Cloudy water - but no fish yet!

[peacockbutterfly]

I bought and set up a new tank yesterday. I rinsed all the gravel and decorations but the water is l very cloudy this morning despite running the filter all night. Do I need to take out the water and decorations, clean everything and start again?

I’d give it a day and see. Have you any plants in there? They will help.

Sounds like too much ammonia In the water. Did you use an aquarium start up pack?

@GreyishDays No real plants.

@CatToddlerUprising. I bought a complete set up so it came with filter, friendly bacteria and a water treatment, The gravel is white and was very dusty - I am worried that I did not wash it enough. I put it in a basin of water than drained through a colander

How big is the tank and how many decorations are in it? Do you have an aquarium testing kit?

I haven't bought a testing kit yet, but can do today. The tank is 58l. It came with a filter, heater and a fish protection dosator. It has gravel, 2 large stones, some plastic grass (which floated off the bottom last night) and 2 bits of plastic coral

Should I keep running the filter?

Definitely get a testing kit, that would tell you what is missing/too much off chemical wise.
Keep the filter running but maybe get rid of the plastic plants and use live ones. Moss balls are great. I also recommend shrimp as the cleaning crew, they don’t affect the overall number of fish you can have in the tank and are really effective

You'll need to run your tank through the full cycle for a few weeks-month before you put fish in it. The cloudiness is either your gravel, or it can be caused by a bacteria bloom. You say you have put friendly bacteria in it so that may be the cause, this is natural and will settle down when the cycle establishes.

Get yourself the proper API liquid test kit, not just strips.

The cloudiness was the gravel - I have emptied the tank, washed the gravel properly, cleaned the tank and started again - it is now clearer. I have ordered some live plants and now have a testing kit.

@LadyFlumpalot - I don't plan to get fish until the water levels are fully cycled.

Make sure you’re adding a source of ammonia daily otherwise it’ll never cycle!