water keeps getting dirty.

Question
i recently bought a 10 gallon fish tank. i put in the rocks, added the water and then i added the chemicals required. he first 2 days the water is clear ( besides the time it takes the water to clear up after putting in new rocks) after the that the water turns foggy and it begins to get really dirty the filters are new and im using a 20 gallon filter. i changed the water and the same thing happend. i also don't have a lid on it, is a lid required for a fish tank?

Answer
Hi Cesar;

It is very common for a new tank to be cloudy. Sometimes they clear up for a bit and get cloudy again until the the break-in period is over. It usually takes about 6 weeks to complete. If it's getting cloudy even before you add fish, the gravel and decorations weren't rinsed well enough before they were added. It will calm down eventually but you might want to vacuum the gravel and replace some water to help get some of the dust and particles out. Here is a link to my article on new tanks to help you through the whole process;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

Your aquarium really needs a lid. It keeps your fish in and dust and floating airborne toxins out. Fish will jump out for sure so it's just best to start with a good lid that covers every edge of the tank.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins