mccreations

Hi all...I hope one of you fish gurus can help me!!

I have a question about my 55gal that is in Day 13 of cycling...

I just got done doing a test on the water (using API Freshwater Master Liquid Kit) and these are my current readings... pH: 7.0 ammonia: .25 Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: 40

My water is extremely cloudy...so cloudy in fact that I can't even see the back of my tank at all. Would I break the cycling process if I were to do a minor water change just to try and clear up some of the cloudiness so that I can at least see my fish a little better and make sure they are all doing ok? Also...if it will be ok (and not screw up the cycling process) to do a small one (minus siphoning the gravel of course) How much of one should I do...10%, 15%...or what??

BTW...in my tank I have 3 balas, 4 angels and 2 silver tip sharks/catfish (which much to my dad's disappointment...I don't think I will be able to keep for very long after reading all the information about those particular fish LOL He bought them for us as a gift for Christmas.)

Thanks in advance for any and all help/input/comments/concerns

Melissa

susitna-flower

Melissa, Did you shake #2 bottle on the nitrate test JUST the way it says? I usually strike it on the counter in addition to the shaking, just to make sure, otherwise you won't get a true reading. 40 for nitrates is very high for only day 13, and I would suggest you do a 25-50% water change, wait over night and test it again.

If it truly is 40 then it is another indication that this tank is over crowded.

Any ammonia is of concern, that is the main reason to do your water changes.

Did you add any bacteria to the tank when you first started the cycle? If you did, what was it?

mccreations

Hi there

I did indeed shake the bottle as they say...even timed it to make sure I shook it for as long as they said.

I did not add any bacteria to the tank at the initial set up. We set up the tank with about 1/4 of the water from the 33g tank that we moved the fish from and then of course the gravel that was in that tank (we did not rinse it at all...literally took it from 33g and put it in the 55g)

I am just getting so frustrated that I can't see my fish and monitor fully their behavior during the cycling process.

Thanks for your help......I just don't want to interrupt the cycling process and end up having a tank in 4 months that is "still" cycling. We did that with the 33 gal (because of course I did not know about cycling or this site) and I think that really screwed up the whole system. We were creating what I have now learned are those mini-cycles. That tank was set up for 6-7 months and the only time it was crystal clear like a tank should be was after 50+% water changes.

HELP!!??!!
Thanks,
Melissa

jsalemi

Are you running activated carbon in your filter? It may help clear up some of the cloudiness.

ahcash

stupid question. Is your filter up for the job? Are the gravels cleaned?