ericpop27

Nevermind...it's these stupid paper test strips, they are useless.

The ammonia level is high.

ericpop27

Is it better to add Prime or do water changes?

hoppycalif

Water changes, including Prime dosing of the new water, would be best, I think.

ericpop27

I added a bottle of "Cycle" by Hagen to each tank.

I basically forgot about cycling the tanks...it's been so long since I've had a new set-up.

foofooree

just give it time. I wouldnt rinse the sand again (dont know if you were thinking about doing this or not) because it would wash away any bacteria that might be setting up shop. How did your brother kill your fish? Good luck.

wrkucera

I'm so glad that I don't have a little brother...but I have a 2 year old niece.

ericpop27

Call me heartless, but until everything sorts out I just can't stand him.

He poured a ton of fishfood in...and I do mean a ton. There was a two inch layer of fishfood over the gravel.

Sterling919

Well this probably doesn't relate to your situation but...

When I was a teenager my little brother use to love to get on my computer when I was gone. He's about 4 yrs younger than I am and I couldn't stand him either (at the time). Well, today he's the head man at the local ISP here in town and he helps me solve my computer problems on an almost daily basis. He never messed with my aquariums however and he never wanted one...not even today. He's still into computers and video game systems...and laughs at me about messing with aquariums. He says there is TOO much work involved in them...ok.

You'll forgive him...in time that is. Your tank will get better, trust me. I have the worst luck of anyone on this board when it comes a cloudy tank, dead plants and fish that want to die. Everything will be looking great and then the bottom falls out. It's took my tank about 1 month to get almost 100% clear...and I'm expecting it to go cloudy again any minute now. I'm super surprised that the plants are actually growing for a change...can't believe that.

Keep your chin up...and just sit and wait. I'll tell you what I did that cleared my tank up though. Or I did this and then the tank cleared...might not have anything to do with it...but...

I dosed my tank by the PMDD method by mixing Plantex and KNO3 together in 540ml of water. I also dosed 2ml of KH2PO4 into my 40 gallon tank. I've had brown algae...then green water...cloudy off and on through the whole episode. Then cloudy again for almost 1 week after the green water went away. I dosed those ferts and the next morning that joker was clear...and has been for almost 4 days now. Whether it had anything to do with it or not...I don't know. The plantex and kno3 I'm still dosing everyday at 40 drops into the tank...so far it's clear.

Good luck.