new filter

Question
We have a 55 gallon Cichlid tank and our filter just broke. I had to go get a new one and now our water is totally cloudy and the fish are all at the top gasping for air!!! What can I do?

Answer
Hi Jennifer
I just saw your question in our question pool.  This is a couple days old, so probably won't help much...

In that situation, I would do a water change.  Depending on how long the filter was out, they were probably gasping because of lack of oxygen.  The surface agitation from the filter output is what actually oxygenates the water by allowing the gases to exchange.  

Another thing-again probably too late, but use the filter media and such from the old filter in the new one to avoid the tank from going through a mini cycle.  If you didn't do this, be sure to monitor your ammonia and nitrite levels for the next few days.  

One last thing, and not too late for this, I'd recommend adding a 2nd filter on your tank, for exactly the reason that happened to you.  All my tanks over 30 gallons, I run 2 filters on, one reason for the extra filtration, but also in case one breaks, you have a back up filter on there.  And it's good when you change out the filter pad, you only change out one side at a time so it doesn't disrupt the beneficial bacteria as badly.

Hope that helped some :)

Christy