Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: Redbelly on March 08, 2017, 08:41:00 PM
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Evening All,
Firstly I would like to thank you all for your help on my previous tank but i have decided that the 24ltr Edge, even though it looks nice it isn't anywhere near big enough for my Fishy ambitions. So i now have a Fluval 64ltr tank (2nd hand) which I have thoroughly cleaned with White vinegar and rinsed, the tank has had the heater and filter running for about 5 days now and tonight I have added some plants but, and this is where the help is needed yesterday the water has all of a sudden gone cloudy ! I have done water test and everything seems fine but its just frustrating and slightly concerning. Any advice or help would be massively appreciated.
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It sounds like a bacterial bloom, which is very common in new tanks. Unfortunately, the bacteria are not the ones we want to grow, but a different kind of bacteria.
Bloom bacteria feed on organic (ie carbon based) material and even all that new water you have added contains a fair amount of organic substances. It is quite likely that planting the plants disturbed the substrate and released some organic matter.
The bacteria live floating in the water and we see them as the cloudiness. They muliply very quickly which is why water changes don't usually help - they multiply faster than we can change the water!
The good news is that once they've eaten all the organic matter, they die off and the water clears, but the length of time this takes varies from tank to tank.
Are you intending to cycle the new tank and keep both of them running, or move all the fish to the bigger tank?
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Hi Sue,
Thank you for your reply. The cloudiness started the day before I planted my plants.
I plan on moving all the fish to the bigger tank, any advice on the best way to make this transition ?
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In that case the organics would be from the water, anything left in the filter and possibly even the vinegar you used to clean the tank.
I've just looked at the Edge instructions and see that the filter contains three types of media - a bag of ceramic noodles (biomax), a foam pad and a 'carbon clean and clear' cartridge.
I would ignore the clean and clear cartridge as you don't need carbon full time.
Then once you are ready to move the fish, squeeze as much of the Edge's sponge and biomax into the bigger tank's filter as possible. You can cut the sponge up to make it fit, and leave the biomax in its mesh bag. If there's any space left, fill that with the media that's supposed to go in the bigger tank's filter
Then move the fish.
I would also move any decor over even if you want to have different decor eventually. The bacteria you want to preserve live in the filter media and on all the surfaces in the tank, including the decor. This is why I suggest moving any decor over in the short term. You will lose the bacetria on the Edge's glass and other surfaces you can't move so every single bacteria you can move is worth it. Once you know the transfer has gone smoothly, you can replace any unwanted decor a bit at a time.
Feed the fish lightly for a few days before and after the move and nothing at all on move day. And monitor ammonia and nitrite for several days after the move. If you do see either of them, water changes will reduce them, and the mini spike shouldn't last long.
However....
I notice that the Edge's filter is a HOB (hang on back). Is there any way it could fit on the new tank?
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The tank here is from the Fluval Uno or Duo range. The Uno has a single tube light while the Duo has two. Not sure if you can take a hacksaw to it for adding the hob as the Uno has a large box behind the ballast and the Duo would have a ballast close to the rear.
Which reminds me I should get to work and show photos of my volcano scape as this is in a Fluval Uno 600 (60 l).
Nothing else to add except it looks good. :) Sue has covered the rest.
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Thatnk you for the tank info, MM
According to Hagen, those tanks come with a Fluval Plus filter. I hope you have the plus 2 as that's for tanks up to 90 litres while the 1 is for tanks up to 45 litres.
Assuming you do have the Fluval Plus 2 filter, that should have a slide out media holder which contains 2 sponges. If at all possible, I would put the Edge's sponge in place of one sponge, adding some of the plus's sponge to fill the space if necessary, and squash the biomax bag as flat as possible to replace the second plus sponge.
I'm using this manual to see the filters http://uk.hagen.com/File/1c55f18b-1474-453f-bbb6-f6961124accd
If it's not the Fluval Plus 2 filter, can you tell us what it is, please.
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Thank You sue and MM.
The Filter I have is a Tertratec IN800 which I believe is good for up to a 150l Tank (I Think)
The water has now cleared and I put my first fish into the new tank last night, and all seems well so far, fingers crossed.
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Great news that you've got them a more suitable tank, and good news that the water has now cleared too. Happy fishkeeping. :fishy1:
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Glad to hear that the water cleared and that things are going well with your new fish. :)
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Thank you for all your advice.
I now have one more small problem, I can't get the bloody fish out the Fluval edge, the hole on top is too small and the Glowlight Tetras are to quick. There must be a knack of doing this, any ideas ?
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Empty as much water as possible - leave just enough so the fish can swim upright.
I know the hole isn't very big but if you could get two nets in there, use one to herd the fish into the other.
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Empty as much water as possible - leave just enough so the fish can swim upright.
I know the hole isn't very big but if you could get two nets in there, use one to herd the fish into the other.
What she said ;)