Hazy tank water- No ammonia No nitrates

[Stellah]

Hello all!

I seem to have developed hazy water in my 55 gallon. All of the fish are fine, and there is no measurable ammonia or nitrates or nitrites. My filter pads are dirty, and normally I would change a few, (I have 2 filters and multiple pads/sponges in each) I never switched all of them at once. Should I change them? I don't want to agrivating the bacterial bloom I appear to be experiencing.

Am I in a mini cycle? I did add new fish, but I gravel vac once a week, and have noticed no chemical changes whatsoever. I have been doing double time water changes, there is only a little gunk in my substrate. Weird right? Wouldn't I be seeing elevated levels if it was a mini cycle?

It's hazy- not cloudy, not any color or white.. Just hazy.

Edit: the tank has also heated up? I haven't touched my heater - set at 77 degrees- but my tank digital thermometer is reading 82. I just turned my heater way down. Unrelated?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Stellah]

*cricket*

 

[rmiller]

Would you mind rechecking your nitrates? If you're using the api master kit, make sure to shake the #2 bottle for 2-3 minutes. Set a timer and shake the entire time, and not gently, bang it on the counter in every direction, shake it til your arm feels like it's going to fall off, then shake some more.

 

[Rivercats]

It is rather odd your having cloudy/hazy water especially since nothing has changed. If your pad are dirty then only change a couple out at a time or you will cause a mini cycle/bacterial bloom. Increased heat makes bacteria grow faster but that really shouldn't have caused the water to cloud up. Personally I'd ride it out a few days and see what happens. Then if you do a WC and the water clouds back up you will at least know something caused you to have a bacterial bloom. If it is a bacterial bloom and it lasts too long a UV sterilizer will clear the water up quite quickly.

 

[rmiller]

The other question I would ask is what color is it? Is it more whitish or green?

 

[Stellah]

The other question I would ask is what color is it? Is it more whitish or green?

Well- I figured it out, it DOES have color to it, and that color issss- green!

I forgot that I added a new light to my tank about a month ago. :/

Sorry and thank you everyone!

Suggestions? I am doing 25% water changes twice a week (gravel vac), I changed half the filter cartridges, I only had the lights on for 3 hours yesterday, and put up black poster board over half of the tank and reduced my feeding.

The tank doesn't get direct sunlight of course- but is in a medium-ly lit room.. So I covered it half way..

Any other suggestions? I'm acting like it's worse than it is- all of the fish are fine- and it's still just a haze.. I can see everything fine- but it's always been crystal clear..

Thanks so much for your help!!

 

[Rivercats]

If the water has a green tint when put in a white cup then you have a green water algae bloom. Cutting down lighting and food nor WC's will get rid of it. You have two choices.

First one is you can do a 3 day black out. You have to completely cover the entire tank, sides, top, and bottom so no light can enter the tank. Also no peeking or you'll break the black out cycle and have to start over. This method will sometimes work. But in order for the bloom not to come back you have to completely 100% kill all the free floating algae.

The other method which is very effective in killing off all the free floating algae in a short amount of time is by using a UV sterilizer. This is the one many people on the forum have used with great success... Green Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer with Power Head at PETCO.

 

[Stellah]

This might be a dumb question- but will everything in my tank be okay without light for 3 days?

I'll do that right now... Thank you.

about a month ago- I set up a bigger fry tank- 29 bow- and used established tank water for half of it- and it may be greenish as well- would the fry be okay? I don't want to stunt their growth...

Again- thank you!

 

[Rivercats]

Not a dumb question but yes they will. Just know that if any algae is left it will begin to multiply again and the bloom will return.

 

[Stellah]

Not a dumb question but yes they will. Just know that if any algae is left it will begin to multiply again and the bloom will return.

Even the fry? I have guppy- molly- and betta and a small pleco.

I googled- and couldn't find anything about blacking out a fry tank...

I'll go tape up the 55. (No feeding- right?)

 

[Rivercats]

Hopefully the fry will be okay. I've never done a black out with fry. If you don't want to risk the fry using a UV sterilizer is the best bet.

No feeding, no peeking, just cover it up well and leave it alone. Just be sure to give it 3 complete 24 hour days.

 

[Stellah]

Okay- I'll update in 3 days I suppose.

Thank you- fingers crossed!

 

[Stellah]

I might post another thread- asking if anyone has blacked out a fry tank.. I'm worried about no food- I've put so much into them, ya know?

 

[Stellah]

UPDATE:
Main tank- successful! Only one casualty- one african dwarf frog didn't make it, but he wasn't looking good when I started the blackout. So 1/30 something ain't bad! The tank is back to its pristine self!

Fry tank- mostly successful. No casualties, not even a single fry was lost! HOWEVER- I see ICH spots on 3 fry. :/

How would I treat fry for ich?

I'm preparing to do my post-blackout water changes right now. I have the tanks uncovered, but can I safely turn the lights back on?

Thank you everyone for all of your help!!