Too cloudy tank

[jul148]

Hey, so, my Axolotl tank is really cloudy and I don’t know why, do you guys have an understanding of why it may be this way? Because I am so clueless, as I am a new Axolotl owner.

 

[jul148]

 

[AMurry24537]

How often are you doing water changes?

 

[jul148]

Once a week

 

[Methos5K]

Was the tank completely cycled? What are the water parameters? Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates?

 

[AMurry24537]

Once a week

If your tank is not yet cycled and you have your axolotl in there, you should be doing 40% water changes about twice a day. If your axolotl is not in there OR if the tank is fully cycled, once a week is fine for water changes. Right now though with this cloudy water issue, I would recommend doing more frequent water changes either way. Does the water seem to clear up at all when you change the water or does it stay the same? As asked above, what are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels (as tested by the API Freshwater Masterkit)?

 

[jul148]

The tank is not completely cycled and every time I do make water changes it seems to fog again. My water parameters are:
pH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate
7.6 0.50 0.50 5.0

 

[jul148]

Should I just put him in a container, and do 100 percent water changes every day. How long does a tank, need on average to completely cycle?

 

[axolotl nerd]

Should I just put him in a container, and do 100 percent water changes every day. How long does a tank, need on average to completely cycle?

about six weeks :/

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

The tank is not completely cycled and every time I do make water changes it seems to fog again. My water parameters are:
pH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate
7.6 0.50 0.50 5.0

Cloudy water is very common in new tanks. It's usually caused by one of 2 things; an ammonia spike or a bacteria bloom. Both are caused by too much organic waste in the tank and both can be remedied with water changes. More than likely, the cloudiness will come back within a couple days and that's normal. With those water parameters, I would recommend doing 30% changes daily for 3 days to catch up and then do 40% at least twice a week. this should help stabilize your tank without slowing your cycling process down too much. I don't know what kind of filtration you have on the tank, but you could also add a sponge filter to facilitate more beneficial bacteria growth by giving them more surface area to cling to.

 

[jul148]

I use a MarineLand, Penguin 100 filter

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

I use a MarineLand, Penguin 100 filter

what size tank is it?

 

[jul148]

10 gallon, and the water that flows out of the filter goes out on to the fake plants so there isn’t a strong current

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

10 gallon, and the water that flows out of the filter goes out on to the fake plants so there isn’t a strong current

Im not so worried about current, but I am concerned about tank size. A 20 gallon long tank is the bare minimum requirement for an axolotl. You are going to have much bigger problems than cloudy water with a tank that small. Axolotls produce exponentially more waste than you would think and they grow VERY quickly. You should upgrade to at least a 20 gallon tank (you can keep your filter, but I would add one large sponge filter to the tank as well) and move him into more space asap.

 

[jul148]

The breeder told me a 10 gallon tank, idk why?

 

[LittleGreenFrog]

VERY BAD BREEDER ADVICE

 

[jul148]

Can I use a sponge filter and a 20 gallon filter, together?

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

Can I use a sponge filter and a 20 gallon filter, together?

yes. sponge filters create almost no water current. they just add and extra level of mechanical and biological filtration. I use a combo of sponge filters and canister filters on all of my tanks.

 

[jul148]

Ok PERFECT, I am getting the tank and everything on Sunday

 

[cro117]

do you have a good local fish store you go to? if you can get a squeezing, or used filter, of a well established tank (with either healthy fish, or better yet, a planted tank) you could add that to your tank to cut down on the cycle time significantly.