# my tank water is all horrible!!!



## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

i did a water change on wednesday and after that the water has had loads of tiny bits floating a round.  
i thought it would settle but here we are on staurday and its still like it.
i did another change this morning thinking this would help but its just as bad as it was.
havent changed anything in the way that i do my water changes, remove around 30%, clean the filter and replace with treated water. 
it used to be so clear now it just looks horrible......  
i dont know what to do, any thoughts please??????


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Hi Fiona,

How did you clean your filter? Did you use tapwater or tankwater?

Don't use tapwater as it may contain chlorine and other heavy metals which will kill your beneficial bacteria thus forcing you to go back to cycling your tank again.

What are your water stats?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Thread moved to proper section.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

i clean the filter in the water i have taken out of the tank. 
the filter is quite new, only been in there for bout 3 weeks so it cant be that, i dont think!! :?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

fiona said:


> i clean the filter in the water i have taken out of the tank.
> the filter is quite new, only been in there for bout 3 weeks so it cant be that, i dont think!! :?


Your tank did not cycle I assume.
You have to cycle your tank.
Pls click here for fishless cycling article.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

thats the first iv hear bout cycling the water, what does it do?
i read the link but (im a bit slow) dont get what it means but not having ANY fish in the tank, what an i ment to do with them???
sorry to sound so thick!!


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

fiona said:


> thats the first iv hear bout cycling the water, what does it do?
> i read the link but (im a bit slow) dont get what it means but not having ANY fish in the tank, what an i ment to do with them???
> sorry to sound so thick!!


I didn't know you still haven't heard of "cycling".:blink:
In fishless cycling, you buy pure ammonia from a store or obtain it from a chemist. Make sure the ammonia you buy doesn't have scents like perfumes.
You add 5 ppm of ammonia in your tank(without fish). Make sure you have a test kit when doing that.
Hope you understand the rest of the steps. We're still open to your questions if you have more to ask.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

i think i get it now....
how would i go about this thou as iv got a fully stocked tank now??? :?


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

also i got some treatment from my local fish guy. he said the bits in the water are so small that they go straight throught the filter.
the treatment iv got sort of acts like a glue and makes it all stick in the filter.
i used it yesterday and the fish looked like they were swiming in fog!!!
but this morning it was still just as bad, so iv gone from round 2, i'll keep you all informed of what happens!!! 
o yeah the treatment is called clarity, has anyone used/hear of it???
:nicefish:


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi Fiona
i suspended a stocking leg,filled with filter floss, near to the out-put of the filter,and it caught a lot of the small bits that were floating around.
it didn't look very good,and i got some strange comments,but if it works.
i have also used a treatment like that befor,however mine
did actually work,it looked foggy in the tank,but it did clear.
also i see you didn't cycle your tank first,so to help your fish now,
check your water for Amonia,NitRates and NitrItes.with a test kit.
don't rely on the fish shop,as they will tell you anything sometimes,just to get you to buy fish.
keep up your water changes,but leave your filter alone now!!!
as the bacteria need to grow.  
check for redness around the gills of the fish,and if they are gasping at the surface of the tank,this will give you some indecation as well that all is not ok.
sorry to waffle on,hope to have helped a little.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

ah, thats k!!!
that sounds like a real good plan, the stocking, i'll have to remember that 1!!!
i used the treatment again this morning and it looks much better now, compaired to how i did look any ways. :wink: 
the guy i go to for advice and help withtmy tank is a real nice guy. 
his hobbie was fish and he has now turned his hobbie into a company, he's got all his certificates on the wall so he must know what he's on about!!!!
i'll prob give your idea ago as well thou, like u said it might look a bit silly but if it works i dont really care!!!
cheers for the help mate!!


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## crazie.eddie (Sep 1, 2006)

Hi Fiona,

What type of filter do you have? What size tank?

Does the tiny bits look actually like objects, like food or waste or do they look like bubbles? Some filters will cause little minute bubbles if placed in the tank in a certain way, in a certain height.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

my tank hold about 55 us gallons of water and the filter sucks up the water through a pipe, passes it through the sponge and stone things then back down the inlet water fall type thing?!?!? if ya get what i mean???

the bits in the water are just tiny tiny bits, doesnt look like food and is def not bubbles. 
the thing thats getting to me is that last week the water was so clear 
:roll:


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## crazie.eddie (Sep 1, 2006)

What brand/model is the filter? Basically, I am trying to figure if it's the right size for the tank.

Does the bits and pieces look like they are coming out of the filter? If so, you need to use filter floss inside, making it the last piece of material before the water exits out.

What type of foods do you feed?

Do you have a pic of your tank, so I can figure out the placement of your filter?


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

the filter must be rite for the tank as it was with it when i brought the tank and it fits in there right.

the water does look like its cleared up abit now since i used the treatment. even cleaning out the filter earlyer didnt really effect the water to much. that id seffo the stuff to use then you get water probs!!!


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## Nick (Aug 2, 2006)

So your filter looks like this, a hang on filter.


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## fiona (Jul 27, 2006)

yeah sort of. it was with the tank and fits in there spot on. i'll try and find a pic of it for ya


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