mark1078 Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Hi Guys and Gals, :bounce: am a real newbie but wanted to ask some questions to the experts. I bought a hexagonal tank not so long ago (It is about 100 liters). 2 days ago I decided it was time to fill it up. I went to the pet shop and got all sorts of thing. I used fertilizer for the bottom then gravel (very fine black stuff) I washed everything by the way first. I filled it up a little so I could plant all the plants. In the process of filling it up completely I think I disturbed the fertilizer and the tank was mainly brown all day. Even with the pump running (Aqua One 1000 something) overnight it did not make any difference the next day. So I decided to siphon most of the water out yesterday morning, I left just enough water for the plants. I then put another fine layer of gravel down, firmly pressed everything down. Then I filled the tank up very slowly.. this took about an hour.. And since yesterday morning the tank looks white misty. The pump has been running ever since but even this morning it does not look any different then when I went to bed last night. Is this a normal thing for the tank to do? Am I impatient that I want to have it crystal clear?? How long would it take before it becomes clearer? :oops: Picture: http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b42 ... nk/001.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redracer77 Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Hi, You can try wrapping some filter wool around they filter intake, this will speed things up a little and stop the filter filling up with dirt. Just replace the filter wool every day and it will clear up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nymox Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Give it time to clear, also check the flow of the filter its a good time to do this as you can see the particles in the water moving. Try to make sure there are no dead spots where water is not moving. You can use some food to help follow the water flow as it will help cycle your tank anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1078 Posted May 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Hi thanks for the great replies, I have turned down the outlet of the pump just a little bit because I can see the water flow gushing out of the outlet, the intake outlet is higher up the tank then it was before so I hope that is helping. Would it really help wrapping the intake with wool? I mean you want to get rid of the misty water so it has to go into the intake to filter it.. sorry if it is wrong what am saying am just a complete amateur.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Would it really help wrapping the intake with wool? I mean you want to get rid of the misty water so it has to go into the intake to filter it.. sorry if it is wrong what am saying am just a complete amateur.. You are wrong. It doesn't have to go into the filter to be filtered, there's a reason filter wool is called filter wool, because it filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1078 Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 You are wrong. It doesn't have to go into the filter to be filtered, there's a reason filter wool is called filter wool, because it filters. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird73 Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 I am just a newbie too, but I used some Seachem Clarity with mine, and it worked fabulously. Turned the water tea coloured for about 12 hrs then crystal clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1078 Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Hi Sunbird, thanks for that. Today the tanks seems less cloudy. I think by tomorrow it should be fine. It seems its getting clearer from the bottom upwards.. could also be my imagination though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 If a glass of water clears from the top down it means the sediment is settling out and if it clears from the bottom up it means that the disolved gasses are dissipating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1078 Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Thanks for all the replies, the tank is still misty and this does not seem to disappear. What should I do? Some say to do a water change, which I did on Sunday morning. It did not make any difference if you ask me. Every morning the first thing I do is look at the tank to see if the mist is gone but it hasn't. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 did you have any luck with this in the end? I had cloudy water and it improved very quickly with a power head type filter instead of the hang on the back one I had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1078 Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Apparently I had an bacteria bloom (or something) in the tank, with some stuff from the petshop this cleared overnight and the tank is crystal clear now, just purchased 6 tiger barbs and there sweeeeet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Whoaaa, slow down there big boy, you need to cycle your tank before you start putting fish in there, you're gonna find those barbs are gonna cark it within the next few days. You need to take them back to the pet shop and ask them to hold them for you while you do this. Cycling will take several weeks depending on whether you fishless cycle(my prefered choice) or you use fish to cycle(you need to use cheaper fish as you may lose them in the process. This could take up to a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Here's a few helpful threads for you to read through. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42509&hilit=how+to+cycle+a+tank viewtopic.php?f=5&t=41326&hilit=how+to+cycle+a+tank viewtopic.php?f=4&t=43477&hilit=how+to+cycle+a+tank viewtopic.php?f=10&t=43092&hilit=how+to+cycle+a+tank viewtopic.php?f=10&t=43037&hilit=how+to+cycle+a+tank There you go boss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 6 tiger barbs will cycle 100L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 6 tiger barbs will cycle 100L. I was going to say that but after my recent tank problem I thought I had better leave it to someone with more experience I'm using young bolivian rams to cycle my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Ah now you see I would have thought Bolivian rams were too sensitive to use in a cycle but I have no experience with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 You are correct - they are sensitive and thats why I have used them - and also the fact that I have over 200 of them :lol: However my tank being 450 litres I will have to use something else as well so I think my sterbai are the next to put in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Sorry, I just got the impression that the fulla didn't realize he had to cycle the tank, and I thought you had to use guppies or neons, I'll shut up now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Neons are not good to cycle with. The quality of them seems to have deteriorated over the years and they do not cope with a cycle too well. Danios are actually the best bet but no good using them if they are not a fish you wish to keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Sorry, I just got the impression that the fulla didn't realize he had to cycle the tank, and I thought you had to use guppies or neons, I'll shut up now..... No don't 'shut up', I could see where you were coming from and everyone has the right to contribute. Maybe you are correct. You have given links to good valid information. I use whatever I have a surplus of to cycle my tanks and this time have good reason for using sensitive fish but I would think that the cheapest but healthiest fish you can find are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Yeah, I should have said the links were good Carlos :oops: A lot of people claim they have never cycled a tank in their life. What they have actually done is cycled it, and done it the right way, without even realising it. All cycling really means is to add fish slowly so the filter bacteria builds up with it to cope with the resulting waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsarmina Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 All cycling really means is to add fish slowly so the filter bacteria builds up with it to cope with the resulting waste. oops :oops: i'm supposed to add my guppies slowly? with my gups, i can fill the 3ft from the tap (hot and cold water), make sure its at the correct temp, and i just throw them all in, lol. haven't lost 1 yet. i wouldn't recommend it with any other type of fish (except my BN's, convicts, black widows, loepard danios and wcmm have all been through this treatment unscathed) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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