Cloudy tank need help.

[Chizzle007]

I have had my tank now for about 4 months. I am unable to get really clear water. Currently have a 20 gallon tall tank. Water parameters are 7.4 ph 0 ammonia 0 nitrite >.25 nitrate. I upgraded from a 10 gallon. I currently have
1 blue ram
1 dwarf gourami
2 guppy
5 neon tetra
5 ghost shirmp.

I recently purchased chemi cure and put it in my filter. Maybe a week ago. I am doing water changes once a week. Any advice? I would love to have crystal clear water.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

What is Chemi-Cure? Is it a filter insert that you replace every month in your filter? If so it could be a bacteria cloud...

 

[Chizzle007]

Sorry its Chemi Pure Activated Carbon.

 

[patola_l]

I wound not be adding any type of chemicals to try and make the tank clear. Also are you replacing the filter inserts or cleaning them a lot to try and clear up the water? If so this is only making your tank cloudier... im guessing the cloudiness is a bacteria bloom, which can turn to be very harmful for you fish....i am also a little worried about your nitrate numbers.... so around .25? that is very very low for your stock list... how are you testing these values? via strips that you dip in the water?

 

[Chizzle007]

Master test kit. Chemi pure isn't a chemical. It's a different carbon insert for filters. I don't think it is a bacterial bloom maybe diatoms?

 

[patola_l]

hmm im not sure, can you take a picture?

 

[patola_l]

also, are you sure nitrate is .25? the lowest amount shown on the API master test kit is 5ppm.... are you sure you are reading it correctly?

 

[Chizzle007]

Sorry yea 5. It was a long day at work.

 

[Chizzle007]

Pic of tank. My blue ram says hi.

 

[absolutangel04]

What are you feedingn them? Sometimes bacterial blooms pop up if you are accidentally feeding too much.

 

[Chizzle007]

I feed sparingly. And anything left behind my ghost shrimp eat. Never have junk sitting around in my tank. I give them a mix diet of bloodworms, flake, and brine shrimp. Not all three everyday but throughout the week.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

If you changed the carbon in the filter then that is the problem...you may have taken out some beneficial bacteria on there if it's been in there for a while so that is why there may be a possible bacterial bloom.

 

[blueyedcntrygrl68]

I had that problem when I got my big tank.. (got it with fish).. took me daily changes of abt 25 percent for abt 2 weeks.. rinsing out the filter in used tank water after a week...