out the bottom. I did get a trace of ammonia at my last check three days ago (one color above the color representing no ammonia - sorry I'm not at home right now so I cannot state the number associated with this color) and no Nitrite. I have moved some plants several times so I'm thinking that isn't helping.

I did put Cycle into the tank the first week. Should I get some Biospira and add it (would have to order by mail as nobody locally carries it)? I will continue with frequent water changes and hope that this keeps the tank from getting a complete nitrogen cycle. I'm assuming that I shouldn't vacuum the bottom as it is a planted tank and I also don't want to shake up the dirt any more but let me know if I'm wrong about that.

Any other guidance here? Thanks,

Hi,
I suspect that you just have some clay particles floating
around in the tank. I've 100% Flourite in mine and if I
do any real overhauling of the plants or really vigorous
vacuuming, I wind up with a "mud puddle" even after
14 years of continuous operation. Flourite is like that.
To get the water crystal clear you will need a diatom
filter such as this:

http://www.aquariumguys.com/diatomfilter.html

http://www.aquatichouse.com/FILTRATION%20MENU_files/diatompowder.asp

Since the tank is still cycling, I'd go easy on the water
changes and vacuuming the gravel. The gravel is the home
of the bulk of the colonies that support the Nitrogen
Cycle. Once the tank is cycled, then look at the tank
and mentally divide the non-planted parts into 4 sections.
Then, with each weekly water change, vacuum a different
section. That way, over a month, you will have cleaned
the gravel completely and given each section a chance to
rebound between cleanings.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Frank:

Thanks for the information on the Vortex Diatom. Do you use these? Do they sit on the floor and connect into the water by hoses? can one of these take the place of a regular filter such as one of my HOB filters that takes care of the same amount of water or are these designed simply to clean the water and not really support bacteria build as with the bio-wheel?

I was surprised to read that you vacuum your gravel as I assumed that people with planted tanks do not vacuum the gravel, only do water changes. I thought the waste was good for plants. If I don't vacuum the gravel, am I likely to get too much nitrate and thus, algae? Sorry for the rookie questions. I am happy to report that my tank's water has cleared up to about 90% of where I want it to be. Most of the plants doing well and fish seem healthy.

Thanks for your help (that goes for everyone else as well)

Hi,
Actually the filters can sit on the floor (mine does) or
there is also a plastic attachment that allows them to
hang on the back of a tank. However, as heavy as they are
I'd recommend you stick with it sitting on the floor.

Particularly with inexperience setting these filters up
and running them, they can be messy connecting,
and could leak. When starting I would recommend
setting the entire filter assembly in a bowl large
enough to hold the base of the filter. That way
any leaks will stay in the bowl instead of the floor or
carpet.

There are two hoses, Intake and Output. The body of the
filter is clearly labeled which is which. After the filter
is "charged" and run for a couple of minutes in a closed
loop you then separate the hoses and set them at opposite
ends of the aquarium. Turn the filter on, and let it run
for a few hours or until the tank is crystal clear.
These filters will filter out particles that are less than
a micron in size. Because they are so efficient, they clog
quite fast, and if you continue to run them after they clog
the pump motor can overheat. They are NOT designed to
replace any filter. They should not be run 24/7 for the
reasons I mentioned. They are an "extra" filter that, when
used on occasion, (when needed or once a month, or once
a quarter) will polish the water and make the water
absolutely crystal clear. The fish will seem to be swimming
in air instead of water.

An additional precaution. These filters use Diatomaceous
Earth. It is a very fine, white powder, composed of the
silica skeletons of diatoms. The key word is silica.
If you inhale the dust (powder) you can get silicosis a
deadly lung disease. When mixing and handling the powder
you should wear a face mask, similar to what a surgeon
wears, always wash your hands, and all surfaces after
your are done.

Yes, I do regularly vacuum the non-planted sections of my
tank. If you have stones, or other ornaments in the tank
you should regularly take them out and vacuum the gravel
where they would normally sit. Huge amounts of detritus
accumulate, not only in the areas of calm water around the
ornaments, but also under them.

I'm glad that your water has cleared and that I could
help.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks, Frank. That is very helpful information. I will vacuum where I do not have plants, which is primarily in the front of my tank. I will consider the Vortex Diatom. -