Please help me. Just recently my juwel vision 180 tank has gone cloudy. The water is so cloudy i can barely see anything. I've tried changing the parts of the filter and doing water changes but so far nothing has worked. Can anyone help me ? please.
HELP Please: Problem with cloudy water
- Thread starter Stugy_uk
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Fruitbat
Aquarium Advice Addict
Stugy_uk...
What color is the cloudiness? Is it sort of whitish or is it green? Have you added anything to the tank recently??
White cloudiness is generally an indication of a bacterial bloom. This occurs when there is an overabundance of nutrients in the water, often caused by overfeeding. The bacteria population, normally held in check by lower nutrient levels, begins to grow as the bacteria feed on the extra nutrients and begin to multiply. As long as the nutrient levels remain high the bacteria will thrive and your water will retain the whitish cloudiness. To resolve this problem often requires frequent water changes and gravel vacuuming. Of course the underlying problem of excess nutrients must be resolved or the problem will simply return.
Overstocking an aquarium can also cause the whitish cloudiness because the filter can't remove the fish waste as fast as they produce it and this also provides lots of nutrients for bacteria. Some kinds of fish, goldfish for example, release more waste than others.
Green cloudiness is usually caused by a bloom of unicellular algae. This can happen when there is a lot of light available for these photosynthetic organisms. It can also occur if there are excessive levels of nitrates and/or phosphates available for the algae to use. Reducing the light level in the tank and making water changes will often resolve the green water syndrome. Once again...resolving the underlying problem (excess light/nutrients) is necessary for a more permanent solution.
Water can also go cloudy after the addition of inadequately washed gravel. The addition of incompletely cured driftwood can also result in cloudy water. Driftwood, in addition, often leaches tannins into the water and can give it a tea-colored hue.
Have you checked your aquarium water parameters...specifically ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If so...what were they? And to repeat BrianNY's questions....what kind (and how many) fish are in the tank and how long has this tank been set up?
What color is the cloudiness? Is it sort of whitish or is it green? Have you added anything to the tank recently??
White cloudiness is generally an indication of a bacterial bloom. This occurs when there is an overabundance of nutrients in the water, often caused by overfeeding. The bacteria population, normally held in check by lower nutrient levels, begins to grow as the bacteria feed on the extra nutrients and begin to multiply. As long as the nutrient levels remain high the bacteria will thrive and your water will retain the whitish cloudiness. To resolve this problem often requires frequent water changes and gravel vacuuming. Of course the underlying problem of excess nutrients must be resolved or the problem will simply return.
Overstocking an aquarium can also cause the whitish cloudiness because the filter can't remove the fish waste as fast as they produce it and this also provides lots of nutrients for bacteria. Some kinds of fish, goldfish for example, release more waste than others.
Green cloudiness is usually caused by a bloom of unicellular algae. This can happen when there is a lot of light available for these photosynthetic organisms. It can also occur if there are excessive levels of nitrates and/or phosphates available for the algae to use. Reducing the light level in the tank and making water changes will often resolve the green water syndrome. Once again...resolving the underlying problem (excess light/nutrients) is necessary for a more permanent solution.
Water can also go cloudy after the addition of inadequately washed gravel. The addition of incompletely cured driftwood can also result in cloudy water. Driftwood, in addition, often leaches tannins into the water and can give it a tea-colored hue.
Have you checked your aquarium water parameters...specifically ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If so...what were they? And to repeat BrianNY's questions....what kind (and how many) fish are in the tank and how long has this tank been set up?
The tanks been up since the start of May, i have 6 leapord danios, 6 black widow tetras, 3 tiger barbs, 2 clown plecs, 2 siamese algae eaters, 2 feather fin catfish, 3 peppered corys. i need a new test. mines ran out last week. But the readings were low. it's a greenish cloudyness. the filters are what comes with the tank. 2 fine sponges, 2 coarse, i carbon, i white. Lights are on from 8am to 8:30pm.
That's an algae bloom. The good news is it harmless to fish. Let's see if I get any agreement here 
.
Leave the lights off for a few days. Those are single plants causing this and toatal darkness will kill them. Water changes won't help because they multiply so quickly.
A diatom filter would help, and should become part of your regular maintainence.
Adding live plants when you've got it under control will also help, in that they will usually outcompete that algae for the nutrients in the water.
Did I leave anything out? I'm no expert on this one.
.Leave the lights off for a few days. Those are single plants causing this and toatal darkness will kill them. Water changes won't help because they multiply so quickly.
A diatom filter would help, and should become part of your regular maintainence.
Adding live plants when you've got it under control will also help, in that they will usually outcompete that algae for the nutrients in the water.
Did I leave anything out? I'm no expert on this one.
Fruitbat
Aquarium Advice Addict
Pretty much right on the mark, Brian. Since this is an established tank with a pretty heavy fish population then I would suspect that there might be an overfeeding problem. Algae will only bloom if a) there is excessive light and/or b) there are excess nutrients. It doesn't sound like excess light is the problem here so I'd suspect high nutrient (think nitrate/phosphate) levels.
Keeping the tank dark for a few days will probably help with the cloudiness but make sure you keep the filters running. As the algae dies and decomposes the bacteria in the tank will consume a lot of oxygen as they break down the dead algal cells. Consider doing a partial water change right before you start the 'dark treatment' and then another after the cloudiness subsides. Cut back on the feeding a little to keep the nutrient levels low. If you have enough light to support them, live plants (as Brian pointed out) will help by competing with the algae for the available nutrients.
Keeping the tank dark for a few days will probably help with the cloudiness but make sure you keep the filters running. As the algae dies and decomposes the bacteria in the tank will consume a lot of oxygen as they break down the dead algal cells. Consider doing a partial water change right before you start the 'dark treatment' and then another after the cloudiness subsides. Cut back on the feeding a little to keep the nutrient levels low. If you have enough light to support them, live plants (as Brian pointed out) will help by competing with the algae for the available nutrients.
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