fishbum

I just set up 2 tanks last weekend.Both freshwater.I put one goldfish in each hoping to speed up the cycling process.After reading some things here i know this probally isnt the best way to do this but now i'm stuck.Both tanks have undergravel and powerfilters with biowheels.I also have a very exicted 7yr. old, i know has been over feeding them. The food is now where she can't get to it so this will no longer be a problem , but the water is now a little cloudy. Is this a normal part of the cycling , or is there somthing wrong? I'm new here so if i didnt ask this in the right place would someone advise me on where to ask questions please. Thanks

fishbum

I set up 2 tanks last weekend ,both fresh water. They both have undergravel and power filters with bio wheels. I put one gold fish in each tank , hoping too speed up the cycling process, after reading some things here, i know this probally wasnt the best way to do this but now im stuck.I also have a very excited 7yr old i know was overfeeding them. The food is now put where she cant get to it. My questions are , when i woke up this morning, they both were coverd on the top with bubbles.Just bubbles , not foam, and it wasnt coming out of the tank or anything, i just thought it was weird because for the first 2 days they were set up all these bubbles weren't there.My other question is they are both a little cloudy , nothing terrible, just a little ,and im wondering if this has something to do with the bubbles or is it something elese like a bloom , and are the 2 connected?Any answers would be very appreciated.

Isabella

Hi Spencer and welcome to Fish Lore I've moved this thread to the nitrogen cycle board, hope you don't mind

As for the cloudy water, yes, it is normal during the cycle. If you cycle your tanks with fish, you need to watch your ammonia and nitrite closely. Even smallest amounts of Ammonia and Nitrite are deadly to fish. Since your tanks are cycling, you'll be getting a lot of Ammonia and Nitrite now. If you want to increase the chances of your fish surviving the cycle, perform daily water changes when you have any Ammonia and/or Nitrite in your water. I'd recommend the water changes to be 50%. It will take you longer to cycle your tanks this way, but it's the best way to increase the chances of your fish surviving the cycle.

Good luck

sirdarksol

Not sure on the bubbles. As long as the goldfish are doing ok, I doubt there's anything bad.
As far as cycling with fish, you should be fine as long as you watch the ammonia level and do water changes to keep it down. (I'd vacuum the gravel, too, to get the extra food out of it)
The cloudiness is normal. It's the bacteria suddenly jumping in numbers as they reach what I consider to be "critical mass" where they become capable of growing fast enough to make up for the buildup in ammonia. The cloudiness will go away.

neverendingninja

I made the same mistake, and knew nothing of the aquarium cycle when I started up. I bought a product by SeaChem called Prime. Its a dechlorinator/de-nitrifier/heavy metal detoxifier. 5ml treats 55 gallons, which is quite concentrated. It detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, converting them to a state which allows the natural bacteria to still consume, convert and eliminate them, except for the nitrate, which will only be consumed by plants, or removed by means of a water change.

You could also invest in BioSpira. You're more likely to find it in a small independent fish store than a chain. Its about $20 for 55 gal worth.

COBettaCouple

welcome to fishlore! would you be able to post a pic of the bubbles?

fishbum

thanks for the advice , ammonia levels are fine in both tanks for now , ill keep close watch on them , and the bubbles seemed to have gone down to a more normal level.thanks again.

fishbum

thanks for the advice , ammonia levels seem fine for now , ill keep a close eye on them. thanks , again

Isabella

Hey Spencer, I am merging this thread with the same one you posted a short while ago. Hope you don't mind again.