[AquaticLife] cloudy water
What do you mean by “added ammonia… from established tank”? I under stand the gravel, decor, etc., but not sure how you can add ammonia from an established tank since an established tank should not have any ammonia in it.
If you also transferred some detritus with the gravel from the established tank, that’s good since you don’t mention having fish in the newly set up tank and the nitrifying bacteria need an ammonia source or they’ll die off.
Normally, the white cloudy water in a newly set up tank is from a bacterial bloom.. usually the nitrifying bacteria blooming in the water column until they find a surface area to call home. Most of them will live in your filter system media (sponges, floss pads, bio-media, etc.) but they will also live on the surface of the gravel, on plants, decorations and even the glass.
Where did you put the “used” gravel? Since you mention “black gravel” and then later mention “added ammonia and gravel from an established tank”, I’m guessing that the black gravel was new. The used gravel or cycled filter media would be best if put into the reservoir of your new filter system but once again, this should not be done until you are also ready to add some fish or the nitrifying bacteria will starve without a source of ammonia.
Give us more details and chronology if the above did not answer your questions.
Lenny Vasbinder Fish Blog - http://GoldLenny.blogspot.com (Links to any articles referenced in above reply are listed on the right side, alphabetically under Labels and also under Archives by Year, Month)
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
