Cichlid Tank - Cloudy Water - Aquarium Advice

jmeunier · 10-16-2005, 12:06 AM

My 150G Cichlid Tank (see specs in sig) is continuously cloudy. It's a mature tank, water chemistry checks out a-ok, and all the fish are doing well (and my convicts breed like rabbits, unfortunately!!!), but the water is a bit cloudy.

I know that Cichlids require a lot of filtration (see my specs below, again). For media in the AC500, I've got the the filter sponge (cut in half lengthwise), a full [acronym:dfd19e4963="Activated Carbon"]AC[/acronym:dfd19e4963] carbon bag, two bio-max bags, and a filtration bag filled with Purigen. For the eheim, I'm just using the recommended media that the manual for the filter says to use. It's still cloudy.

At this point, I'm running my Vortex diatom filter on the tank for about 12 hours every two weeks. Polishes the water nicely, but it very quickly goes back to murky.

Should I just live with this, and accept is as a fact of life with Cichlids, or is there something else I could do to improve the appearance of the water.

As an aside, personally, the water appearance doesn't bother me a bit. The tank happens to be in my wife's office, to which she has lots of visitors. She's constantly complaining that the tank is 'dirty.' At this point, I just don't want to hear it anymore, so I'm at my wits end trying to find out if there's anything I could do to improve the water clarity, short of selling off the cichlids and converting the tank to a [acronym:dfd19e4963="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:dfd19e4963] reef.

Jay

rich311k · 10-16-2005, 12:07 AM

What color is the murk?

jmeunier · 10-16-2005, 12:09 AM

It's a brown-grayish color, in my estimation. Algae???

rich311k · 10-16-2005, 12:18 AM

Thats what I was thinking. What are your test levels?

fantasticaqua · 10-16-2005, 12:27 AM

Try adding a carbon sponge to the eheim. It makes a world of difference.

10-16-2005, 12:06 AM	#1
jmeunier Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Southeastern Massachusetts Posts: 39	Cichlid Tank - Cloudy Water My 150G Cichlid Tank (see specs in sig) is continuously cloudy. It's a mature tank, water chemistry checks out a-ok, and all the fish are doing well (and my convicts breed like rabbits, unfortunately!!!), but the water is a bit cloudy. I know that Cichlids require a lot of filtration (see my specs below, again). For media in the AC500, I've got the the filter sponge (cut in half lengthwise), a full [acronym:dfd19e4963="Activated Carbon"]AC[/acronym:dfd19e4963] carbon bag, two bio-max bags, and a filtration bag filled with Purigen. For the eheim, I'm just using the recommended media that the manual for the filter says to use. It's still cloudy. At this point, I'm running my Vortex diatom filter on the tank for about 12 hours every two weeks. Polishes the water nicely, but it very quickly goes back to murky. Should I just live with this, and accept is as a fact of life with Cichlids, or is there something else I could do to improve the appearance of the water. As an aside, personally, the water appearance doesn't bother me a bit. The tank happens to be in my wife's office, to which she has lots of visitors. She's constantly complaining that the tank is 'dirty.' At this point, I just don't want to hear it anymore, so I'm at my wits end trying to find out if there's anything I could do to improve the water clarity, short of selling off the cichlids and converting the tank to a [acronym:dfd19e4963="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:dfd19e4963] reef. Jay __________________ 150G [acronym="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym] 1 AC500 1 Eheim 2028 2 Rena Cal 300W 1 Green Terror, 1 Jack Dempsey 3 Convicts, 1 Red Jewel, 1 HUGE Pleco 1 Cory Cat, 1 tiny Pleco 1 Red Crayfish 55G SW 25 lbs Fiji live sand 60lbs Fiji live Rock Puffers, Tangs, Damsels, Angels, Anemones, & Stars

10-16-2005, 12:09 AM	#3
jmeunier Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Southeastern Massachusetts Posts: 39	It's a brown-grayish color, in my estimation. Algae??? __________________ 150G [acronym="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym] 1 AC500 1 Eheim 2028 2 Rena Cal 300W 1 Green Terror, 1 Jack Dempsey 3 Convicts, 1 Red Jewel, 1 HUGE Pleco 1 Cory Cat, 1 tiny Pleco 1 Red Crayfish 55G SW 25 lbs Fiji live sand 60lbs Fiji live Rock Puffers, Tangs, Damsels, Angels, Anemones, & Stars

10-16-2005, 12:27 AM	#5
fantasticaqua Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tully NY Posts: 45 Images: 1	Try adding a carbon sponge to the eheim. It makes a world of difference. __________________ Please visit me and enter in our fish of the month contest at http://www.FantasticAquariums.com

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10-16-2005, 12:07 AM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	What color is the murk?

10-16-2005, 12:18 AM	#4
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	Thats what I was thinking. What are your test levels?