Hoping to get some advice about cloudy water

[d-atribe]

I recently upgraded from a 10 gal to a 26 gal bowfront. I cycled my new tank for a month before transferring my fish the first week in January. Readings in the new tank were 0's across the board. Shortly before I transferred my fish to the new tank I switched the Penguin 150 filter over and also all of the water from the 10 gallon.

Initially I had some ammonia and nitrate spikes but for the past two weeks my numbers have been steady. My problem is water cloudiness. After my weekly water changes my water is clear, but within a day it begins to cloud up. It's not heavy cloudiness like when I have had algae issues in the past but it isn't as clear as I was able to maintain with my 10 gallon. Near the end of the week it's hard to see the back of the tank at all. Seems cloudy white up top but more murky near the substrate. Any advice would be appreciated.


Livestock: 9 neon tetras, 3 bleeding heart tetras, 2 platys, 1 red dwarf gourami, 1 blue dwarf gourami, and 2 albino buenos aires tetras.


26 gal Aqueon bow front currently running two hob filters (Penguin 150 and Penguin 200) because I am in the process of upgrading to the 200. I take readings every 4-5 days. My pH fluctuates between 6.4 and 7. Readings for the past week have been 0 for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Weekly water changes of 30-50%. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.


Here are a few pics. Sorry about quality:

http://i.imgur.com/dUrO10i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HDIKaHw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Gr3Gske.jpg

 

[Convict2161]

I recently upgraded from a 10 gal to a 26 gal bowfront. I cycled my new tank for a month before transferring my fish the first week in January. Readings in the new tank were 0's across the board. Shortly before I transferred my fish to the new tank I switched the Penguin 150 filter over and also all of the water from the 10 gallon.

Initially I had some ammonia and nitrate spikes but for the past two weeks my numbers have been steady. My problem is water cloudiness. After my weekly water changes my water is clear, but within a day it begins to cloud up. It's not heavy cloudiness like when I have had algae issues in the past but it isn't as clear as I was able to maintain with my 10 gallon. Near the end of the week it's hard to see the back of the tank at all. Seems cloudy white up top but more murky near the substrate. Any advice would be appreciated.


Livestock: 9 neon tetras, 3 bleeding heart tetras, 2 platys, 1 red dwarf gourami, 1 blue dwarf gourami, and 2 albino buenos aires tetras.


26 gal Aqueon bow front currently running two hob filters (Penguin 150 and Penguin 200) because I am in the process of upgrading to the 200. I take readings every 4-5 days. My pH fluctuates between 6.4 and 7. Readings for the past week have been 0 for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Weekly water changes of 30-50%. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks.





Here are a few pics. Sorry about quality:

http://i.imgur.com/dUrO10i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HDIKaHw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Gr3Gske.jpg

Parameters are good? Could be a bacterial bloom.

 

[d-atribe]

That was my first thought. It seems more .. persistent than the ones I have dealt with in the past.

 

[Convict2161]

That was my first thought. It seems more .. persistent than the ones I have dealt with in the past.

How long has this issue been going on?

 

[d-atribe]

How long has this issue been going on?

Three weeks. It'll be four tomorrow.

 

[Convict2161]

Three weeks. It'll be four tomorrow.

Have you changed anything? try some water changes or add some carbon and see if that helps.

 

[d-atribe]

Have you changed anything? try some water changes or add some carbon and see if that helps.

I've been doing 20-30% water changes every 3-4 days. For the past 2 weeks. I've never added carbon before. Perhaps that will help.

 

[Convict2161]

I've been doing 20-30% water changes every 3-4 days. For the past 2 weeks. I've never added carbon before. Perhaps that will help.

Try the carbon and maybe to some water changes every day and see of that helps. It won't hurt anything.

 

[CMOS]

Another thought - what's your water source? You could have a source with a high TDS number, therefore introducing new organics each time you do a water change. If this is the case, you'd basically be reintroducing more "food" for the bacteria at each WC.

I might suggest a water change(s) using some store bought "bottled water" which you can buy in gallon sized containers. They tend to have a very low TDS number, if not 0. Just a thought.


CMOS

 

[d-atribe]

Another thought - what's your water source? You could have a source with a high TDS number, therefore introducing new organics each time you do a water change. If this is the case, you'd basically be reintroducing more "food" for the bacteria at each WC.

I might suggest a water change(s) using some store bought "bottled water" which you can buy in gallon sized containers. They tend to have a very low TDS number, if not 0. Just a thought.

CMOS

I live in Portland Oregon. Did a quick google search and came across a thread from last month on the Pacific Northwest Aquarium Society board where a number of locals stated that their tds was 7-9. Our water consistently rates very high nationally. Still, 7-9 isn't 0. I'll get some today and do a 50% change tonight. Thanks!

 

[d-atribe]

Well, a few days have passed. I added carbon and have been doing 30% water changes every other day. Cloudiness isn't gone but had been steadily getting better every day. Thanks to everyone that commented on this thread. I appreciate the help!