Someone with aquarium experience--how do I get my murky aq. water clear?

Maddy McCall

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Sat Sep-18-04 09:06 PM
Original message

Someone with aquarium experience--how do I get my murky aq. water clear?

I have an aquarium with sloped gravel and about five inches of water. It houses fire-bellied toads.

The water has been murky since the second day. We are now on the second week. I talked to the guy at the pet store last week--he said to leave it alone, that the good bacteria that needs to be in the tank and filter is getting established, and when it does, *poof* the water will clear.

Well, the water looks and smells funky and gross. I am not overfeeding the several fish that are in there.

Someone help! Should I ditch the water and start over?

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Nite Owl

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Sat Sep-18-04 09:13 PM
Response to Original message

1. Been a while since I had an

aquarium going but adding some charcoal to the filtration should help alot. Check the ph and see if it is at where it should be for you fish friends too.

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OffWithTheirHeads

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Sat Sep-18-04 09:16 PM
Response to Original message

2. pour bleach in it

That should get rid of the toads who are messing up the water.

Sorry.....just kidding but I couldn't resist. I don't wish harm on any of God's creatures unless they are Republican.

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Maddy McCall

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Sat Sep-18-04 09:17 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. My toads are stacked on top of each other right now...

looks like an orgy going on in there. Come to think of it, that could mean they are Republicans--the closeted type. :-)

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Zomby Woof

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Sat Sep-18-04 09:17 PM
Response to Original message

4. if you put a horseshoe in the water

:shrug: ;-)

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Maddy McCall

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:14 PM
Response to Reply #4

8. Watch it!

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Zomby Woof

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:26 PM
Response to Reply #8

10. I wouldn't recommend putting a watch in there

:evilgrin:

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foo_bar

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:05 PM
Response to Original message

5. aeration goes a long way

Edited on Sat Sep-18-04 10:08 PM by foo_bar

I've fixed many a murky tank with the judicious application of airstones. The "good" (aerobic, nitrifying) bacteria need lots of saturated oxygen (and circulation) to convert fish/toad waste instead of becoming (murky, deadly) ammonia and nitrites.

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Berserker

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:08 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. check out

a Diatom filter

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foo_bar

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:09 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. diatom's a little extreme for five inches of water

Edited on Sat Sep-18-04 10:34 PM by foo_bar

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Maddy McCall

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:16 PM
Response to Reply #5

9. I've seen the long air stones.

Could I just attach one of those to an air pump via tubing and put it under the gravel at the back of the tank?

Would I need to put one of those little t-valve-looking things in the tube between the airstone and the pump?

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foo_bar

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Sat Sep-18-04 10:28 PM
Response to Reply #9

11. that'll do nicely

Edited on Sat Sep-18-04 10:30 PM by foo_bar

The t-valve thingee might be overkill. A small pump, a long stone and three days should be about the tipping point.

on edit: small enough pump that you don't turn the aquarium into a jacuzzi.

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