How to clear up cloudy water in a filtered fish tank?
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at
5:19 am
We recently got a 2.5 gallon filtered fish tank from a friend and have 4 goldfish in it. The first day the water is perfectly clear, however, by the second day it is cloudy. No algae, just cloudy water. I have purchased a new "discard-a-stone" and am using the clouride drops for tap water. I have not used any soap to wash it, and there are no live plants in it.
Any suggestions?
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Filed under: Water Filter System
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2.5 gallons is too small for any fish.
Normally, adding fish before your tank is cycled would cause cloudy water. However, since you have such a massive amount of ammonia producing fish in such a tiny space, that’s a mute point. The water is cloudy because your tank can’t possibly support all those fish.
Fancy Goldfish require a minimum of 20-gallons for one, with an extra 10-gallons per additional Goldfish. Because they are very messy fish, they require a filter rated for at least 2x the tanks volume. So, assuming your fish are Fancy Goldfish, you need a 50-gallon, with a filter rated for 100-gallons. The minimum, temporary sized tank they should be in is 20-gallons, but they will double their size every month or so while they are growing, it financially makes sense to start off with the size they will need at adulthood.
If you have Common Goldfish, (usually sold as "Feeder Goldfish",) you’ll need to return them from whence they came, (might be the best idea for Fancy’s too,) unless you’re interested in a 125+ gallon for them.
All aquariums need to be cycled before the fish are added. http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquarium/cycling.php
You can not properly cycle a 2.5-gallon, and certainly not with Goldfish.
Until you can return your fish, or upgrade to an appropriately sized aquarium, you’ll need to do 50% water changes twice per day. You really need to do one or the other very soon though. Your fish won’t last very long otherwise.
In case you’ve heard the common myth that fish only grow to the size of their tank, please know that that is simply not true. If they don’t die very quickly from ammonia poisoning, they become stunted, which essentially leads to continued organ growth, until they burst. This is not fun for your fish.
Goldfish profiles:
Fancy Goldfish, click under "articles".
http://www.peteducation.com:80/category.cfm?c=16+1911+1922
Common Goldfish.
http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/cyprinids/goldfish/100163.asp
http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/goldfish/common-goldfish/100037.asp
In the future, it would be wise to research any creatures needs before you bring them home.
piss in it
seachem clairity
that’s a REALLY small tank for 4 goldfish…….your always going to have cloudy water cause goldfish are messy fish……but unless your planing on getting a larger tank (which i would suggest – 10gal would be ideal) rinse out the filter every other day to keep it cleaner so it filters better and get some "water clear tank buddies" they turn the water purple or red (its normal may not do the whole tank that color or may) and they clear up the water fast……
Get a larger tank, believe it or not they are easier to care for.
Stop using the food you are using now and get some food that says on the side of the can "does not cloud water" I made the same mistake
And you can’t keep 4 goldfish in a 2.5 gal ! Get at least a 10 gal for them.
And get some live plants, at least 3.
Some advice:
-Either trade your goldfish for a betta, or get yourself a 50+ gallon fish tank. Your tank is way too small for four fish, much less goldfish, who get to be about a foot long and are some of the messiest fish on Earth.
-"Discard-a-stone"? I don’t know what that is. Either it’s an air stone, or it’s a feeder disk. If it’s a feeder disk, that’s part of your problem: those don’t feed fish very well, all they do is cloud up your water and make everything look nasty.
-You need to get your tank cycled. The cloudiness you’re experiencing is either the ammonia cloud or the bacteria bloom. Both are to be expected when you put fish in the first day your get your tank, especially in a massively overstocked tank like that.
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Nitrogen_cycle
A filter works by breaking down fish waste, toxic ammonia, into toxic nitrite, and then into less-toxic nitrate. The nitrate is removed by regular weekly water changes. You have to start the cycle by adding a source of ammonia to it — there’s chemicals you can add to make it happen, although you’ve accidentally selected the old-fashioned and lethal fish-in-cycle method.
The best thing you can do for your fish is to find them a new, temporary home while your filter works itself out (a friend/bowl). You can buy test kits to test your water and determine that it’s safe again.
Actually, scratch that: the best thing you can do for your four goldfish is buy a much, much larger tank for them, and use the filter and tank water to kick-start that tank’s cycle. Or trade them in for a betta.
plain and simple: u can’t have goldfish in a 2.5 gallon tank. u need like 50 gallon. they will all probably die if you dont upgrade immediately
Everyone is correct in stating that this tank is WAY too small for goldfish. They need lots of room or they will live miserable lives.
That said, the "Discard-a-stone" won’t do anything for cloudy water as it’s just for aeration, nor will the chlorine/chloramine drops (though it’s nice to know that you know to use them!). Did you happen to add any gravel to the tank? New gravel, if not washed thoroughly enough, will cause cloudy water. To get rid of it you have to breakdown the tank, wash the gravel thoroughly, and then set the tank back up again.