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L# Freshwater Aquaria
 L# Water Quality
  L# Cloudy Water
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SubscribeCloudy Water
truestar
 
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Young Pup
Posts: 233
Kudos: 92
Votes: 147
Registered: 23-Aug-2007
male usa us-indiana
My 20 gallon has looked like someone set a smoke bomb off in it for about a week now. I don't know what could have caused it other than my conditioner. The parameters have been about the same as before it clouded. Here are the current ones:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-30
PH 7.5

I don't have good lighting (.75 WPG) but don't know if this matters or not. I also have live plants (a few bunches of Hornwort). I've cut back feeding to once a day. Do you have any idea what could be causing my water to cloud up? Any advice would be helpful.
Post InfoPosted 05-Jan-2008 08:13Profile PM Edit Report 
keithgh
 
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*Ultimate Fish Guru*
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male australia au-victoria
I think you have answered your own question. You have cut back on the "feeding". What were you feeding, to how many fish, and how much were feeding before.
I would miss feding for every other day for at least two weeks, give a good gravel vac, clean the filter in some of the tank water. Then give the tank a dose of a good bacteria this will boost the bacteria in your filter and should help clear the tank up. I would store up at least 30% of the water and carry out the water change within one week.
When did you last give a good gravel vac and clean the filter.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Post InfoPosted 05-Jan-2008 11:22Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
truestar
 
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Young Pup
Posts: 233
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Registered: 23-Aug-2007
male usa us-indiana
I do that every week. I usually gravel vac about 30% of the gravel bed every week. I also tried a 50% water change 2 or 3 days after the cloudiness got really bad. I usually feed flakes ( 1 or 2 pinches), about 3 or 4 shrimp pellets twice a day, and 1 algae wafer every other day to 2 Mollies plus about 20 of their fry, 6 Bronze Cories, a BN, and an ADF.

I have since moved the adult male Molly to the 15 with about 10 of the fry, and I moved the Cories to the 55 gallon. So for about 4 days I've only had the Molly, about 10 fry, a BN, and an ADF. I have since cut feeding down to 1 pinch of flakes once or twice a day, along with 1 or 2 shrimp pellets, and an algae wafer every other day. I'm gonna get rid of all the fry and the female once the fry are big enough (1/2 inch) that my LFS will take them. They requested that they be 1/2 inch or more.

I'll try another big water change and gravel vac, clean the filter really good again too. I'm gonna cut back on the feeding a little more too. Thanks for all your help and suggestions Keigth, I really appreciate it. By the way, I love your tanks, I'm even basing my 15 gallon on your 11 gallon (can't find Dwarf Puffers around here and don't like ordering off the net). Of course I've made some minor tweaks to the stocking. I seem to have gotten a little off track, but I just wanted to tell you how much I like your tanks.
Post InfoPosted 05-Jan-2008 13:08Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
AquaClear_Fan
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Cut back on the feeding some, clean the filter and gravel bed, I had this problem before and I used Pimafix and Melafix and the water cleared over night, I think mine obviously was a bacteria bloom. I like these two products as I have found them good at curing many diseases of fish and clearing my water. Another thing I like about them is they are all natural and will not harm benificial bacteria, I still don't use these unless I absolutly have to. You need to find the underlying problem first though, mine was simply over feeding.

17 years experience with freshwater.
Post InfoPosted 07-Jan-2008 04:12Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
keithgh
 
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male australia au-victoria
Thank you for the comments about my tanks Truestar.
I would think it is your feeding program that is the problem looks like you are killing them with kindness. Get your self a small measuring spoons, fot my 5ft they only get 2 x 1/2 teaspoons of food plus 4 sinking pellets on the days they dont get their 4 blocks of frozen Blood worms.

There is no way you can measure a pinch the same every day unless you are a chef and do it for a living.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW
Post InfoPosted 07-Jan-2008 06:54Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
truestar
 
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Young Pup
Posts: 233
Kudos: 92
Votes: 147
Registered: 23-Aug-2007
male usa us-indiana
Yeah, I've cut back on the feeding since my last post. I'm feeding about 4 or 5 flakes somewhat crushed so the fry (just had another batch ) can get some of it, along with a shrimp pellet and an algae wafer every other day.

I thought about putting the female in my 55 before she gave birth so I wouldn't have to deal with the fry, but I didn't have the heart to do it. I didn't even want these Mollies, a relative just showed up with them one day, and now they're filling my tanks with fry. At least half of them are ready to go to my LFS.

Anyways, thanks for all the help you guys. I'm gonna do a WC tomorrow, so hopefully that'll help the tank clear.

P.S. Keith, funny you mention that I'd need to be a chef to measure the same amount everyday. I actually have planned on going for a degree in the culinary arts and opening a restaurant. Maybe keeping fish will help me out a little with measuring. LOL.
Post InfoPosted 07-Jan-2008 09:01Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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