Cloudy fishtank :(
Discussion
When I say 'fish keeping', I haven't got to the buying fish stage yet.
My 4 year old daughter asked for a fish as a treat to mark her starting school last week so we went out and bought a very small (25l) tank, filter & heater.
I set it up by washing the gravel and the bits and bobs that go in the tank. Filled it with tap water and left it run overnight. The next day I put in 5ml of the 'Fresh Start' with no issues. The water remained crystal clear. 24 Hours later I added a pipette full of the 'Filter Start' and within an hour or two the water turned cloudy.
24 hours later again and the water is still very cloudy and my kids are really worried that they aren't gonna get their much anticipated fishy treats!
It's now two days later again and it is seriously murky
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't know if I should be emptying it and cleaning it out, or if I leave it will it go away?
Thanks a lot.
Two days ago...
Tonight.....(Worse!!)
and the stuff I've put in...
My 4 year old daughter asked for a fish as a treat to mark her starting school last week so we went out and bought a very small (25l) tank, filter & heater.
I set it up by washing the gravel and the bits and bobs that go in the tank. Filled it with tap water and left it run overnight. The next day I put in 5ml of the 'Fresh Start' with no issues. The water remained crystal clear. 24 Hours later I added a pipette full of the 'Filter Start' and within an hour or two the water turned cloudy.
24 hours later again and the water is still very cloudy and my kids are really worried that they aren't gonna get their much anticipated fishy treats!
It's now two days later again and it is seriously murky
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't know if I should be emptying it and cleaning it out, or if I leave it will it go away?
Thanks a lot.
Two days ago...
Tonight.....(Worse!!)
and the stuff I've put in...
Welcome to fishkeeping 
What those guys already said^^^ about the filter system and the de-chlorinating the water.
I'd not worry too much unless it is still cloudy at the weekend, then something is very amiss.
have a read here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
http://www.firsttankguide.net/fishlesscycle.php
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&...
btw I love the submarine
What those guys already said^^^ about the filter system and the de-chlorinating the water.
I'd not worry too much unless it is still cloudy at the weekend, then something is very amiss.
have a read here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Fishless-Cycle
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
http://www.firsttankguide.net/fishlesscycle.php
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&...
btw I love the submarine
Edited by y2blade on Wednesday 12th September 10:22
I found this stuff cleared up my cloudy tank a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002AQKIO/ref=...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002AQKIO/ref=...
Timmy35 said:
I found this stuff cleared up my cloudy tank a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002AQKIO/ref=...
Also look at Purigen, which is very good.http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002AQKIO/ref=...
To be honest though, I'd wait a few days and see if it settles down - and of course I agree with the above posts.
I think I can see a heater in there, which is good, because it means that you aren't planning on keeping goldfish, but (and I appreciate that this isn't going to keep your 4-year old happy) the tank is on the small side for most fish. I'd think about putting some plants in there (java ferns, fava moss - both good in low tech setups) and adding some shrimp together with a male betta (Siamese fighter).
There's plenty of advice on stocking available - but you'll find that you are pretty restricted with such a small tank. Sorry. Work out what you are going to put in the tank before you go to buy - don't be tempted with impulse buys as invariably you end up with fish unsuited to your tank.
p.s. I love the submarine too - where did you get it?
Its likely to be a bacterial bloom and should clear. Two more concerning things are that you need to read upro fishless cycling which is where you build up the necessary bacteria in the filter to process the fish waste which usually takes 4-6 weeks before adding fish and that that tank is far too small to keep any fish at all. You should take it back to the shop as its unfit for purpose and exchange for a minimum 60litre tank which will allow you to keep a few small tropical fish. I assume you're not looking to keep goldfish?
Edited by 832ark on Wednesday 12th September 19:01
In a 25l I would housed a betta splendin. Great fish, tons of personality and very attractive. Just one male though!
The cloudiness is a bacterial bloom and nothing to worry about. I would ask the fish shop for some established gravel and filter sponge. Stick the gravel in some tights and into the tank to seed your gravel stick the established media in the filter, the nitrogen cycle will speed up a lot.
Unless you have a test kit you should be able to take a sample 30ml of water to the shop and they will test it for ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate. Ideally you want all at nil apart from ph but sometimes it is impossible to get nitrate lower than what it enters the tank. My tap water is 20 nitrate, plants get it down around 5 so the only other option is chemicals.
Fish keeping is a great hobby but demanding. I clean my tank twice a week, test water once a week etc.
The cloudiness is a bacterial bloom and nothing to worry about. I would ask the fish shop for some established gravel and filter sponge. Stick the gravel in some tights and into the tank to seed your gravel stick the established media in the filter, the nitrogen cycle will speed up a lot.
Unless you have a test kit you should be able to take a sample 30ml of water to the shop and they will test it for ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate. Ideally you want all at nil apart from ph but sometimes it is impossible to get nitrate lower than what it enters the tank. My tap water is 20 nitrate, plants get it down around 5 so the only other option is chemicals.
Fish keeping is a great hobby but demanding. I clean my tank twice a week, test water once a week etc.
Edited by megapixels83 on Wednesday 12th September 22:12
It looks like my 23l fluval edge did when I first set it up. It settled after a few days. I ended up with 5 guppies, a Siamese fighter and two gourami with no problems. Don't post about fish tanks on here as you'll be advised that nothing smaller than 60l is good enough for fish which is rubbish.
VRSAndy said:
It looks like my 23l fluval edge did when I first set it up. It settled after a few days. I ended up with 5 guppies, a Siamese fighter and two gourami with no problems. Don't post about fish tanks on here as you'll be advised that nothing smaller than 60l is good enough for fish which is rubbish.
Guppies with a fighter?Thats pretty silly IMO.
sc0tt said:
VRSAndy said:
It looks like my 23l fluval edge did when I first set it up. It settled after a few days. I ended up with 5 guppies, a Siamese fighter and two gourami with no problems. Don't post about fish tanks on here as you'll be advised that nothing smaller than 60l is good enough for fish which is rubbish.
Guppies with a fighter?Thats pretty silly IMO.
VRSAndy said:
It looks like my 23l fluval edge did when I first set it up. It settled after a few days. I ended up with 5 guppies, a Siamese fighter and two gourami with no problems. Don't post about fish tanks on here as you'll be advised that nothing smaller than 60l is good enough for fish which is rubbish.
Eh????? VRSAndy said:
It looks like my 23l fluval edge did when I first set it up. It settled after a few days. I ended up with 5 guppies, a Siamese fighter and two gourami with no problems. Don't post about fish tanks on here as you'll be advised that nothing smaller than 60l is good enough for fish which is rubbish.
Sorry but it's not rubbish, you'll get the same advice on any fish keeping you visit. VRSAndy is hugely overstocked there but perhaps he's an expert? Nano tanks can be kept sucessfully but they're certainly not suitable for beginners - the bigger the tank the easier it will be to keep the water perameters stable. Also bear in mind that fish are covered under the Animal Welfare Act which says that amongst other things, fish require 'the need of a suitable home and environment' Most fish keepers and the RSPCA would not class a 23 litre tank as a suitable home which technically leaves you open to prosecution. Its about time these tiny tanks were banned from sale.832ark said:
Its about time these tiny tanks were banned from sale.
Somewhat extreme, I keep a perfectly happy and stable community of shrimps, sea snails, a few barnacles, a mussel and a sea anemone all in a 20 litre tank, all perfectly happy and in what I would argue is a very pleasant home for them. As for the RSPCA that particular organisation overstepped their remit/ lost there way to animal activism a long time ago.
Bank tanks can be fine for fish, but as others have said, only if you have suitable fish, and are prepared to put a lot more work in than you would with a larger tank. Unfortunately that is rarely the case, as these tanks tend to be sold to beginners who are beguiled by the misleading advertising.
Fish-wise, the best bet is a solitary Betta, with may be some shrimp as a clean up crew. A small shoal of micro-rasboras, endlers or similar would also be ok.
I have four 30l tanks which I use as breeding tanks and grow out tanks - they are considerably harder to keep in good condition than my other tanks as the water parameters can swing so much in a short space of time. I test the water every week to keep an eye on things, but have still occasionally been caught out.
It is possible to keep lots of unsuitable fish in a nano tank that live for a long time - in the same way that a dog (or a 4yr old?) can be kept in a small room and not exercised or cleaned out and it might not die. The point is that if we are going to be responsible for these pets, then we need to provide them with a good quality, suitable environment - as they are unable to change it.
OP - please take heed of the advice here and don't overstock. If you want more fish, then the answer is simple - get another tank. The one you have won't be wasted as it can become a breeding/quarantine tank or simply house a beautiful Betta.
Fish-wise, the best bet is a solitary Betta, with may be some shrimp as a clean up crew. A small shoal of micro-rasboras, endlers or similar would also be ok.
I have four 30l tanks which I use as breeding tanks and grow out tanks - they are considerably harder to keep in good condition than my other tanks as the water parameters can swing so much in a short space of time. I test the water every week to keep an eye on things, but have still occasionally been caught out.
It is possible to keep lots of unsuitable fish in a nano tank that live for a long time - in the same way that a dog (or a 4yr old?) can be kept in a small room and not exercised or cleaned out and it might not die. The point is that if we are going to be responsible for these pets, then we need to provide them with a good quality, suitable environment - as they are unable to change it.
OP - please take heed of the advice here and don't overstock. If you want more fish, then the answer is simple - get another tank. The one you have won't be wasted as it can become a breeding/quarantine tank or simply house a beautiful Betta.
therealpigdog said:
Bank tanks can be fine for fish, but as others have said, only if you have suitable fish, and are prepared to put a lot more work in than you would with a larger tank. Unfortunately that is rarely the case, as these tanks tend to be sold to beginners who are beguiled by the misleading advertising.
Fish-wise, the best bet is a solitary Betta, with may be some shrimp as a clean up crew. A small shoal of micro-rasboras, endlers or similar would also be ok.
I have four 30l tanks which I use as breeding tanks and grow out tanks - they are considerably harder to keep in good condition than my other tanks as the water parameters can swing so much in a short space of time. I test the water every week to keep an eye on things, but have still occasionally been caught out.
It is possible to keep lots of unsuitable fish in a nano tank that live for a long time - in the same way that a dog (or a 4yr old?) can be kept in a small room and not exercised or cleaned out and it might not die. The point is that if we are going to be responsible for these pets, then we need to provide them with a good quality, suitable environment - as they are unable to change it.
OP - please take heed of the advice here and don't overstock. If you want more fish, then the answer is simple - get another tank. The one you have won't be wasted as it can become a breeding/quarantine tank or simply house a beautiful Betta.
Agreed. Fish-wise, the best bet is a solitary Betta, with may be some shrimp as a clean up crew. A small shoal of micro-rasboras, endlers or similar would also be ok.
I have four 30l tanks which I use as breeding tanks and grow out tanks - they are considerably harder to keep in good condition than my other tanks as the water parameters can swing so much in a short space of time. I test the water every week to keep an eye on things, but have still occasionally been caught out.
It is possible to keep lots of unsuitable fish in a nano tank that live for a long time - in the same way that a dog (or a 4yr old?) can be kept in a small room and not exercised or cleaned out and it might not die. The point is that if we are going to be responsible for these pets, then we need to provide them with a good quality, suitable environment - as they are unable to change it.
OP - please take heed of the advice here and don't overstock. If you want more fish, then the answer is simple - get another tank. The one you have won't be wasted as it can become a breeding/quarantine tank or simply house a beautiful Betta.
Personally I find invertebrates fascinating, and I believe I'm correct in stating that stocking densities can be consinderably higher for them than for fish. In partciular the two shrimps I have make a highly active/pelagic feature that is every bit as interesting IMO to fish. They've become quite tame and come to the surface to be hand fed for example.
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