Water cloudiness and bottom ground mix-up
We purchased a 112 liter tank and set it up completely. Unfortunately we did not check that it is waterproof, so we had to empty it again and place everything in another container in the meantime. However, now the sera floredepot and the gravel have blended so badly that the entire water is still very cloudy after refilling the tank. Will this vanish by itself? We already added the plants. Can I start to add fish, or should the cloudiness have vanished entirely before doing so?
Hello,
yes, the cloudiness will settle after a few days or is by and by trapped by the filter − possibly you will need to wash out the prefilter materials if they get clogged.
You can accelerate the clarification with generous water changes (without "cleaning" the biologically effective main filter media!).
This kind of cloudiness generally does not harm the fish. But especially during the first days it is advisable to watch the fish carefully for safety reasons (concerning possible problems) - and cloudiness would be an obstacle in this case.
It is, by the way, generally advisable to add the fish in several steps − it is then easier for the filter to adapt to the increasing pollution rate. Check nitrite on a daily basis during the first 3 - 4 weeks. In case of a possible temporary rise (so-called nitrite peak) you should not hesitate to carry out very extensive water changes - again without "cleaning" the biofilter media.
Condition the newly added water with sera bio nitrivec.
Best regards
sera GmbH
Dr. Bodo Schnell