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February 16th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Another question
Hi
What do you not want in your tank nitrate, or nitrite im confused haha
Last edited by Big_jpb2006; February 18th, 2009 at 05:18 PM.
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February 16th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Your bacteria is in bloom. it's ugly but it will clear up eventually. | |
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February 16th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| Hi and welcome to fishlore 
first, the oscar unfortunately cannot stay in that 20 gallon. the absolute minimum for just one oscar is 55 gallons, and IMO even that isn't big enough. although i'm sure your oscar is only 3 or 4 inches long now, he will not stay that small for long. Oscars can get up to 12 inches and won't be able to turn around in a 20 gallon.
As for the cloudy water, it's more than likely a result of the bacterial bloom caused by the nitrogen cycle. Here are some links on the cycle and what is going on in your tank. http://www.fishlore.com/Articles/TheNitrogenCycle.htm http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
Since you're in the cycle, you need to be doing daily 50% water changes with either Prime or Stress Coat +. Just the stress coat isn't actually a water conditioner, it doesn't detoxify ammonia. if you can, I would take the oscar back. if not, i would try to sell him or give him to someone who has a big enough tank. http://www.oscarfishlover.com/index....rs/Oscars.html | |
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February 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Bacteria bloom
hi
Tank is very merky changing water 10 to 15% everyday its been 3 days is there any way to speed up the bacteria bloom or what sho uld i be doing in this situation | |
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February 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I think you are asking how to speed up the cycling? If so, you could add a cup of gravel or some filter media from a mature tank, that should help. Is it the 20 gallon in your aquarium information? If so, for the sake of the fish keep doing water changes, and put in Prime to de-toxic-ify the ammonia. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Addict
| well if I were you, I would remove the oscar ASAP. Firstly, oscars get way too big for a 20 gal and are very dirty. They need 55 gallons minimum. Secondly, the oscars produce so much waste that your bacteria will never catch up or keep up and your tank will never cycle. Take out the oscar and let the tank cycle fishlessly. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Help nitrate at 0 tested it still murky
Hi
im still lost i tested pH its neutral and my nitrate is 0 and i have been changing water for 4 days every day about 15 to 20% but my water is still merky whats the problem the tank has been up for only 6 days but i cant seem to get the water to be clear it was clear when i first set it up for like 2 days than got really merky white here are some pics | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Your threads have been merged. Please start only one thread per question.
It'll be easier for you to keep track of the answers and the other members will know what's already been suggested. Thanks | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I'm no expert here, but I will try to help explain, as it was explained to me.
I had a bacterial bloom in a tank that did not have any fish at all in it for at least a week. My water was crystal clear for 36 hours. Then when I woke up the next day, it looked exactly like your first picture. chlorine and chloramines are what many utility companies use to keep bacteria in check in their water; even more or less "harmless" bacteria.
When you dechlorinate your water with a water conditioner in a tank, you are allowing these bacteria (that are present in all water) to grow unchecked, and populate so thickly that you can "see" them; hence where your water was clear upon first putting it in, in a day or two these bacteria have multiplied enough to cloud your water.
Now here is where some people might disagree with me, and that is ok. And I'm not saying it's right, but this explanation made the most sense to me.
As explained to me: the bacteria causing a "bloom" such as you are experiencing are actually NOT one of the two that are involved in the nitrogen cycle; meaning the ones involved in breaking down ammonia, then nitrite. Those two bacteria (the ones breaking down fish waste), multiply slowly, which is why it takes from 1-2 months for this equilibrim to establish in your tank.
The bacteria involved in the bloom are of a different sort. No, they are not harmful, however they reproduce very quickly, unlike the others; which is why no matter how many water changes you do, your water will seem to cloud back up quickly. *note* You still need to do these water changes, but not to make your water clear. You will need to do them to eliminate the ammonia and then nitrite from your tank until your OTHER bacteria establish themselves (see below).
As your other bacteria that are needed for the nitrogen cycle establish on the rough surfaces in your tank and start breaking down the fish wastes, the cloudiness will go away; as they will be processing the organic nutrients in the water in lieu of the bacteria that was populating in the water so thick that your water hazed up.
*I offer this explanation with a disclaimer, because from what I've learned this is an area of disagreement among fishkeepers. I only relate it because this was an explanation that made me understand why I had a bloom in a completely fishless, and thus ammonia-free tank... for an entire week.
Last edited by haedra; February 18th, 2009 at 02:20 PM.
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| It's called New Tank Syndrome...bummer when you have that beautiful aquarium and don't understand why the water is so cloudy.
Like haedra explained, it's a bacterial bloom. Very common in new tanks.
Perhaps reading this link will help you further understand: White, Green and Yellow Cloudy Aquarium Water
If there are still fish in the tank follow Alex's (agabr123) advice.
Hang in there, your tank will be looking better soon. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| can i still put some cichlids in the tank like 2 | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by haedra  I'm no expert here, but I will try to help explain, as it was explained to me.
I had a bacterial bloom in a tank that did not have any fish at all in it for at least a week. My water was crystal clear for 36 hours. Then when I woke up the next day, it looked exactly like your first picture.
Chlorine and chloramines are what many utility companies use to keep bacteria in check in their water; even more or less "harmless" bacteria.
When you dechlorinate your water with a water conditioner in a tank, you are allowing these bacteria (that are present in all water) to grow unchecked, and populate so thickly that you can "see" them; hence where your water was clear upon first putting it in, in a day or two these bacteria have multiplied enough to cloud your water.
Now here is where some people might disagree with me, and that is ok. And I'm not saying it's right, but this explanation made the most sense to me.
As explained to me: the bacteria causing a "bloom" such as you are experiencing are actually NOT one of the two that are involved in the nitrogen cycle; meaning the ones involved in breaking down ammonia, then nitrite. Those two bacteria (the ones breaking down fish waste), multiply slowly, which is why it takes from 1-2 months for this equilibrim to establish in your tank.
The bacteria involved in the bloom are of a different sort. No, they are not harmful, however they reproduce very quickly, unlike the others; which is why no matter how many water changes you do, your water will seem to cloud back up quickly. *note* You still need to do these water changes, but not to make your water clear. You will need to do them to eliminate the ammonia and then nitrite from your tank until your OTHER bacteria establish themselves (see below).
As your other bacteria that are needed for the nitrogen cycle establish on the rough surfaces in your tank and start breaking down the fish wastes, the cloudiness will go away; as they will be processing the organic nutrients in the water in lieu of the bacteria that was populating in the water so thick that your water hazed up.
*I offer this explanation with a disclaimer, because from what I've learned this is an area of disagreement among fishkeepers. I only relate it because this was an explanation that made me understand why I had a bloom in a completely fishless, and thus ammonia-free tank... for an entire week. | I'm not saying you are wrong about this but...it would seem to me that the chlorine in the water would have killed all of the bacteria. So even though water conditioner is added, there should be no bacteria the grow. The only explaination I can think of is that the chlorine didn't kill off all of the bacteria (which I don't know I like to think about when drinking a glass of water.) | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| No. the tank is not done cycling, and the oscar in it makes it already ovestocked, as Alex said. Besides, there are hundreds of different kinds of cichlids, all with different care needs. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Big_jpb2006 can i still put some cichlids in the tank like 2 | It wouldn't be a good idea, no. Nitrites are toxic to your fish.
Do you still have the oscar and a pleco? I'm not really sure that cichlids are compatible with an oscar and definitely not in a tank your size.
The Oscar should be in a much larger tank as advised above. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| where can i find articles on some cichlids and there care needs
no oscar has been takin to my step bros tank its a 7g gallon
75g sorry ha
Last edited by Lucy; February 18th, 2009 at 03:31 PM.
Reason: merged back to back posts | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by jdhef I'm not saying you are wrong about this but...it would seem to me that the chlorine in the water would have killed all of the bacteria. So even though water conditioner is added, there should be no bacteria the grow. The only explaination I can think of is that the chlorine didn't kill off all of the bacteria (which I don't know I like to think about when drinking a glass of water.) | Should be hypothetically.. but in my own opinion, not the case.
It would be an interesting question to pose to a local water authority! I might have to do that.
This was the explanation I had accepted.. because it was the only one that made sense to me in explaining how you can have a bloom in a tank with no fish in it at all. In my own line of thinking.. if there are "legal" levels of chemical contaminants, I suppose there might be a legal level of biological contaminants as well (consisting of harmless wee little beasties). Again, that I don't know without contacting my water authority.
Another would be I suppose, bacteria from your hands and such getting into the water, and given free reign to grow uninhibited by chlorine. There are loads of bacteria on us at any given moment, that are completely harmless (among others, who aren't so harmless but live inside us). | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Rather than posting back to back, please use the edit button to add to a post.
I'm glad you re-homed the Oscar. That's great! he'll be much happier in a larger tank.
Here's some info that'll help research cichlids: For cichlid newbies:How to set up cichlid tanks | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| what kind of pleco do you have? most get to 12 inch also. only the more expensive ones are small! | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Actually bryan87, a common pleco will get 24 inches.  ! I didn't realize he had a pleco, if its a common one, that will need to be rehomed as well. | |
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February 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Hi! Lots of great advice. Just want to say you have to be "patient" in cycling a tank! It doesnt happen overnight or in 3 days. lol  The bacteria bloom sucks to look at but in time in will clear up. Again, be patient!!! Good luck!! | 
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