Need some help figuring out what's going on...

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rick4him

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Mar 4, 2008
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On Saturday I added a spraybar, an inline reactor, and 4 card. tetras. I also moved some plants around.

After that the water has been cloudily. I did 2 50% water changes on Saturday, each time it looks clear for a little bit, then goes right back to being cloudily.

I also added a heater. I didn't have one hooked up as I live in Texas, and my temp is always around 73 or in my tank. However I added a heater to keep the temp a constant 78 degrees, even at night.

I don't know what's going on. I've lost all but one of my tetras. (7 total) and I'm pretty sure some amanio shrimp have died as well.

I don't know what to do. Should I do another water change today? It looks so bad with that cloudily water.

And please feel free to chime in - or if you think I need to move this post to another section of the fourm, so more people can chime it, please let me know.
Thanks
 
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rick4him

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Mar 4, 2008
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I put in 1/4 tsp of KNO3 - about 2 hours later I did a nitrate test and my color is still a bright yellow (o ppm) of nitrate.

My first thought is this means my test isn't accurate (which it's brand new) or my plans sucked up those nitrate's quick, or my filter someone got rid of the nitrate's that quick. (I use an Eheim 2215 - and no carbon, but I do use purign.

Thoughts?

By the way - I only lost the card. tetras, and one or two shrimp. I lifted up a piece of drift wood and SURPRISE - all my shrimp were under the piece of wood!
 
VaughnH

VaughnH

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If this were my tank I think I would be doing 50+% water changes daily until the cloudiness goes away. I have changed 70% of my water a few times, with no bad effects that I noticed. You could use that as an approximate amount to change. As I recall you use ADA Aquasoil, and you disturbed it considerably when you rescaped the tank. If this is the problem, the repeated water changes will get rid of the problem. If not, you can try something else. Water changes, using Prime or equivalent each time, don't harm the fish and shrimp. Just be sure when you add the replacement water, that you don't disturb the substrate doing so.
 
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rick4him

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Mar 4, 2008
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Ok - so if it is "green water" fresh water changes will help it?

It seems like every time I do a water change, the fresh, clean water mixes with the old water - then in about 2 hours the tank is dirty again. (not as dirty, but dirty).

I bought one of these UV things - I'm hoping it looks better when I wake up tomorrow morning, but I'm not counting on it!
 
VaughnH

VaughnH

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Water changes don't stop green water. If the cloudiness is green water, the UV should help a lot.
 
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tedr108

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R

rick4him

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Well I woke up today with pretty much a 90% clear tank. I did another 50% water change today, and will see how things are looking in the morning.

As of now everything seems to look good. I haven't lost any more fish, etc.

I feel as if I maybe getting out of the woods...
 
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