Cloudy water

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

How do I get the ammonia down? I had a detoxifier?

I would do a 35% water change, so for you that would be around 20 gallons.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I would do a 35% water change, so for you that would be around 20 gallons.

Then test the ammonia in a few hours, and see of it has lowered to below .1

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

How do I get the ammonia down? I had a detoxifier?

Did you cycle your tank?

 

[jazreef]

I would do a 35% water change, so for you that would be around 20 gallons.

I did a massive water change on Friday. I took at least 20gallons out.

 

[jazreef]

Did you cycle your tank?

Yes. Everything has been fine up until a week ago. Not much has changed other than the addition of a couple crabs as well as the charcoal.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Yes. Everything has been fine up until a week ago. Not much has changed other than the addition of a couple of crabs as well as the charcoal.

Ok, so you should have bacteria established in your tank that should be able to keep up with the ammonia, but you may have had the bare minimum that was just able to keep up with the livestock you had before, but maybe since you added the crabs, the bacteria can't keep up with it. Depends on the species of crabs, but if you added a couple of crabs that produce a lot of waste, that could be the reason your ammonia is so high, which could then tie into the reason your water is cloudy.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I did a massive water change on Friday. I took at least 20gallons out.

Still with the ammonia levels it is still risky not to do one. Do you know what your ammonia levels were before the water change on Friday?

 

[Kzang]

check your calcium as well. If it is too high, it can precipitate

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

check your calcium as well. If it is too high, it can precipitate

That's is also true, didn't think about that.

 

[jazreef]

Ok, so you should have bacteria established in your tank that should be able to keep up with the ammonia, but you may have had the bare minimum that was just able to keep up with the livestock you had before, but maybe since you added the crabs, the bacteria can't keep up with it. Depends on the species of crabs, but if you added a couple of crabs that produce a lot of waste, that could be the reason your ammonia is so high, which could then tie into the reason your water is cloudy.

I got emerald crabs. I got them last week maybe mid-week. By that point the cloudiness had started but it’s now looking a little more cloudy. Right after my diatom bloom cleared the cloudiness came.

 

[jazreef]

check your calcium as well. If it is too high, it can precipitate

I haven’t tested for this yet or have a tester for it. I will get a testing get for this and see what it reads, could possibly be the problem.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I got emerald crabs. I got them last week maybe mid-week. By that point the cloudiness had started but it’s now looking a little more cloudy. Right after my diatom bloom cleared the cloudiness came.

Sometimes with that, you just have to wait it out, but but or way to for sure clear it out 100% is to get a UV sterilizer, if you dont have one. I personally don't have one in my tank, but they do help clear out the water. You can also try a water clarified chemical, that is way cheaper and might help.

 

[jazreef]

Still with the ammonia levels it is still risky not to do one. Do you know what your ammonia levels were before the water change on Friday?

The last time I tested the water was maybe 2 weeks ago, I want to say it was 0 or very close to it. I can’t remember 100% but I don’t think it was where it’s at now. Everything in the tank seems fine, the fish look and seem healthy. Not sure if the reading is slighting off?

 

[jazreef]

Sometimes with that, you just have to wait it out, but but or way to for sure clear it out 100% is to get a UV sterilizer, if you dont have one. I personally don't have one in my tank, but they do help clear out the water. You can also try a water clarified chemical, that is way cheaper and might help.

I just added some ammonia detoxifier. I will test the ammonia again tomorrow and see if that helped at all.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

The last time I tested the water was maybe 2 weeks ago, I want to say it was 0 or very close to it. I can’t remember 100% but I don’t think it was where it’s at now. Everything in the tank seems fine, the fish look and seem healthy. Not sure if the reading is slighting off?

They could possibly be off, but a water change won't hurt. If you can't do one right now, make sure to constantly be checking on your fish and other livestock, and if you see any signs that ammonia is affecting them, lower the ammonia levels asap by putting a chemical in to lower it, or do a water change. (I prefer a water change, and like to stay away from chemicals as they are not good for the fish, and are unnatural.)

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I just added some ammonia detoxifier. I will test the ammonia again tomorrow and see if that helped at all.

Sounds good!

 

[jazreef]

They could possibly be off, but a water change won't hurt. If you can't do one right now, make sure to constantly be checking on your fish and other livestock, and if you see any signs that ammonia is affecting them, lower the ammonia levels asap by putting a chemical in to lower it, or do a water change. (I prefer a water change, and like to stay away from chemicals as they are not good for the fish, and are unnatural.)

Ok thank you, I am going to see the levels tomorrow and if it’s still bad I will need to change the water again.

 

[Naekuh]

I just added some ammonia detoxifier.

this doesn't work if your talking about prime.
Its a bandaide of sort, doesn't remove ammonia, but makes it less harmful for about 24 hours.
Again its a bandaide.

The only real ways to remove ammonia is zeolite in the filter which can cause other issues if you leave it in too long, and doing a water change.

Also 0.2 isn't that bad for a new cycled tank.
It can take a very long time for your ammonia to bottom out to 0 even after complete cycle.

Clowns are basically Marines too, they can tough it out with a bit of ammonia, unless you got those super rare designer clowns which have names longer then one line you can say with one breathe.

What salt did you use in your water change?
How long did you mix the salt also?

 

[jazreef]

this doesn't work if your talking about prime.
Its a bandaide of sort, doesn't remove ammonia, but makes it less harmful for about 24 hours.
Again its a bandaide.

The only real ways to remove ammonia is zeolite in the filter which can cause other issues if you leave it in too long, and doing a water change.

Also 0.2 isn't that bad for a new cycled tank.
It can take a very long time for your ammonia to bottom out to 0 even after complete cycle.

Clowns are basically Marines too, they can tough it out with a bit of ammonia, unless you got those super rare designer clowns which have names longer then one line you can say with one breathe.

What salt did you use in your water change?
How long did you mix the salt also?

I can’t remember my ammonia readings from every time but I feel like it’s never been exactly 0. The tank is still fairly new but again, it’s been doing fine thus far. I have regular clowns, one is a basic clownfish and one is a black and yellow one. Neither are designer. I used vibrant sea salt for the water and I mixed it with a power head and just stirred it for about 20mins.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

this doesn't work if your talking about prime.
Its a bandaide of sort, doesn't remove ammonia, but makes it less harmful for about 24 hours.
Again its a bandaide.

The only real ways to remove ammonia is zeolite in the filter which can cause other issues if you leave it in too long, and doing a water change.

Also 0.2 isn't that bad for a new cycled tank.
It can take a very long time for your ammonia to bottom out to 0 even after complete cycle.

Clowns are basically Marines too, they can tough it out with a bit of ammonia, unless you got those super rare designer clowns which have names longer then one line you can say with one breathe.

What salt did you use in your water change?

How long did you mix the salt also?

I mean 0.2 isn't bad, but it's not something that you want. Last thing that you want is all your fish to get sick because of ammonia poisoning. It's happened to me, with low levels like that, that I thought would be fine. Not a good feeling.