Cloudy water!! :(

If you rinsed the gravel really well, it could just be your water source..or you missed some and when you filled you didn't put a plate/deflect the water from re-rinsing the substrate (directly in your tank).

I'd take a siphon and do a 50-75% water change being no ones in there yet. BE SURE to add your dechlorinator before refilling it...and if it's still cloudy add something such as Seachem Clarity and give it almost a day...particulates will be drawn to the bottom of the tank (in your case ...will sit on top of the substrate)...then you can do a small partial (just enough to scan over the top of your substrate to remove the particulate..then add your dechlorinator and fresh water to fill it back up and stick a filter on>>at that point you should defin be good to go!

Then you can start the cycling process or add something such as tetra safestart if your the impatient kind.

 

ps. personal advice, but slap a background on there..I can't see goldfish looking that great with green behind them.
Usually black is a good color (oceanvisions is a great brand)...or you coulda spray painted it/etc before filling it.

 

Cloudiness is fairly common with new setups no matter how much rinse it. It will settle. To aid in the process, add some poly-fil to your filter(s).

 

oh I agree James...it needs to cycle...but those were suggestions to speed the clarity issues instead of looking at a hazy tank until then.

wow, why do you have the substrate soo deep?
2-3" at most for planted tanks..you're gonna end up with anerobic pockets (aka dead spots where the baddies fester and wreak havoc).

Oh, can also add carbon temporarily (but remember anything you add plant dose wise/medicine wise will be pulled from the water..this is why I say temporarily).

 

You'll be fine.

 

No, good bacteria grows is the gravel and you do not want to harm that bacteria, But being deep you want to vaccum deep in the gravel to stir it up and get oxygen through the gravel so you will not have dead spots like Dawn was talking about. Remember not to overfeed. That is a big problem with people new to aquariums. I think all of us have cloudy tanks when we first set them up, it's common you did not do anything wrong. Keep the filter running with carbon and it should clear in no time.

 

Just to make sure I didn't confuse you or anyone else...

This is what I was saying "you'll be fine" to

This on the other hand.....DO NOT DO.

 

Hey James I didn't even notice your post so I was saying no to cleaning the gravel with waterchanges. I agree San-Sam will do fine. The excitement of a new tank and all the questions, At least we have the internet to find friends to help.

 

glad to see you're wanting to research on how to do it the right way and not just tossing them into water and feeding like some do.

The reason I asked the depth on the substrate is because if it's too deep and you vac. it sometimes it will clog your siphon if you try to get to the bottom of it. That's why I suggest using 2-3" on average (just makes it a bit easier to vac to the bottom of ... and being able to properly vac. it means less chance of "pockets").

I'm excited to see it once it's stable and has the fish in (as I'm sure you are too).
Have a nice day!
~Dawn