Cycling?

I have a brand new just bought 30 gallon tank. I filled it on nov 1st and it is still cloudy as hell. ph is 7.0, temp is 80f. any ideas why it is still cloudy. also I did add bacteria to the tank when i filled it

What kind of 'cloudy' homie...

If it's looking like one of your kids
friends poured a glass of milk in there
its a bacteria bloom.... beneficial...


got good gravel layer...good filter "stuff" ...
can't disturb too much at one time...

Just let it set up...it will clear almost overnight
assuming its a bact bloom...

If it's some other color let me know...


I guess for the sake of whatever, what's the fish load/filter/etc....

........peace -JT

yes it looks like bacteria bloom but its normally clears up by now. fish load is 3 rosy reds, filter is a aqua clear, added gravel today

its been 5 days since i set it up

What do you have in your filter as far as mediums?
I'm presuming this is FW & not SW.

How much did you wash the gravel before adding? Also is it river gravel or sand/argonite - unwashed?

the only thing in the filter is the sponge and Biological Filter Media. The gravel has been washed and is CaribSea Eco-Complete

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrites,and nitrates? It's got to be a bloom or just dust from the substrate. Washing substrate can always be done again. I would let it sit and keep ammonia/nitrites under 5ppm, it stalls cycles. I mean shoot for 0 but to speed it up keep under 5. Good luck keep us updated.

Good deal.. 5 days is still pretty new..

When I found fish, I set up a 20 long I had
with I think two whisper 40's... standard filter set up..

I think 2 fish was the bio load, one being a pleco so it
was dirty... but it took the better part of a few weeks for
the tank to be at 0 ammonia... at the peak it would be 1ppm...
(I pulled the pleco out, and put him in my 40 )

It's more like growing cactus, than bamboo... slow and steady gets it
..like flying a plane in the movies,...slow and fluid movements...

Anyways... I guess, don't disturb too much... check your ammonia levels..
and if it's all good, let it bubble on.... Peace JTp

Oh yea, I later took the pads out of one of the whispers and
filled it with ceramic rings and a bag of about 3/4 a cup of charcoal..
then added another filter.... seems a good rig ... peace

ammonia is .5 - 1 ppm, nitrites is 2ppm, and nitrates is 10 ppm

Yeah sounds like you are close to the end. If you are using the liquid tests and nitrites are present, don't bother testing nitrates. The readings will be off. So how does the water look?

Still looks cloudy but it is improving slowly. Added some rocks today

It'll get'r...

I vacumed all my gravel and without thinking, cleaned one of
the filters completely... impeller, body, new pad, and cleaned the
bio joint... next moring, hazy...got more hazy over about 2 days,
stayed hazy for about 4, then cleared up to 'crystal clear' in about 2
days... A rookie move, but I guess I was just really excited about
cleaning that day.... I need a real filter anyways...

I'd say... let it chill, and about 2-3 days after it clears do a good water
change, not hitting the gravel or messing with the filters, to knock your
nitrates down... then resume your regular schedule...

Fish acting normal? Peace -JT

Which aqua clear are you using? They are great filters, just wondering on gph.

Ive got a Aqua Clear 30 and 50 on it at the moment. I plan on getting a Fluval, either the 205 or 305. When do you think I could start adding my plants back into the tank?

I'd have them in there now...

As far as I know they suck up ammonia...

Don't do it until someone more in the know
about planted tanks speaks up.... Peace JT

P.s I think b.bact blooms arent toxic, its the ammonia
as a result...? If this is incorrect please someone speak up
because this is how I understand it....

leave the plants in there, they will keep eatting up the ammonia and nitrate. the tank is going throw the cycle.. plant heavy... fluvals have problems, unless it's the big boy fx5. i would get a rena xp2 or a eheim 3236-38 on there.

Good luck Fish

Added the fluval that had been on another tank for about 2 years to the new planted tank last night. woke up this morning and it is now crystal clear. Thanks for all your help.

Nice good to know all is better.