Is my tropical fish tank set up working correctly?

Question

I have recently purchased a 125lt tank for tropical freshwater fish. I set it up on Tuesday (29th July). I have treated the water and put in the cycle solution. The filter pump is a Fluval 3 and I have put in a Fluval Tronic heater. I have the lights on a timer so that they only run 9 hrs a day.

However, is it normal at this time in the set up for the water to still appear quite cloudy (visible when lights are on), and murky/brown looking when the lights are off (especially when viewed from the side)?

Also, when I lift the lid there is a strong smell of plastic, is this the build up of ammonia?

Answer 1

you will get that you just need to wait another couple of days for it to clear up if it doesnt see your fish dealer =)

Answer 2

If it's a murky brown stain the most likely culprits are:

Bogwood (or some other organic structure) that wasn't properly pre-soaked and scrubbed prior to immersion in the tank

Gravel that wasn't scrupulously washed before use - This is the number one cause of "dark staining" in new setups because, for reasons known only to themselves, people tend to assume the gravel is clean when they get it and don't bother washing it.

After that you have to start looking at each and every item immersed in the water and trying to work out which one is releasing dye in to the system.

Have you got plastic splash covers fitted? Is there condensation dripping from their undersides back in to the tank? *** Did you remember to pre-soak and scrub those with fresh water too before using them? *** If you have any doubt at all, get them off the tank and give them a scrub with warm water and the soft side of a sponge so as not to scratch them, dry them, then put them back in to place.

Your best course of action at this stage is to just chill for a while, leave the lights off while things are sorting themselves out, keep the temperature mid-range, drop a small amount of food in the tank to initiate the biological side of the filter and just wait. It's agony waiting to put fish in, but just leave everything alone until *at least* the 6th of August. Don't put any more additives in. Don't fiddle about with anything. Just pretend the tank isn't there while it beds itself in. Use this foot-tapping, clock-watching time constructively - grab a good book that tells you all about the different species of fish and plan ahead about which ones you will keep, taking in to account their compatibilities with each other and any special needs they may have.

You have to give the filter more time to power-up and get the job done.

Note:

Do ****NOT**** add clown loaches at this early stage, as mentioned above, for cryin' out loud! In anything less than ideal conditions that species will break out in white spot and most likely go belly up in no time at all. Only ever add clowns to a very stable and mature system; they are among the more demanding of species when it comes to environmental conditions and are definitely NOT system-breakers.

Happy fish keeping :o)

Answer 3

hi steve here you are not giving it a chance to settle down it takes at least a week maybe longer . and don't get any fish till it does

start up small something like guppy's and clown loaches go well together  

Answer 4

dont go and see your fish dealer if u do he can some way scam u into payin more money, it has happend with most people and sadly me me

try puting it into warter and see if the temperature is set to atleast 43 degrees Fahrenheit and leave it there for 3 hours if that dosnt work get a new fish tank but not from the same store cause theyll give a defulted one again