# Cycling



## saleen (Aug 8, 2004)

Started my tank up on Saturday. Its a 50 gal 48x15x16 with a Penguin 330. I put in a product called Cycle, and Kordons Amquel and NovAqua that was on Saturday. Sunday I added 20 goldfish and today I added a plant not sure on which one it is. When I came home from work today the water seems a little bit dirty. Not as clear as yesterday. Will it go away buy itself or do I need to do a water change. I have been feeding them alot like the other posts say to do on this site. 
Is this normal? What should be my next step?


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## chiefkyle (May 3, 2004)

Here is the the water cycle from an inexpierienced persons point of view.

Put new gravel, filter and water in a tank.
It looks crystal clear.

A day or two later the water looks milk/cloudy.
A day gos by and water hasn't cleared up.
(What is wrong?)

Nothing is wrong, that is the water cycling. I beleave it to be the amonia in the water that causes the cloudyness, but i'm not an expert.

Anyway, the answer to your question is this:

A: Don't change the water, or add any chemicals.
B: It should clear itself in about 3-4 days from when you started the tank.
C: Don't over feed your fish, or else you will be back to square one with a cloudy tank + some dead fish (uneaten food = ammonia = dead fish).


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## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

You have just put in a large bio-load into your new tank. It will be cloudy but over time, as the bacteria increase and start cycling, the tank water will clear. Just sit tight for a bit. Good luck!


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## piranhamagnet (Jun 30, 2004)

i agree with sprinter78, large bio-load will cause cloudiness. it will go away eevntually, just let it take its course. leave the tank alone.


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Can you post your aquarium parameters? And same here, it should clear up with time.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

it will clear up when you finish cycling and start doing water changes


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

this is a very important step in settin things up, just take your time and be patient

*read this*
*read this* just a little more ammo for your arsonal 
*read this*just another method for futur reference







*and one more*


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## saleen (Aug 8, 2004)

Thanks for all the info everyone. Someone else on this site was saying that 20 gold fish are not enough of a bio load for 5 rbp's. Does anyone think that I should put in some more fish?
My tank parameters are 48x15x16 (LxWxH)


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

saleen said:


> Thanks for all the info everyone. Someone else on this site was saying that 20 gold fish are not enough of a bio load for 5 rbp's. Does anyone think that I should put in some more fish?
> My tank parameters are 48x15x16 (LxWxH)


 20 goldfish should be good... how big are they? how big are the RBPS you will be housing?


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## saleen (Aug 8, 2004)

The goldfish are about 1.5" to 3" I want to get baby RBP'S about an 1" or so. I want to be able to watch them grow that way I can get a better understanding of it all.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

saleen said:


> The goldfish are about 1.5" to 3" I want to get baby RBP'S about an 1" or so. I want to be able to watch them grow that way I can get a better understanding of it all.


 dude you only need like 5-10 goldfish.... whoever told u you need more doesnt know sh*t...

if you're getting 5 1'' reds then 5 1.5-3'' overfed golfish will be enough


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## BKtomodachi (Jul 28, 2004)

Or just throw in some cocktail shrimp and let them rot. Take them out between 12-18 hours of adding fish. Its cheap and easy, and gets you a very big bioload established.


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