# Urgent! Cloudy Water, Fish Dying...



## RiverValleyTroll (Dec 17, 2014)

The first day that I got my aquarium I used half distilled water and half tap water. A few days later I used the Jungle "Complete Water Care Kit." I then proceeded to add fish a day later. The first day they were fine, even the two Mystery Snails that I bought were out and moving around. 

Second day the water was surprisingly cloudy and all fish were at the surface trying to get good air. (It also turns out that my lone gourami had got stuck in between some aquarium decor and the glass and died.) I tried a %50 water change, came back an hour later and both of my Chinese Alqae Eaters were dead. I've since moved the snails and two surviving platies into a large pickle jar. I must not have waited long enough for my tank to cycle. (I also have a clump of moneywort and a "moss" ball in there by the way.)

Is there anyway that I can get the water back to normal? The platies are pesturing my snails and I'm afraid that one of the snials might have an eye missing. :-(


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## Sydmonster (Dec 20, 2014)

*Try to help*

First off, do you have a kit our anything that will allow you to test your water? Without knowing your parameters, it's really difficult to recommend anything. I would say your assessment is correct that your tank has not cycled. From the sound of it, it could just be in the beginning stages. I'm not sure what's happening but my guess is you have way too much ammonia for the fish to survive. I have mixed feelings about using an ammonia binder but that may be what's needed. Without being able to put your fish elsewhere, this may be an unfortunate experience. Your tank hasn't had time to build up bacteria. (The nitrifying bacteria takes roughly 17 hours just to double, all you can see why it takes time to cycle). Unless someone else comes up with some better idea, I would do water changes, get an ammonia "remover," and wait before replacing and any dead fish. I'd wait on feeding except sparingly and only a couple times a week, if that. Good luck! Oh, and if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting a test kit over strips.


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## thatfreakishbear (Dec 16, 2014)

I do not agree with getting an ammonia remover. It adds unnecessary chemicals into your tank and they don't work reliably. I suggest you read up on the Nitrogen Cycle. Personally, I would go get an API Freshwater Master Test Kit, a bottle of Seachem Prime and a bottle of Tetra Safe Start and begin using all three. The Prime is a water conditioner that makes ammonia less toxic. It should be used at 2 drops/gal. I would be doing about 50% water changes a day until you get a test kit, using the Prime dosed for your entire tank. Don't add any more fish at this time. The cloudy water is likely a bacterial bloom which is a normal part of the cycling process.


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## Sydmonster (Dec 20, 2014)

*cycling issues*

I agree that a chemical binder is not ideal, but I also want to point out that in some cases, Prime is not immediately available. If fish are in a deadly environment, I think sometimes an ammonia binder is better than nothing. I speak from experience simply because Prime is not available where I live; I have to order it. I know it's a superior product however. If you can get Prime, that is recommended for sure. If not, I think a temporary use of something else would be okay until Prime can be had. (Although I also don't fully understand how it's properties are different from some other binders out there that make ammonia benign. Any info is appreciated!) In any case, please keep us posted on your success.


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## candymancan (Aug 16, 2013)

Ok first off you made the classic new fish tank person mistake..

You don't have to use half distilled or half tap water.. In fact Distilled water can have negative effects on fish and people.. Reason is fish actually need minerals in water just like people do.. Have you ever heard that drinking distilled water can be bad for you over a long period of time ?

But this isn't your problem..

Anyway your problem is any fish tank, regardless of size needs time to cycle.. The nitrogen cycle is where ammonia builds up from fish waste and food, and ammonia is highely toxic. Bacteria have to grow in the tank.. (rocks, plants, filters glass) it grows on everything.. This Bacteria consumes Ammonia, and turns it into Nitrites, nitrites are just as toxic and another bacteria will grow to consume the nitrites and turn them into nitrates.. nitrates are slightly toxic but get more toxic as the levels build up.. which is why we do weekly-biweekly water changes.. As nothing consumes nitrates. except plants, and anerobic bacteria.

Anyway... It takes an average 4-6 weeks for a tank to cycle.. The cloudy water is the bacteria bloom forming in the tank.. its the beginning of a fish tanks cycle process.. Turn up the water temperature to around 82f to speed up the process.. Get yourself some seachem prime and use a capful every 24 hours to help whatever fish you have left.. And change 50% of the water BEFORE you add the prime in order to remove 50% of the harmful ammonia and so forth. Also you should know that a new fish tank will smell horribly for the first month. this is the ammonia and stuff in the water. This goes away to a pleasant earthy smell once the tank is cycled

You should get yourself an API master Test kit as well.. Do not buy anymore fish until the tank is cycled.. Meaning 0 Ammonia and 0 nitrites.. Once you start seeing 5-10-20 Nitrates and 0 Ammonia and Nitrites your tank is cycled..

To speed up the process you can take some filter media from another fish tank, or if you have a friend with a fish tank.. ask him if you can have his filters pads.. this will dramaticly speed up the process.


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

Please review the procedures in the link in my signature.

my .02


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## RiverValleyTroll (Dec 17, 2014)

Thank you for the replies! They were all a lot of help.

I don't have a water test kit at this time, I'm mostly relying on fish behavior and other observations for now. I will place an order on Amazon later today and get an API Freshwater Test Kit and a bottle of Prime. I was actually under the impression that cycling only took a week or two.

Anyway, the good news is that the remaining fish and snails have survived and appear to be in good health. Shortly after I made this thread I did an 80-90% water change using tap water w/ recommended amount of dechlorinator just in case. Our tap water comes from an underground spring, so my main worries about that are the possibility of agricultural chemicals and any lead that might leach out of the old pipes connecting the spring to the house. Most of the cloudiness went away after the first change and I've been doing 50% water changes everyday since, I hope that I left enough water for the beneficial bacteria to grow (although that's mostly in the gravel?). I do have a bottle of Tetra EasyBalance that I've been using to. 

Some more good news - I think that I was mistaken about my snails, looks like they still have their eyes. Can somebody fill me in on the normal behavior of Mystery Snails so I can have a better idea of the health of my tank for the time being?


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## candymancan (Aug 16, 2013)

Do you not have a water softner and filter in your house ? If you have well water you should have one of those regardless for your health as well.. And no cycling can take 30-45 days.. I would be doing 50% water changes every single day to keep your fish alive and add 1 capful of prime as well until the tank is cycled.

I wouldn't worry about lead in the pipes affecting your fish tank... people use lead weighs for plants I do and I haven't had any issues.

As for mystery snails.. they usually dart around the tank and eat, or have sex with eachother.. and other time they hide in there shells for a little bit then repeat the process... Mystery snails require a lot of food.. lots of algae.. I suggest algae wafers.. since your tank is new and not that large.. the mystery snails will eventually starve to death.. I have only been able to keep mine alive in bigger tanks. due to more food being prevalent


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## Sydmonster (Dec 20, 2014)

*yay*

Glad to hear your fish and snails are still alive! Sounds like the water changes have helped a great deal. If you ever have to start a tank again, you'll have it figured out. We all make mistakes to learn what NOT to do. Welcome to aquarium life. Hee hee!


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

River:

FWIW I would be very careful using prime (and most other ammonia locks as well).

What happens is Prime locks up the ammonia say 4 ppm but the api and most ammonia test kits still tests 4ppm because they cannot tell the difference between the safe(r) locked ammonia and the dangerous free ammonia.

So you add more prime still test ammonia and so on.

Meanwhile those chemical also lock up (reduce) oxygen so with overdosing you can actually suffocate the fish. And the fish will experience the same symptoms as ammonia poising to boot.

If you must use chemicals then use a test kit that can differentiate between locked and free ammonia. I believe the seachem multitest ammonia kit does that. If you have dosed and all the ammonia is locked with low or no free ammonia then stop adding the prime. I believe (please check) the seachem ammonia dots continuously in tank also only react to the dangerous free ammonia.

Finally, I recommend using live plants as they consume the ammonia directly while reducing co2 and returning oxygen. Which is why the procedures in the link in my signature work so well.

Still Just my .02


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## dancelady (Apr 24, 2014)

*I did what you did... brand new tank...*

About a year ago I got a bunch of Mollies from a store that was redecorating/moving tanks. I got a 20G tank and put them in it after dosing the tap water with a dechlorinator. I thought all was well. A day or two later the tank got really cloudy! This was being new and having too many Mollies in there. So I asked another fish store about this...

They said to put in a Bacterial Supplement (heavily at first), and to add some every couple of days for a few weeks until it cleared. It took about 3 weeks slowly to come up to a good state. I used SmartStart and then TopFin as they were available locally. Because I used this and watched the fish carefully, I did not lose any of them. But I was worried the whole time. 

You need to find some bacteria supplements, too, and check with your local stores on this -- most will have some nitrifying bacteria (several brands mfg.) to add. Because you are doing water changes, you may escape losing any more fish, but it still will take 3-4 weeks to fully cycle. I helped it along with the bacteria; now some will say it is unnecessary, but I don't think you want to lose any more fish. It is worth it to get some liquid API testing kits, the cheapest is the 2 bottle-testing ammonia/nitrite/nitrate kit. This has worked for me and can be gotten at most shops.

Good luck with your fish, it is wonderful having them and enjoying them!


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