# 1 tank cloudy 1 tank perfect??



## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

Ok, heres the problem. I clean both tanks once a wk. I clean the 55g which houses 2 oscars 1 jd 1 Blood parrot and 2 algae eater. My 45g tank houses 1 FH and 1 algae eater. The 55g when cleaned clears up in a few hours, my 45g stays cloudy, and i end up changin the water 2 days later tryin to get it clear. I always put clear&brite in each tank after cleaning.. anyone have an idea?? :-?


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## xalow (May 10, 2007)

Are you ready for a deluge of questions?

What sort of filtration does the 45 gallon have? What % of the water do you change out? What type of substrate do you have and how often is it cleaned? How long has the tank been set up? Any recent changes to the tank? What are do your water tests show?

Also I think that your 55 gallon might have too many fish in it from what I have seen people often say that one Oscar alone is enough for a 55, but I don't have any personal experience with that so take my advice with a grain of salt.


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## crotalusfan (Jun 21, 2008)

There are definetely too many fish in the 55, but that is another post all together. Without yet having the answers to xalow's questions (all good questions), I would guess it's a filter issue. Probably not enough filtration on the smaller tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

And why do you add clear and bright?


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

well the 45g has a filter for a 60g. i change the water once a wk 50%. i use clear and brite to help w the cloudy condition after changin the water.. i have no idea about the water, never had this problem until i moved the tank in the bedroom.. im starting to think it has something to do w feelin it up w the shower water...


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## gordonrp (Mar 23, 2005)

dont use clear and brite.

what are your water paramters? nitrates, nitrites, ammonia.

what filtration do you have running, when were they last cleaned?


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

The 45g has one tetra whisper 60g filteration. I just ran a ph check an it 6.4. and my other tank was 6.0 so *** added ph increaser. but if im guessin the tanks have always been this low. *** never checked it until now. cleaned them wed, and then did a 30% water change last night on the cloudy one.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

> im starting to think it has something to do w feelin it up w the shower water...


Do you mean water from the shower head? It may make the water bubbly from going through the shower head.
That should clear pretty quickly, so I don't think that's your problem.

I agree, quit adding stuff to the water. Let's get the water clear first.

How often do you change the filter floss/cartridge in your filter?
Too frequently can cause cloudy water, not often enough can cause it too.

Is the substrate the same in both tanks? In other words, both sand, both gravel...

If gravel, do you vaccume it? If sand, do you stir it occasionally?

Can you check your ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes? 
If you don't have a home test kit, take a water sample to your local fish store (lfs) and get them to test it for those things. Take notes of what those numbers are.
They may try to sell you some products. Please wait on buying anymore until you let us know what your results are.

Sorry we have so many questions, but they are necessary to advise you.
We want to help you enjoy your aquariums.
 
Alicem


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

i clean out the filters weekly.. spray the filters clean.. the tank has gravel as does the other one. i vaccum it weekly as well...... 
*** always just added Brite&clear... guess i will quit


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

i clean out the filters weekly.. spray the filters clean.. the tank has gravel as does the other one. i vaccum it weekly as well...... 
*** always just added Brite&clear... guess i will quit


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## gordonrp (Mar 23, 2005)

mrbiged said:


> i clean out the filters weekly.. spray the filters clean.. the tank has gravel as does the other one. i vaccum it weekly as well......
> I've always just added Brite&clear... guess i will quit


What are the water parameters? Nitrites, nitrates, ammonia?

When you clean the filters, don't clean them with fresh water, unless you have two filters per tank and only do 1 per week as you will kill the beneficial bacteria and start another cycle.


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## gordonrp (Mar 23, 2005)

mrbiged said:


> I've always just added Brite&clear... guess i will quit


Good move.

Pure water is clear. A tank is a closed system, anything you add never leaves without large water changes. More stuff = more problems in the long run.


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## MetalHead06351 (Oct 3, 2007)

I'd say your problem is the large amount of waste that your fish have to be producing. I would do a 50% water change, then throw in some ammonia detoxifier, then in a day or two do another 25% water change and get rid of 2 oscars.


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

MetalHead06351 said:


> I'd say your problem is the large amount of waste that your fish have to be producing. I would do a 50% water change, then throw in some ammonia detoxifier, then in a day or two do another 25% water change and get rid of 2 oscars.


The problem is not w the tank the oscars are in. the tank w the FH is the problem


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Do not clean the filter pads in fresh water, only use tank water.

Do you have gravel in this tank? Did you clean the gravel when you moved the tank?

You are probably starting the Cycle all over again if you did any of the above.


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

yea. *** got gravel in the tank. and i clean the pads w freshwater. its never been a problem until now..


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

Deeda said:


> Do not clean the filter pads in fresh water, only use tank water.





gordonrp said:


> When you clean the filters, don't clean them with fresh water, unless you have two filters per tank and only do 1 per week as you will kill the beneficial bacteria and start another cycle.


Good advise :thumb: 
When you do your water change, drain some old tank water into a 5 gal. bucket and use that to rinse your filters.
They won't be squeeky clean, but you don't want squeeky clean, that's too clean. 
The good bacteria is on the surfaces of the fiter box and it's parts as well as the filter media.
Just rinse out the box with the used aquaium water, wipe off the algae and refill it with declorinated water to reprime the filter.

I am unfamiliar with your particular filter, but if it has 2 cartridges in it, change only one at a time, alternating weeks.
If it has only one cartridge, when you change it, squeeze the used filter cartridge on the back side of the new one after you've replaced it in the filter box.
This way some of the mucky stuff which has good bacteria in it, gets on the new filter to help "seed" it with good bacteria.



Deeda said:


> Do you have gravel in this tank?





mrbiged said:


> the tank has gravel as does the other one. i vaccum it weekly as well......


We applaud the fact that you are trying to keep it really clean. 
Might I suggest that when you vaccume, do just one end of the tank one week, then the other end the next week.



Deeda said:


> Did you clean the gravel when you moved the tank?
> 
> You are probably starting the Cycle all over again if you did any of the above.


Bacteria bloom can make your aquaium look cloudy.
Keep plugging along, it'll come around.
:thumb: 
Alicem


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## mrbiged (Jun 3, 2008)

awesome post alicem :thumb: that really sums it up for me, thank you.


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