Some tank help

[Geradmg513]

I recently had ick in my tank and I treated it with water changes, removing the decorations, keeping the temp at 86 degrees and medications like Nox-Ich and Formaline. I have tested the water every other day.

Nitrates are just above 0
Nitrites are at 0
Total Hardness is around 100
Akalinity is at 80
PH is at 7.2

My fish are all very active and swimming around fine however the water still have a very slight cloudiness to it as well as a stronger than usual odor. I have used special blend, Tetra Balance Plus, and Aqua Safe plus with each water change. I was told this could be a bacteria bloom.

My tank I a 56 gallon and I am using a Rena XP-2 Canister filter. I am using 2 course black foam pads on the bottom, then above those I have 1 bag of Chemi-pure, a small bag of chemi-pure elite, and 5 API bio stars. On the upper tray I have a small bag of ammonia chips, bag of ceramic bio rings, and a micro polishing pad.

I am not sure what else to do to clear up the tank or smell. Its a fairly new tank over a month old and it is lightly stocked as well.

[weedkiller]

could it be the meds that are causing the smell?
a bacterial bloom in my experience is noticable as whiteish cloudy water, i got rid of bacterial bloom by cutting down the food and leaving the lights off for a few days, a water change doesnt really help as it clears for a short time unless you use other measures, get a uv filter is another option but can be expensive

[Geradmg513]

Ammonia is at 0

[lohachata]

the cloudiness will go away in a couple of weeks or so....quit using so many chemicals...the only one you need is the dechlorinator..the more you mess with your tank ; the more problems you create for yourself...
so....stop the chems....do a 30-40% water change and leave it for a week and whatch how things go..

[Geradmg513]

Originally Posted by lohachata the cloudiness will go away in a couple of weeks or so....quit using so many chemicals...the only one you need is the dechlorinator..the more you mess with your tank ; the more problems you create for yourself... so....stop the chems....do a 30-40% water change and leave it for a week and whatch how things go..

Ok I can do that. So I don't need to use the PH plus thing? I am kind of new at this so I am just trying to keep the water quality good for the fish. Thanks for helping!

[kcrunch]

Its funny to hear it said and I have actually been doing exactly what Loha said "the less you do to the tank the better off you are" this is a fact. After I stopped screwing around with all kinds of crap and chems my tank now POST Sand is doing great and my fish are thrinving. In this case less is more!!!

Now I am spending more time taking photos of my fish and enjoying the mental therapy thatt is actually provides for me.

[Angelclown]

Yep, loha is right. The more you mess with your tank the more problems you will have. When I have cycled a tank, I used a bacteria starter Stress Zyme+, but I didn't mess with my tank, I just left it and it cycled. After it cycled I did a water change, about 50%. So yes, less is more.

Your water is cloudy because of the pH plus thing and the chemicals that you are putting in the tank. Just let it cycle like lohachata said.

[emc7]

What does it smell like? Formalin is pretty stinky.

Easy Balance plus can cloud water.

[graceful.04]

I use special blend too and it really does smell awful, but the smell goes away after I put it into the aquarium...

[Vayurules]

In my 20 gallon (before the revamp) I had a bacterial bloom. Freaked me out at the time, thought I had broken the tank or something. It cleared up after a week or two. It was a scary two weeks.

[kcrunch]

In my previous tank I used a product called Purigen and a mixture of charcoal and ammonia crystals. The Purigen and the crystals I placed inside of my ehiem filter and the water was crystal clear and the smell I was having that my wife was complaining about had dissipated in less that 48 hours.I put them in a media bag well actually I use stockings knee highs that I buy from the $1 store as media bags and it worked for me.

[wooferkitty]

I used to use the tetra ph plus and other chems when I threw them in the garbage and started using api water conditioner which happens to be just a dechlor (it's a small white bottle) I started having much more success. then I went full boat got an RO unit and make my own water specific to my fish. in any case the point it they are right less is more the cloudy and smell will pass when you stop using so many chems not to mention it gets costly to use them