water cloudy or is it just my lighting......

[Sumodin85]

ok i have set up my tank for about a good 2+weeks now and the water in my tank looks a bit cloudy...and heres the weird part when i turn off my tank light, and turn on my room light the water looks just find, crystal clear..is it my lighting thats making it look cloudy? and maybe its because i also have white gravel,can the light bounce off of it to make this illusion? sorry still a noob to this. Was thinking a bit of water change can help, but wanted some expert info so plz help or comment if u can..thx

tank stats
24g
build in filter(on the back)
coral life lighting (28 watts 13 inchs)
6 neons tetras
2 hornwort plants
1 java moss
white gravel
co2 system (natural plant system)
water
nitrite=0
nitrate=0
ppm=0 (very soft)
PH=6.4

[emc7]

Cloudy water during cycling is normal and nothing to worry about. Don't change water just to remove cloudiness, but do change water if either your ammonia or nitrite values are approaching unsafe for fish. If your tank is still cloudy in 4 weeks, then you can try some things to clear it.

[oliesminis]

cloudy water on a new tank useually symbolises (correct me if i am wrong) a bacteria bloom which is caused by the large amounts of bacteria yet to settle in the filter and gravel these useually pass within a few days so i wouldnt be to worried

[Betta1]

It depends on the cloud, white is ammonia and typical in a cycling tank (next time look into fishless cycling). When ammonia is high enough to cause a cloud you should do a partial water change as this will not prolong the cycle length rather keep the ammonia from spiking, at this point the ammonia is so high there will still be plenty after the WC to keep the cycle continuing on track.

A green cloud would be an algae bloom. I think I've heard of bacterial clouds but a faint memory is about all I can recall on the subject matter.

[Sumodin85]

ok thx guys/gals for your feedback....
and yes i wanted to start a fish-less cycle, but my girlfriend, out of no where brings me this sack of neons so i have no choice but to let them in there new home lol

[Betta1]

for future reference neons are rather delicate fish and most likely won't survive a cycle. You probably would have been best off returning them but the world isn't perfect and things have a way of happening on their own seperate from plans.

[Buggy]

Originally Posted by Sumodin85

ok thx guys/gals for your feedback....
and yes i wanted to start a fish-less cycle, but my girlfriend, out of no where brings me this sack of neons so i have no choice but to let them in there new home lol

Been there! Hubby surprised me with 2 painted white skirt tetras. I had to explain to him the unethical practice of dying fish and then he felt bad for buying them. But his heart was in the right place and I couldn't hurt his feeling further by returning the fish and since the damage was already done I kept them. The pink one (I named it fuschia) is still with me almost a year later. I traded the green one to my lfs.