Cloudy Water

[jonclark96]

The water in my 180 has become very cloudy :angry3: and I do not know why. Water parameters are all normal (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10). I did a 50% w/c on Saturday afternoon and since then the water has seemed to get cloudier each day. Filters were cleaned 2 weeks ago, so I don't think that is the problem. Only other think I did was put in an airstone on Sunday as some of the fish seemed to be breathing heavier than normal.

Any ideas what could be the cause? Anything that can be done to fix it? All the google searches I did came up with dirty gravel or a bacteria bloom in a new tank as the causes for white cloudy water. Neither of these are the case for me.

 

[MarkK]

It could be that when you cleaned your filters you killed your good bacteria and the cloudyness is a bloom of various bacterium. If you just give it time it should clear up. YOu might try some of that bacteria in a bottle stuff.

 

[George]

Activated carbon in your filters will clear it up too. It probably will clear up by itself but you can help it.

George

 

[Jumbie]

It could be that when you cleaned your filters you killed your good bacteria and the cloudyness is a bloom of various bacterium. If you just give it time it should clear up. YOu might try some of that bacteria in a bottle stuff.

After changeing your filters 2 weeks ago how long did you wait till you did a water change? I agree with Mark.

 

[jonclark96]

I currently run a FX5 and an ehiem 2028 on the tank. I only cleaned the FX5. I haven't done anything to the ehiem in several months. I am pretty religious on 30%-50% water changes weekly.

The lights were still off when I left for work this morning. I will update when I get home tonight. Thanks for the input.

 

[Andrewtfw]

Check the phosphate level. It could be an algae bloom... though with the lights off, I would doubt it. Okay... I got nothin'

 

[jonclark96]

I'll have to check to see if I have a phosphate test. I keep the lights on a timer. They are on from 11:00 AM until 10:45 PM. I keep them on late so that I can see the tank when I am actually home. I am going on vacation next week, so maybe I will just unplug the lights to see if that helps with things.

 

[dogofwar]

I'd do another water change...and add some carbon to the filter...

Matt

 

[Spine]

That bacteria in the bottle stuff does work. I would use it along with small water changes(1/3 or less).
Patience is a lot cheaper,the cloudyness will probably go away pretty soon once the tanks bio system balances out.

 

[jonclark96]

Water is back to normal as of yesterday. I came home early from work to do a water change and everything had cleared up. A bit of a mystery, but I decided to wait until tomorrow to do the w/c as I am going out of town next week and want to do the w/c right before we leave.

 

[BlondeFishGal]

Seems like some sort of bacteria bloom snag, but sounds like your tank got the bio load in check and all is fine now. Glad it cleared for you

At my firm, whenever something weird happens that we cannot explain, one of my managers started saying "It's a mystery, like the Pyramids." It's come to be a catch-phrase for unexplainable things. Seems like it kinda applies here

 

[Spine]

Good to hear it cleared up,most of the time they do.

 

[YSS]

I do notice that sometimes when I do bigger than normal water changes, this happens. For example, I did a 50% plus water change in my 90G tank and three days later I did another 50% plus water change. Water became slightly cloudy, but cleared up next day. I usually do WC's once a week on the 90G. This also happened in my 265G tank.