New tank syndrome not improving

[Kate]

The filter in an established tank (3 grown tinfoil barbs & 1 catfish)
broke 6 weeks ago and I got a new filter. It being so long since we
set up the tank I'd forgotten all about new tank syndrome till water
went cloudy. Phoned filter manufacturer who advised I use stuff to
counteract the amonia which I am doing and it should clear in 4-6
weeks. After 4 weeks it was getting green so put in a tiny bit of the
filter foam from an established tank which is supposed to help the new
filter mature? But its 6 weeks on Friday and the tank is now so green
it looks like the bottom of a murky pond and that it should have a
rusty old shopping trolley in the bottom! I've also been doing about a
fifth water change every two days. Any ideas most welcome and thanks
in advance.
Kate

[Paul]

Kate wrote in message >...
>The filter in an established tank (3 grown tinfoil barbs & 1 catfish)
>broke 6 weeks ago and I got a new filter. It being so long since we
>set up the tank I'd forgotten all about new tank syndrome till water
>went cloudy. Phoned filter manufacturer who advised I use stuff to
>counteract the amonia which I am doing and it should clear in 4-6
>weeks. After 4 weeks it was getting green so put in a tiny bit of the
>filter foam from an established tank which is supposed to help the new
>filter mature? But its 6 weeks on Friday and the tank is now so green
>it looks like the bottom of a murky pond and that it should have a
>rusty old shopping trolley in the bottom! I've also been doing about a
>fifth water change every two days. Any ideas most welcome and thanks
>in advance.
>Kate

green water probably isn't a symptom of ammonia or Nitrite, is it algae
that's growing in there? sounds like you have an algae problem?!

[Geezer From The Freezer]

increase the water change from 20% to 30% every other day
for a week or so, see if that helps.

[kenny]

Reduce the amount of time your lights are on in the tank to say 8 hours.
Changing water can make the ammonia problem disappear but it will also help
your algae bloom! Local tap water contains a lot of phosphates from
agricultural farming land which algae will go mad for. Get a clown loach or
similar to help reduce the algae problem and then use something like Crystal
Clear which absorbs ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> increase the water change from 20% to 30% every other day
> for a week or so, see if that helps.

[NetMax]

New tank syndrome (NTS) is related to ammonia (NH3/4) & nitrite (NO2)
products. Cloudy water is either an algae bloom or a bacterial bloom.
Algae bloom is unrelated to NTS and bacterial blooms can also be
unrelated (many different types of bacteria besides the nitrifiers).
Cloudy water can be very healthy for fish, just as clear water can be
toxic. Take some NH3/4 and NO2 measurements.

"kenny" <kenny.walkerATcadcorp.com> wrote in message
.. .
> Reduce the amount of time your lights are on in the tank to say 8
hours.

Always good advice if it's an algae bloom. Also plunging the tank into
complete darkness for several days can work. Also UV lights or micron
filtration will clear a bloom of this type. Another remedy is to do
nothing, as the bloom eventually exhausts it's food supply and clears up,
by this requires the patience of a saint and can take a long time.

> Changing water can make the ammonia problem disappear but it will also
help
> your algae bloom! Local tap water contains a lot of phosphates from
> agricultural farming land which algae will go mad for.

This is true (phospates) in some places, depending on your water source.
Water changes will often replenish missing minerals which can keep an
algae bloom prospering.

Get a clown loach or
> similar to help reduce the algae problem

Someone will need to explain this one to me.

> and then use something like Crystal
> Clear which absorbs ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.

AFAIK, Crystal Clear is just a flocculant (coats particulates). Wouldn't
it be nice if there was a magic liquid which could just absorb NH3/4, NO2
and NO3 ;~). ie: Zeolite absorbs NH3/4, Ammo-lock converts NH3 into
non-toxic NH4 ions, salt neutralizes some of the effect of NO2, plants
absorb all 3, nitrifying bacteria do a wonderful job on NH3/4 and NO2 and
have some marginal effect on NO3. AFAIK, there is no magic elixer which
absorbs ammonia, nitrite and nitrate :o(

JMO HTH
NetMax

>
> "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
> > increase the water change from 20% to 30% every other day
> > for a week or so, see if that helps.
>
>

[Robert Flory]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> New tank syndrome (NTS) is related to ammonia (NH3/4) & nitrite (NO2)
> products. Cloudy water is either an algae bloom or a bacterial bloom.
> Algae bloom is unrelated to NTS and bacterial blooms can also be
> unrelated (many different types of bacteria besides the nitrifiers).
> Cloudy water can be very healthy for fish, just as clear water can be
> toxic. Take some NH3/4 and NO2 measurements.
>
SNIP
>
> AFAIK, Crystal Clear is just a flocculant (coats particulates). Wouldn't
> it be nice if there was a magic liquid which could just absorb NH3/4, NO2
> and NO3 ;~). ie: Zeolite absorbs NH3/4, Ammo-lock converts NH3 into
> non-toxic NH4 ions, salt neutralizes some of the effect of NO2, plants
> absorb all 3, nitrifying bacteria do a wonderful job on NH3/4 and NO2 and
> have some marginal effect on NO3. AFAIK, there is no magic elixer which
> absorbs ammonia, nitrite and nitrate :o(
>
>
Right, but it or something like accurel F certainly helps while you work out
the underlying problem.

Bob