# New PFS, cloudy water



## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

I know this has been answered a few times as I did a search 1st before posting hah. I had a few questions to try to make sense of the information I gleaned from my search. I appreciate the patience! I have a 75g tank and added new PFS. I did rinse it beforehand, albeit while on a conference call with work clients, so my attention wasn't as focused as maybe it needed to be. I thought the water was running fairly clear from rinsing, it has been roughly 14 hrs now and it is still cloudy. It definitely is clearing up as I can now see through the tank, but it still is pretty cloudy. From my search it seems that while some people don't experience cloudiness that it is normal for about 1-3 days? I want to take care of it now before any filters or fish go into it. From my search it seems 1 option is to just change out most of the water and then add some chemicals I can obtain from the local petstore and that should clear it up. Is that the best way or is there another way where I don't have to dig out all the sand and rinse it again? Haha. Thanks guys


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## Mbuna freak (Mar 5, 2018)

I'm assuming pool filter sand? Just be patient, it will clear up. I know it took at least 24 hours for mine to start clearing up


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Mbuna freak said:


> I'm assuming pool filter sand? Just be patient, it will clear up. I know it took at least 24 hours for mine to start clearing up


Thanks yes pool filter sand. I'm starting to think its not the sand but maybe just the water itself is cloudy since we have pretty hard water here. Not sure if it makes a difference or not though.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Give it a good swirl and take out all the water and refill, since you haven't started to filter yet. Why have all those fines settle to be stirred up again?


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

BillD said:


> Give it a good swirl and take out all the water and refill, since you haven't started to filter yet. Why have all those fines settle to be stirred up again?


Thanks, yeah I emptied it and refilled it. Still cloudy. I'm wondering if its from the limestone rocks I have in it. My other tank uses the same tap water but isn't cloudy at all. I washed and boiled the rocks before placing them in there, but wondering if that is impacting the water cloudiness? We have some very hard water here so I don't know if that would make it cloudy? I've also heard that it could just be a bacterial bloom since its a new tank and it'll go away after a while and to be patient..........not one of my strong points hah.


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## Old Newbie (Feb 18, 2017)

JoshMKB24 said:


> BillD said:
> 
> 
> > Give it a good swirl and take out all the water and refill, since you haven't started to filter yet. Why have all those fines settle to be stirred up again?
> ...


I have used water clarifier in the past; it causes the tiny particles causing the cloudiness to clump together so the filter can remove them. Worked pretty well.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'm thinking bacterial bloom. I always avoid adding chemicals when possible.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

DJRansome said:


> I'm thinking bacterial bloom. I always avoid adding chemicals when possible.


I think you're right. I had a coworker come over to take a look at it and he thinks its bacterial bloom as well. I checked all the water levels. I went and got the API Master test kit since I just had the strips before. Everything from the ph to the nitrate levels seems to be normal. There are no fish in it yet so its probably just cycling. I'll probably still put fish in it on Friday or so, but I'm really hoping it clears up before long.

Is there anything to do chemical or otherwise to speed along the bacterial bloom or at least test to see if its a bacterial bloom? Thanks guys! I've learned so much since browsing the forums the last few weeks.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Hey Josh, can you post the number results for your water tests with the API Master kit?

How long has the tank been set up? It usually takes a minimum of 6 weeks to cycle a tank before adding fish unless you already have a mature filter or use some type of bacterial additive.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Deeda said:


> Hey Josh, can you post the number results for your water tests with the API Master kit?
> 
> How long has the tank been set up? It usually takes a minimum of 6 weeks to cycle a tank before adding fish unless you already have a mature filter or use some type of bacterial additive.


ph was at 7.6(says its as high as the test kit goes, but with a strip it was at 8, so dunno, but its on the higher end)

no2 was at 0

no3 was at 5

I didn't test for ammonia as there isn't any biological matter in the tank, at least that I'm aware of. If you think I should I can test that tonight.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Oh and to clarify I didn't know at the time I didn't know there were 2 different ph tests I could conduct since I had only used the strips before. There is a high ph test which I could do if it would be pertinent.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Test for ammonia also just to see what the reading is.

Also try the high pH test to see what the results are and compared to the low pH test.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Deeda said:


> Test for ammonia also just to see what the reading is.
> 
> Also try the high pH test to see what the results are and compared to the low pH test.


I'll test it this evening. I added a pic of what it looks like. It seems a little clearer today......but its still crazy cloudy. The fact its clearer today should give you an idea of how cloudy it was Sunday/Monday!


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

So I didn't test it tonight, I took some water to Petsmart for them to test. Ammonia was between 0 and .25, nitrate was at 0, nitrite was at 0, "Total hardness" was at 150, chlorine was at 0, alkalinity was at 180 and ph was at 7.8


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## Old Newbie (Feb 18, 2017)

JoshMKB24 said:


> So I didn't test it tonight, I took some water to Petsmart for them to test. Ammonia was between 0 and .25, nitrate was at 0, nitrite was at 0, "Total hardness" was at 150, chlorine was at 0, alkalinity was at 180 and ph was at 7.8


Bacterial blooms that I have experienced in the past were kind of grayish white like your tank, but the sand is also about the same color as the water. I would think that if it being caused by "dust" that was not well rinsed it would have settled by now or been picked up by the filter by now. I would go ahead and do another large water change.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Old Newbie said:


> JoshMKB24 said:
> 
> 
> > So I didn't test it tonight, I took some water to Petsmart for them to test. Ammonia was between 0 and .25, nitrate was at 0, nitrite was at 0, "Total hardness" was at 150, chlorine was at 0, alkalinity was at 180 and ph was at 7.8
> ...


While I'm not opposed to doing a large water change, I have sort of got the impression that wouldn't be a good idea. It seems like everyone has told me to just wait it out and when I refilled the tank Sunday it was a mistake hah.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Someone at a local pet shop that specializes in fish suggested trying to go to WalMart and buying some polyester either filling or batting. I had no idea what batting was even until looking it up. He said they sell polyester filters, but its cheaper to just get a bunch of it from Walmart. Is there anything specific I should be looking for? Obviously I want ones that are non toxic with no chemicals added, which I would imagine for the price most don't have anything added since its like 8 bucks for a huge amount haha. Hopefully this will speed up the process of clearing up the tank


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You need to be careful who you get advice from. IDK why changing water would impact your cycle, as the bacteria do not live in the water.

No problem waiting it out...the bacteria will attach tor surfaces and your problems will be over.

It's possible a water polishing filter could help...I don't think the polyester batting will be fine enough to do much good.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

DJRansome said:


> You need to be careful who you get advice from. IDK why changing water would impact your cycle, as the bacteria do not live in the water.
> 
> No problem waiting it out...the bacteria will attach tor surfaces and your problems will be over.
> 
> It's possible a water polishing filter could help...I don't think the polyester batting will be fine enough to do much good.


Thanks, maybe I will go pick a few of those up from Petsmart and add those on top of the polyester filler and see if that works!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The polishing filter I mentioned would not be available at Pet Smart...I believe they usually use diatomaceous earth. Kind of pricey. I don't own one and never saw the necessity.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

Haha ****, well I got what they had there. Something from Fluval and obviously built for their canister filter line. put 2 in each of my filters and they seemed to fit pretty well. Overall though since Monday I have seen a slight improvement, so maybe I'm just wasting money and nature needs to take its course. Hoping after this round of switching to the polyester filler and the polishing pad there will be at least some improvement in the morning. I can't believe I'm having this much trouble with the water. I'm definitely no expert by any means, but this is my 4th tank I'd say and the 1st time I've ever encountered a problem like this. I think most of my problems in the past have all been user error so I keep thinking maybe I did something wrong and can fix it, when in all likelihood I didn't do anything wrong and its just gotta do its own thing.


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## JoshMKB24 (Mar 10, 2018)

I woke up today and it is almost clear. Its at least 90% clearer than it was! Hah if anything it made me realize I definitely will need to scrub down the front of the glass because of streaks


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## Seanzuniga0318 (May 30, 2017)

Pinkyfilters.com keeps my water crystal clear 
Check em out


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