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the water in my fish tank is always murky2007-11-24 23:41:08

BTW, is it murky green or white? Green is algae from way too much light on the tank. If it is white, see below. Algae can be wiped off the rocks (how big are the rocks?) with a brand new scrubby pad. Do not empty the tank to do this.

When you say rocks, do you mean gravel? If the gravel is affected, you will have to use your net to scoop it out and clean it off. Do not use anything except bleach, and rinse them EXTREMELY well before replacing in the tank. I use 4 or 5 freshwater soaks after the bleach bath with DeChlor drops in it each time.

The white cloudiness is a natural part of the nitrogen cycle that each tank must go through when it is initially set up. Every time you empty the tank and wipe it down, it removes all of the nitrifying bacteria that all aquariums need! Then the nitrogen cycle has to start all over again.

It takes about 3-5 weeks for a tank to "cycle in." The cloudiness will go away on its own when the bacteria have built up to the correct amount.

I have never heard of rocks or gravel that have a "substance" on them to keep a tank clean. Can you email me (just for my info) and tell me what they are called and where you got them? BTW, shortcuts like that are never a good idea. There are certain things you should do and if you follow the tried and true ways to set up and maintain a tank, you can't go far wrong.

Go to "About.com" and follow their link to setting up and maintaining a freshwater aquarium. They have a lot of good information there.

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Cause of murky water: high amount of waste and dissolved waste. Plecos and oscars are notorious waste producers and oscars are also messy eaters.

With an oscar in the tank, 50% weekly water changes should be the norm. Double up on your filtration (get another filter and configure it primarily for mechanical filtration).

Get a algae magnet and clean the glass on a weekly basis or more often if needed.

I'm not clear on the type of rocks you're using (never heard of "rocks with substances on them to keep the tank clean")..don't sound like they're working well.

Test your nitrate level. If over 40ppm, you need to increase the frequency and/or percentage of your water changes.