Please list some possible causes of cloudy water.

[SpaceButler]

White cloudy that is.

I'm just at my wits' end. I do frequent water changes, yet not so frequent that I'm starving the bio-filter, as tests I do show that it takes frequent changes to just keep the nitrates under 10ppm. I just have no clue.

I don't overfeed... I think... I guess there could be microscopic bits of food getting away. I'm just clueless. It's like no matter what I do, I get cloudy water, or one of my fish gets split fin. I believe I serve a good diet and am diligent with water changes and monitoring. What could be my problem!?

 

[hashbaz]

One time I had bubbles from the airstone getting sucked up into the filter. The filter broke the bubbles into tiny, tiny bubbles that stayed in the water instead of floating up. This gave my water a white cloudy look. I moved the airstone, and the cloudy water disappeared.

Other possibilities are:
1. Things dissolving in your water. Do you have any odd rocks rocks or gravel or anything else in your tank.
2. Bacteria outbreaks. This is usually only a problem on newly established tanks and goes away after a while.

 

[youronlysin]

What kind of filter are you using? How many fish and how big is the tank? Any plants? I know that everyone might like to know your water parameters as well.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Excess nutrients can cause a green water problem (looks like white smoke under a powerglo bulb), it will also cause elevated nitrate levels (because you are reading the algae) Is your tank in direct sunlight? how long are the lights on/day?

If the tank has sunlight that can reach it, look from the side of the tank with the light off, the water will have a greenish tinge, if it's a possibility, then cover the tank (no light) add an airstone, and turn the light on for 1 hr/day (feed 30 mins after light goes on, then turn off 1/2 hour after that) it should be well on it's way to clearing up after a couple of days, if it doesn't then chances are this isn't your problem (sounds a lot like it tho, from personal experience since it is very persistent).. when it's clear allow the tank no more then 8 hours of light/day.

 

[SpaceButler]

Let's see.

I have one Oscar, 3"... one rainbow shark 3", and one pleco 1.5" in a 55 gallon.

EDIT: I'm using a whipser 60, but I'm thinking of adding another filter of equal or greater water rotating power. I've been hearing good things about this emporer 400 bio-wheel? Is that good?

As for plants, I just have plastic or cloth ones that have been soaked and in the tank for some time now. I do have some rocks from outside, that I have boiled and boiled and soaked and soaked. It's slate rock if you're familiar.

I wonder if it would be worth taking out the rocks to see if that's the problem.

Parameters btw are, Ammo: 0; Ites: 0; Ates: 10ppm +or -; pH is 7.7 or so... seems to flucuate a bit; and the water is mighty hard... don't have a number on that one.

 

[Jramatized]

I am having this same problem. Last night I did a water change, over 50%. Then I added "start right" its a water conditioner thast in tablets. I also have these tablets called "parasite clear" and your supposed to remove the carbon from the filter when runnin it, I dont know why.. I was wondering if I should have removed the carbon when I dropped the start right in.(it was a new filter too) The directions didnt say to, so I didnt. I also have soem crystal clear,but its nto workin yet. As I said I did over 50% water change so it should be clear.. Also if I need to change it again today how do u get the water temp to be close to your tepm thats already in the aquarium? I heard that using hot water has more metals in it. I dont want to take the fish out cause there too hard to catch and I dont want to stress them, casue I took them out last night. My nitrate level is hi so I need to change the water and do a gravel vac too. I have a 29 gal. and teh filter is fine, any suggestions

 

[Frank_the_Tank]

One time I had bubbles from the airstone getting sucked up into the filter. The filter broke the bubbles into tiny, tiny bubbles that stayed in the water instead of floating up. This gave my water a white cloudy look. I moved the airstone, and the cloudy water disappeared.

same thing happened when I first set up my aquarium. Every couple seconds a bubble would go into my intake and then make a really annoying clicking noise in the filter and it kinda clouded up the water.

 

[SpaceButler]

It looks like this topic's long dead, but if any of you were interested...

I purchased an Emperor 400 to add to my whisper 60 (for a 55 gal). Withing 5 minutes of plugging it in the water cleared.

Moral of the story: Skip the whispers...

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

a Whisper 60 would be stressed on that tank, you would have been better off with 2 40's or a 30 and 60. (better too much then not enough) or a Fluval 304

Glad it cleared up for you.