# Need some help and advice with cloudiness and co2



## Bmullins1313 (Oct 8, 2017)

I have a 55 gallon planted tank with tetras, guppies, sharks, and an angel fish. So here's the story. About a week and a half ago I decided to do live plants in my tank but I read online that I needed a good substrate. Being the poor person I am I went with organic potting soil (I did a bunch of research on what the soil SHOULDN'T have in it so I'm good in that aspect) so I went about getting all the fish, decorations, and gravel out of the tank. I did so with a large 50 gallon bucket and put the fish in that with the same water from the aquarium. I put about 2 and a half inches of soil and then capped it with gravel after filling it back up with water, planting my plants, adding the rocks (slate rocks) and waiting 2 hours for dust to settle I reintroduced the fish. It is now almost 2 weeks and the water has a gray haze and I'm now getting ammonia and nitrite spikes as well as ph and alkalinity fluctuations. What should I do?! I've done my weekly water changes and added bacteria booster and declorinator. Is this normal in planted tanks?!? How do i control It? And will this pass?

Secondly, I've also read online that I needed a co2 system installed for the plants to really florish, so I made a diy co2 system using yeast. My question is :how long should I have it running? How much should be pumping through? How do i know what it's "too much"? And do I even need it in the first place?? 

What i have in the tank: 
4 guppies
2 black and 2 white fin tetras
4 red minor tetras
2 rainbow sharks
1 albino shark
1 pleco 
1 nirite snail
1 angel fish

Equipment: 
1 48 inch marine land led light
A top fin 55 gallon filter
1 heater set to 80°
The diy co2 system with air diffuser

Any help is much appreciated!


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## Bmullins1313 (Oct 8, 2017)

Last I check my water was at:
Ammonia: .25 ppm
Nitrite: .3
Nitrate: 20
Hardness: 75
Alkalinity: 40
PH: 6.5


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## TheHabitat (Oct 10, 2017)

It appears to be a bacteria bloom. I would do about a 25% water change every other day for a week while keeping your eye on the water parameters... t should eventually clear up on its own.. The soil could also be causing some of the water readings. I would also consider upgrading your filter the 55 is not enough for your bioload...you may want to add another 55 to the other side of your tank or get an Aquaclear 110 that will give a lot better filtration


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I agree, looks like a bacterial bloom and I agree with the prescription. Changing the water probably won’t clear the water - they will die off on their own. Water changes are for the fish, since the bacteria bloom is a result of excess ammonia/nitrite in the water.

I also agree with doubling your filtration.


I hate being a Debbie downer, but you’ve got 3 sharks in a tank that can only sustain 1. You’d need a much larger tank to try to keep 3 from killing each other. Even 2.


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## Bmullins1313 (Oct 8, 2017)

Thanks a bunch guys! I just upgraded the filter to an 80 gallon filter, and the sharks don't seem to mind eachother. I havnt seen any fighting or nipped fins at all. But I will keep my eye out. The water has cleared up now from the bacteria bloom and I have good levels now. The only thing is it has a slightly yellow/brown hue to the water, I read that is was from tannin and it will clear up with water changes??


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

Bmullins1313 said:


> Thanks a bunch guys! I just upgraded the filter to an 80 gallon filter, and the sharks don't seem to mind eachother. I havnt seen any fighting or nipped fins at all. But I will keep my eye out. The water has cleared up now from the bacteria bloom and I have good levels now. The only thing is it has a slightly yellow/brown hue to the water, I read that is was from tannin and it will clear up with water changes??


 sometimes the best thing to do is nothing.


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## Sacksteder kid (Oct 2, 2017)

Yah but sometimes the best thing to do is something.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

The trick is knowing which things to act on and which things to sit on


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